Recently, on one of the forums, I came across a discussion in which a participant was asking how she could quickly obtain the status of a psychologist on the B17 platform and start offering consultations. As an argument, she mentioned that she had been actively participating in discussions for several years and felt ready to give advice based on her own life experience.
This opinion, incidentally, is quite common among people far removed from the profession. Many believe that psychology is essentially the ability to understand others through personal experience. To some extent, this is true, and there is even a concept known as “everyday psychology,” when, for example, one friend shares her worries and another supports her and offers advice based on her own family history.
However, this is precisely where the potential danger lies. Advice given with the best intentions may turn out to be ineffective or even harmful, especially if the situation is deeper and more complex than it appears. Moreover, if the outcome is unsuccessful, the responsibility falls on the person who gave that advice.
Psychological consultation is not a friendly conversation and not the distribution of recommendations. It is a professional process based on assessment, analysis, and the careful formulation of questions. The goal of a psychologist’s work is not to impose a solution, but to create conditions in which the client can independently reflect on what is happening and arrive at inner change. These inner “new formations” become the key to personal insights and meaningful life changes.
In addition, effective practice is impossible without specialized education, professional training, and ongoing supervision. A personal desire to help people is an important motivation, but it is not enough. Counseling psychology is a field that requires deep knowledge, practical skills, an understanding of ethics, and a clear awareness of responsibility for every word spoken.