Overview
Dr. Grande discusses six objective signs of a less-than-ideal therapist, emphasizing the importance of counselor competence and the potential harm caused by unqualified practitioners.
Defining "Bad" or Less-Than-Ideal Counselors
- Focus is on general signs of incompetence, not just poor client-counselor matches.
- The majority of counselors perform well, but a few can cause significant harm.
- The term "bad counselor" refers to being less competent, not necessarily unethical or harmful.
Sign 1: Evasive Responses About Licensure
- Counselors give complex or evasive stories when asked about their license status instead of directly answering.
- Legitimate explanations for lack of licensure (e.g., intern status) should be simple and clear.
Sign 2: Misrepresentation of Academic Credentials
- Counselors claim a doctorate enhances their clinical skill when it is not in a relevant mental health field.
- Ethical practice requires counselors only use the "doctor" title if their doctorate is in a related field.
Sign 3: Blurring Professional Boundaries
- Suggesting friendship or romantic involvement during or after therapy is inappropriate and potentially unethical.
- Post-therapy relationships, especially romantic ones, are highly debated and generally advised against.
Sign 4: Incorrect or Unethical Diagnosing Practices
- Inventing non-existent disorders or using trendy but unofficial terms is problematic.
- "Weaponizing" diagnoses to stigmatize or punish clients is unethical.
- Over-diagnosing or stacking multiple disorders without proper criteria is a warning sign.
- Failing to name relevant diagnoses or using incorrect diagnostic terms reflects poor competence.
Sign 5: Dogmatic Adherence to One Treatment Modality
- Rigid loyalty to a single counseling theory and dismissal of all others limits effective treatment.
- Counselors should remain open to multiple approaches based on client needs.
Sign 6: Overreliance on "Art vs. Science" Justification
- Counselors frequently use "counseling is more art than science" as a way to mask lack of scientific understanding.
- This phrase can indicate avoidance of evidence-based explanations.
Recommendations / Advice
- Consider these objective signs when assessing a counselor's competence, but evaluate each situation in context.