For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.1 Corinthians 13:9 kjv

Generally, practitioners in psychology practice are faced with the daunting task to weave through persons emotions with the goal of changing these states of emotions and or help persons to explore these emotions so that they can manage them. Often than never the emotions which the persons bring to the therapist are often stressful to the respective persons in a way that it affords them the tag of patients thus suffers. It’s often that at times therapists want to give themselves an illusive veil of being emotionally impenetrable by the troubles of their patients. However, the knowledge age we are in, informs us that the work of practitioners in psychological practice involves dealing with stressful issues and the more disturbed the patient is the more stressful the work becomes.
Unknown Outcomes
The issue that the work in psychotherapy which psychologists in Zimbabwe often carryout involves going with the client in unchartered terrains speaks volumes of the stressful nature of the work of a psychologist. Whilst diagnosis can be successfully made in a short period the prognosis of a person having psychological challenges might remain in the unknown. What makes the prognosis of outcomes in psychotherapy is the complexity and differences that usually come with the uniqueness of individuals as just being humans.
Expectations in Psychological Work
Psychological work especially when doing therapeutic work can be frustrating in the sense that the client progress may fail to meet the period of time which stakeholders such as the family, employer wants. At times even fail to meet the practitioner’s expectations especially with time lines and practitioners sometimes learn the hard way that excess patience and endurance are required. Psychological work often at times involves a back-and-forth movement and at times defy a linear progression path, favoring a cyclic path to recovery. A cyclic path can be stressful and evoke uncertain feelings from the therapists as they can self-evaluate their approach to the client in therapy.

Projection and Transference
While in therapy a client might project their issues to the therapist and often times transference can happen during the therapy sessions. All these experiences happen in the experience of a therapeutic session which the psychology practitioner is involved. The stressful part of the work of a psychologist is that as they help the individual with emotional distress, they are in real direct contact of the emotional distress of the person they are actually helping and empathizing with.
Mental Health Workshops in Zimbabwe
Whilst workshops on selfcare and stress are being held for practitioners in mental health. It is important that workshop facilitators recognize the challenges which practitioners find which are inherent the practice, so that the workshops remain relevant to the pragmatic challenges of practitioners in mental health.

Prosper K Mushauri

Counselling Psychologist

email: pkvamushauri@gmail.com