Ten Principles of Psychotherapy: Building Hope

Being a psychotherapist is a fantastic responsibility.

Posted January 25, 2011 | Reviewed by Ekua Hagan

Imagine a mental health professional starting the first session with a new patient. The patient could describe extremely difficult problems to the therapist, or those problems as described by the patient might be just touching the surface and masking extremely difficult issues out of the awareness of the patient.

Problems such as these illustrate that being a psychotherapist is a fantastic responsibility, and requires much education , training, and experience to be successful. Some basic principles make it easier for both professionals and patients.

To find a therapist, please visit the Psychology Today Therapy Directory .

Share this post Facebook Bluesky Linkedin Email

Gerald Young, Ph.D. , is a professor of psychology at York University.

Get the help you need from a therapist near you–a FREE service from Psychology Today.

---

This article is part of the Bringwise Psychology Journal — daily insights on human behavior, mental health, and personal growth.