Clients deserve better.

Today I'm thinking about how much it scares me that certain people are able to work in the helping field. Psychologists, counsellors, nurses, etc. There should really be more criteria to be met before you are even allowed to enter the education institutions for these types of careers... like, I don't know, a lifelong interview? I'm thinking of some people I know of who are on the path to a career involving helping people, and the only way you would really know how unsuitable they truly are for the job would be to know them for years and see their personal lives. But, to the general population they appear capable and they can pay the cost of education, so they're in!

What scares me the most is that once these people have careers in the field, they will be working with a pretty specific population. That population is People Who Need Help. That sort of population is not always at peak levels of critical thinking, especially for those facing crises. Impaired judgement may render them unaware that their helper may not really be qualified to help them in the ways they really deserve. A helper who is self absorbed or seeking validation from the clients should not be norm. I wish I knew how to make this more common knowledge for people, but alas, I do not have that kind of power in this life.

NOTE - This post is not a reflection of my experiences at the Women's Centre. It comes from my own education and experiences over the last couple of years.