What? Psychological Noise at Imaginif

Counsellors and therapists need to be fully aware of their own noise: their values, their politics, their ideas, their personal issues, their preferences – anything that may alter the way they interact with another person is known as psychological noise. Knowing yourself and being able to put yourself aside makes for an objective and effective listener: the elements of active listening.

The psychological noise of the helper can constipate a therapeutic relationship and create further harm to a client. It is unprofessional and unacceptable if the counsellors noise rises during the therapeutic session. Much better to recognise it prior to a client entering into the relationship with the counsellor and to do something about it (refer to another therapist or ensure personal strategies to keep individual noise controlled).

My psychological noise is around sexual deviance and exploitation. I am unable to work with perpetrators of sexual assault – sex predators. My psychological noise about them is louder than my professional duty to care. I recognise this and I immediately refer on when a sexual perpetrator is referred to me.  I do not deny them help but I do deny them my help because I know I cannot, will not, be effective.

At Imaginif today there is enormous noise going on: psychological and physical. It is so noisy in fact that I cannot even hear the phone ring! Four workmen are seducing the back garden into submission. No easy feat on a garden that has been hardly explored for the last five years.

Should you today ring Imaginif and the phone fails to answer, it is not because we are nursing psychological noise and having a mental health day, it is because we can’t hear the phone ringing! My goodness, I am today aware of my noisy counselling garden….how could I not be.

If you are interested in clear communication and how it works in a counselling situation have a look at The Anger Volcano.