Momentum - Business to Business Online Magazine MOMENTUM January 2020 | Page 32

SELF HELP OLAN J. LATIN. MA, LPC Insight Life Counseling 17625 El Camino Real, Suite 220 Webster, Texas 77058 832-846-6206 | [email protected] Good Therapists and Good Leaders Share Similar Qualities I t may seem overly simplistic, but what constitutes a leader is the ability to lead. This means that the individual is a leader, not a follower. Leaders are able to make decisions that may be unpopular for the greater good of a group or the individual, and will stick with that decision if it is for the best. A leader is not easily influenced by others, rather they have the influence. Leaders have power, but should not be abusive of that power. I believe that some of the same attributes that make a good therapist or counselor, make a good leader. Having honesty and great communication skills are paramount for any successful leader or therapist. A positive attitude, a committed attitude, and the ability to inspire are tantamount to any great leader. Much like a leader, an effective therapist must have values that he or she are clear about, while at the same time remaining objective when working with values that are different from their own. In therapy, a leadership style that always places the client first will increase the effectiveness and quality of the sessions, and will ultimately create positive change in the life of the client. Leaders and therapists have the ability to alter the behaviors and attitudes of individuals by giving them the insight to make real change and take ownership of the decisions they make. Therapists must lead in a way that is based on ethical principles. Such principles are based on promoting the 30 MOMENTUM | 2020 Year of Small Business welfare and protecting the rights of others, doing no harm, and acting faithfully and responsibly with integrity and fairness. In addition, clients must be empowered to feel like a partner in the therapeutic process as opposed to feeling like the therapist is supposed to dictate everything to them. Forming a partnership with clients can make them feel more personal responsibility and accountability to their lives. Clients will feel that they are having a say in the therapeutic process as it goes at a pace that is comfortable for them. These actions will lead to better results as clients will not feel as everything is imposed on them by the therapist. Good therapists and good leaders should live their lives by being good examples for the individuals they lead. A therapist can be a positive influence on clients by displaying behaviors they can model and by living what can be deemed a drama free lifestyle. A good therapist and a good leader will always strive to do the right thing for the people they lead. A common fear that some therapists have is the worry that they will possess too much control over the way a client thinks. Such potential pitfalls can be avoided by informing clients that the client will be responsible for all of their decision making in therapy because it will be a collaborative effort. As a result, the effective leader or therapist will instill the confidence and abilities into those they are duty-bound to protect so that they can eventually lead themselves.