Interview With a School Psychologist
What was the motive to change your career track from Counseling Psychologist to School Psychologist / Child Psychologist?
I wasn’t a very expressive kid on thoughts or emotions during schooling and I always thought that it would be great if I had someone to talk to about what I feel. And when I was doing my PG, there were more child sexual abuse cases and child suicides were in existence. So, I felt that “Prevention is better than cure”. So I set my mind to get into child psychology and my HOD encouraged me to get into child counseling psychology since my counseling skills were also up to mark. After completing my research work at Madras University, I had an opportunity to work in a school as a Counseling Psychologist, and I grabbed the opportunity.
How comfortable were the students to come and talk to a Psychologist in the beginning?
In the beginning, when I joined as a psychologist in the school, there were hesitations among children to come up and talk to me. Later, I went to classes and started talking to them about why I am here, why the school appointed me, and rare words to them such as Mental Health, and other psychological terms. I also made them understand that it’s not always about the problem that they can talk to me about. Even if they want to develop some skills, I can guide them. If they need a suggestion on something related to their school, I just make sure that they think about me.
How far has the situation changed now?
Even now, some children find it difficult to open up to me, some are dragged by their friends, some hide and come, and some are still being stopped by their other staff to talk to them instead of letting them come to me. Almost 70% of the children in my school come to me. The rest 30% fear due to trust issues.
After talking to 70% of the children, What do you think will be the major threat to their careers in the Future?
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In one set of children, I see most of them are carefree and not goal-oriented. Risk behavior is very much visible. The other set of children know how to set boundaries, and how smart and assertive they can be. Toxic Relationship issues can be avoided with these children in the future. The important thing that I teach them is to say ‘NO’ anywhere they feel uncomfortable.
How are children coping with the current situation after facing the pandemic issue?
Children felt that the home environment had more problems as they spent most of their time at school. Children who faced financial problems, and Parent’s fights at home already knew that these all exist in their homes. But children who are just aware of it after the pandemic are the ones who felt it was difficult and it was all new to them. They even felt caged to stay home. But, some children felt comfortable staying home with online classes and everything.
How far was the tolerance level for children during the pandemic, since there was a sudden increase in the family time?
Every incident that happened in the pandemic has affected them a lot. Very beloved blood relations or any close relation's separations and deaths have affected them so much that they wanted to talk to someone that they couldn’t handle the pressure.
What were the other difficulties that the children faced during the pandemic?
Children had many negative thoughts and sleep disturbances, difficulty in attending online classes, they couldn’t stay home because even the good learning child felt it difficult to unmute and answer sitting in-between the family members. This made them feel that they couldn’t be themselves at home.
Children & adults should understand their roles and responsibilities in life. A daughter being a daughter, a son being a son, a brother doing the brother duties, a student doing the student duties, being a friend to someone, doing the good friend duties.
I teach them the level of normal and beyond that, I guide them to seek professional help.
