『專業精神』點樣成為一個臨床心理學家？ Professionalism - How to become a Clinical Psychologist?

舊年五月兩間大學膽色過人請咗我同初做臨床督導嘅行家分享我嘅經驗，喺Q&A 有個comment 話我『好好人』，喺督導臨床心理實習生嘅過程中做咗好多嘢，當時我有啲愕然，停咗幾秒，然後話『我絕對唔係一個好人；我只係專業。』

唔理你甚至你嘅當事人（病人 / 事主 / 同事 / 實習學生）係咪好人，只要你做嘅嘢係以心理學研究同知識為基礎，將你同佢嘅交往放喺『專業關係』中，就係專業。

『專業關係』就係以當事人嘅利益同意願為大前題，將自己嘅需要壓到最低，一切以心理科學理性分析當事人嘅思想行為感受，包括佢對你嘅思想行為感受。

盡量唔俾自己嘅愛惡喜怒哀樂價值宗教政治影響投射喺當事人身上。嚴格嚟講，由你第一次同佢打招呼，眼神表情形態語氣句式內容會面格式方向等都應該係你喺專業計劃中嘅產物。

無我。

希望從當事人得到明星簽名或演唱會門票係唔專業。

喺個案會議中改當事人花名係唔專業。

不必要拖長治療節數，或未了解當事人以往接受過治療嘅經驗而不首先採用得到實證有效嘅治療方案係唔專業。

為咗保護自己嘅形象而阻止實習學生同部門同事一齊食晏交流係唔專業。

喺人來人往嘅走廊叫當事人填寫心理狀態問卷係唔專業。

唔知打算點做，抱住見到當事人先至算嘅態度係唔專業。

當然，我哋都係人，同時，冇一個治療手法係原全冇背後嘅哲學同道德假設；但一個臨床心理學家應該有自省能力，知道自己每一個行為嘅動機同對當事人嘅影響，當察覺其中嘅動機係為咗自己或純粹只係自己嘅情緒反應，咁就要諗清楚。

察覺自己嘅缺點，積極改進，就係專業。

接受自己不足，將你做唔好嘅轉介俾人，都係專業。例如我無論如何都投入唔到小朋友嘅世界，所以我唔會見小朋友。有啲人對吸毒者、性工作者、施暴者、或任何一類人士有很重嘅情緒反應或價值判斷，都應該嘗試處理自己內在嘅糾結，或轉介更適合嘅行家。

專業精神，係基於科學理性同自省能力，喺專業關係中為當事人作出最好嘅選擇。

要奉行專業精神，係需要時間，同制度嘅配合；又可能係另一個不可抗力。共勉之。

It was May of last year. In a workshop organised by the Clinical Psychology Departments of the two Universities in Hong Kong, I shared my experiences with new Clinical Psychology Clinical Supervisors on how to supervise trainees. During the Q&A session, someone remarked that I was a “good person”, who had spent much time and efforts with the Clinical Psychology trainees during the supervision interactions. I paused for several seconds, and responded, “I may not be a good guy, but I am only being professional”.

Professionalism involves engaging with your clients in a professional context, namely professional relationship, where your decisions and actions are guided by scientific psychology insights and understanding. The personal qualities of you or your clients, such as being "good" or not, are irrelevant in this context.

A professional relationship requires putting your client's best interests and desires above your own needs. Every element of the interaction, especially your client's thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, as well as the client's attitudes, feelings, and actions towards you, is based on the logical analysis of psychological science.

As much as possible, refrain from letting your personal preferences, emotional fluctuations, value judgments, religious beliefs, political views, etc., influence your interactions with the clients. Ideally, from the initial eye contact, facial expressions, gestures, body posture, speech tone, word choice, sentence structure to the direction and components of the session, every element should be guided by rational judgment and decision-making.

Selflessness.

Hoping to seek an autograph from a well-known singer who is your client is unprofessional.

Calling your client names and moking a client in a case conference is unprofessional.

Unnecessarily increasing therapy sessions or failing to use evidence-based treatment methods without prior understanding the client's past treatment experiences and outcomes is unprofessional.

Preventing a trainee to have lunch with your coworkers to maintain your image is unprofessional.

Requesting a client to fill out a questionnaire about the client's psychological state in a waiting area with other clients nearby is unprofessional.

Assuming everything will work out without prior planning and conceptualization before meeting a client is unprofessional.

We are all human beings. Moreover, no psychology orientation is devoid of ideology or valuses. Nonetheless, a Clinical Psychologist must possess the capacity to self-reflect on the motivations behind his/her behaviour and its impact on the clients. If the motivation stems from personal needs or is merely an emotional response, it is crucial to pause and reflect.

Recognizing and working to improve one's weaknesses is a hallmark of professionalism.

Accepting one's own weaknesses and referring clients to a Clinical Psychologist who does not share those weaknesses is also a sign of professionalism. I cannot fully grasp the world of young children, so I choose not to work with them due to this weakness. Some individuals have strong feelings towards drug addicts, sex workers, abusers, or other groups of people. In such cases, Clinical Psychologists in this case need to address their own biases, or refer the clients to another Clinical Psychologists without similar strong feelings.

Professionalism involves working with clients for their best interests, grounded in scientific knowledge and self-reflection.

Professionalism requires a considerable amount of time and support from the work environment or system. However, even more crucial is our determination.