REFLECTIONS ABOUT THE START OF CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY: PATHWAYS AND POSSIBILITIES

Abstract

In the Gestalt-therapist training process, we perceive little attention in the construction of the office, which is as important as theoretical studies, supervisions and personal work. So that the psychotherapist can develop and of paramount importance clinical practice, which is the moment in which the preparation of the professional makes sense and there is an important theoretical growth. For this, it is necessary to have a physical space to perform the services and a means to attract clients. At this point a question is asked: how to start this kind of work? The reflection on this question brings us several topics to be discussed, from the most theoretical to the most practical, such as the bureaucratic and administrative part. On the basis of this we think and raise many important points to be discussed, which are little approached throughout the academic project, at first and later, are also excluded from the process of Gestalt-therapist training. Moreover, because it is a profession that works essentially with subjective aspects, it often becomes a challenge for the psychotherapist to deal with the pragmatism of clinical practice. Attentive to this and perceiving such gaps, we feel the need to share with other professionals the experiences of starting a work in the clinic, reflecting on the expectations and anxieties of a newly formed psychologist and understanding the context where he is launching. Welcoming, above all, the anguish as a propeller of the whole process, not something to be eliminated. For this we give an overview of the construction of the office, reflecting on this difficult beginning and the importance of being prepared, demystifying the idea that the professional course as a clinical psychologist is not possible. Keywords: Gestalt-Therapist; start; clinic; clinic.