Beyond the Therapy Room

 Beyond the Therapy Room

Aarya Godse

When I first reached out to Natascha Thomson, a therapist with a background in counseling psychology, I wanted to learn more about what it is like to work in therapy and the different career paths within psychology. What I did not expect was to learn how much her career had evolved from her previous experiences in marketing and how those experiences  led her to pursue a career helping others. 

From Marketing to Mental Health

From working in Silicon Valley marketing for many years and earning an MBA to studying counseling psychology and building her own therapy practice, Natascha offered valuable insight into the realities of being a therapist: the importance of research in clinical practice, and the emotional demands of working with clients. I would like to thank Natascha Thomson for taking the time to share her experiences and perspectives with me. Here is what I learned.

Exploring the Different Paths Within Psychology

One of the biggest things I learned was that there are several different paths within psychology and mental health. Natascha explained that someone interested in both research and clinical work might consider getting a PsyD or PhD. This stood out to me because I am interested in both understanding the science behind psychology and working directly with people. I had previously thought of research and therapy as more separate career paths, but she helped me understand that there are many ways to combine the two. 

If you are not sure if you want to go fully clinical or fully research, a PsyD allows you to keep both career paths open. As you get more experience in the field, it opens you up to more paths and job options!

The Reality 

I also learned that being a therapist involves much more than simply talking to clients. Natascha sees around four clients a day because she has found that this is the right balance for her and helps prevent emotional fatigue. Between sessions, therapists also have to write notes, create treatment plans, coordinate with other professionals, and sometimes communicate with teachers or legal representatives to help their clients. This administrative work can take up a significant amount of time and may not always be paid, which is the hard part. You have to be willing to put in overtime and your emotional capabilities to really succeed in this career. Before this interview, I had mostly thought about the time a therapist spends directly with clients, so learning about everything that happens behind the scenes gave me a more realistic understanding of the profession.

Turning Psychological Research Into Practice

Another part of the interview that interested me was the variety of people Natascha works with. She sees children, teenagers, college students, adults, and couples rather than focusing on one specific age group. For couples counseling, she uses the Gottman Method (https://www.gottman.com/) , a research-based approach that focuses on communication and relationship skills. There are also trainings every 2 years that licensed therapists have to go to in order to learn about the modern techniques and how to help their clients. Natascha especially mentioned she loves going to these because it helps freshen up her knowledge and network. This showed me how psychological research can be turned into practical techniques that therapists can use with their clients.

Teen Struggles

Natascha also talked about some of the challenges teenagers face today. She described academic pressure, social media judgment, and the effects of the pandemic as major factors affecting teens. Her experiences made me realize how many different influences can affect someone's mental health at the same time. I also learned more about how therapists have to balance confidentiality with safety. While therapists generally protect their clients' privacy, there are situations involving serious safety concerns or abuse where they have a responsibility to involve other people. For example, they have to judge whether or not to inform the parents of a younger client about the things talked about in session such as suicide. This adds an aspect of neuroethics into the job as it is important to keep the patient’s trust but also stay within the laws set by the board.

Beneath the Surface of Anxiety

One idea from the interview that particularly interested me was Natascha's explanation of anxiety. She described anxiety as sometimes being a "feeling about a feeling," where a person may focus on anxiety because it feels easier to deal with than a deeper emotion such as grief or trauma. This made me think about how psychological symptoms can sometimes be connected to deeper experiences and how therapy is not always just about addressing the emotion someone notices first.

The ‘Human’ Aspect

The most meaningful part of the interview was hearing about what makes the career rewarding for her. Natascha said that one of the best parts is seeing a client have a breakthrough or watching a couple improve their relationship. However, she explained that working with teenagers can be different because sometimes a therapist simply "plants a seed." A teenager may eventually leave for college, and the therapist may never know exactly how much their work affected that person's life. I found this especially meaningful because it showed me that helping someone does not always mean immediately seeing the result but holding onto the feeling that you helped someone in some way.

Advice for Today’s Teens

For high school students interested in  of psychology, it may seem as if there are not many options to get first hand experience. Due to the demand for confidentiality, it doesn't make it possible for a person to shadow a therapist or help write notes like a doctor may. But, there are larger group practices within community health care providers such as Axis Community Health and other larger counseling offices like Discovery Counseling Center in Danville. In places like this, one could get a chance work helping with the intake of clients and other office work. 

Fun Fact: after getting your masters, you must get 3,000 hours in training before being licensed!

Natascha also gave me advice about exploring psychology as a career. She recommended getting experience in a group practice to learn about the intake process and the business side of therapy. She also emphasized that students should not feel like they constantly need to be productive and suggested journaling simply as a way to get thoughts out.

Final Takeaways

Overall, this interview gave me a much more realistic picture of what working in psychology can look like. I learned about the different educational paths, the emotional and administrative demands of therapy, the importance of research-based treatment, and the rewarding moments that make the work meaningful. Most importantly, the interview showed me that psychology is not just about understanding the brain or diagnosing disorders,it is also about building relationships, understanding people's experiences, and helping them make meaningful changes in their lives.