Psychologists Help You Interpret Your Thoughts And Emotions

Psychologists work to study people’s behavior. They help people understand their problems by interpreting their thoughts and emotions. They listen to the meaning and significance of what patients tell them.

Jacques Lacan, a French psychoanalyst, proposed the idea that the unconscious has the structure of a language. The unconscious would be the place where you store your desires, fears and emotions. So, according to some models, psychologists are the ones who give their patients the resources they need to do the unconscious, conscious. Let’s explore this further…

Properties that help psychologists interpret thoughts and emotions

Psychologists have certain qualities that allow them to interpret their patients’ thoughts and feelings. They can also explain it in a language that is easy for the patient to understand. Here are some of these special abilities:

• Empathy. This is the ability to put yourself in the situation of others. It is easier for psychologists to understand how and why the patient’s problems affect them when they sit in the patient’s shoes.
• Communication.  Paul Watzlawick  , an Austrian psychologist, believes that communication is the basis of relationships. Therefore, psychologists are able to interpret what the patient is thinking and feeling.
• Know how to listen. Psychologists must be aware of what patients are saying so that they do not miss anything important.
• Self-awareness. Psychologists must separate the patient’s problems from their own. Otherwise, they may risk losing objective communication.

Nonverbal communication

Movements, expressions, voice and attitude also say a lot about what is happening in your life. They can provide valuable information about our emotions that we do not know about. Since we are not aware of it, we do not take it orally.

Thoughts and emotions do not always fit into the language we use. So to decipher them, psychologists observe their patients very carefully. For example, they look at facial expressions when talking about a problem. They can also observe the way the patient sits and where they fix their gaze.

The tone of voice can also be interpreted for deeper insight. For example, does the patient’s tone of voice change when they talk about certain topics? Do they stop more often? Are they quiet? Are they short of breath? Do they speak faster or slower? How loud are they talking?

The aspects we have just gone through are important because they help the psychologist to understand the overall picture. They provide psychologists with clues to the patient’s ideas, representations of reality, and emotions.

What are psychologists’ favorite techniques?

Here is a list of some of the techniques that psychologists use most in their practice:

• Cognitive techniques. Aaron Beck, a psychologist from the United States, suggested that there is a relationship between your thoughts and your emotions. Beck believed that we can restructure these thoughts and emotions. Psychologists can help us with that task.
• Draw or paint. The process of drawing or painting makes the unconscious visible. Here the psychotherapist helps the patient to express ideas and emotions when they are difficult to put into words. Then they interpret them.
• Through speech. The therapist recognizes and identifies people’s thoughts and emotions as they speak.

• Through behavior. Therapists observe how patients behave during treatment. They also listen to patient descriptions of how they function outside of therapy. For example, are they aggressive, apathetic, motivated or elated?
• Nonverbal communication. In many cases, psychologists can help patients translate their thoughts and emotions because they place great emphasis on how they express themselves nonverbally. They listen to the content of the speech, but are not distracted from the heart of the matter. In other words, they always keep an eye on movements, facial expressions and posture.
• Brings the unconscious to light. Most psychologists who believe in the existence of the unconscious believe that it manifests itself in different ways. It can shine through in art, speech errors or forgetfulness. Psychologists are aware of these problems and point them out to the client / patient. There are those who will give it meaning (if it actually has any meaning).

• Psychodrama. This is a technique created by Jacob Levy Moreno, where patients “play out” what is happening. Afterwards, the psychologist helps the patient to interpret his actions, to show understanding that certain things in the unconscious can come through.

Psychologists often act as a kind of mirror. They reflect the patient’s expressions, so that the patient can then interpret them. They can also help organize the patient’s speech and ideas. They do this by letting the patient speak freely, and take on the role of a kind of crutch or support, so that the process does not lose continuity.