Things I Wish I Knew As A New Clinician

By Rohun Sendhey

Approaching a new job, career, or lifepath can be daunting. I found that the longer I stayed in one sector, the harder it became to try something new. My story may be similar to yours, an inexperienced but overly confident college student looking to make my home a little better. I had an idea of what I wanted to do, but little faith that my plan would be, or could be, successful. Here’s a list of my top tips that I’d pass forward.

Specialization is important.

Mastery, efficiency, and advancement. I believe these three build the foundation of a successful clinician. Our role in an individual’s life can spread wide, and it can be easy to feel discouraged when a new problem or situation arises. We may be in situations where we do not feel particularly equipped to practice professionally and confidently. Similarly, it can take years to understand a specific modality and the question may simmer, “should I learn them all?” I do see the advantage of being able to recognize the effectiveness of a particular modality, especially to refer out to a colleague when it no longer falls under my scope. Could I be effective? Probably. Would I be the best person I know to help? Probably not. Continually building and engaging within a network of trusted clinicians has helped me see my own value within this space. This helps me drive my own interests, ultimately advancing our industry as a whole.

The plural of an anecdote is a hypothesis.

Stay curious and keep searching. Noticing the strange and seeking to identify correlation has enabled me to understand clients in ways my own biases would never allow. If I see a particular case or set of events lead to something unexpected, there is something there. Each client is individual, and proving causation is largely impractical in our work. Yet, we can be optimistic in our ability to highlight a relationship lesser known to our peers. As a new clinician, I did not have the reach to see how effective and helpful I could be on day one. Experience can drive a narrative, and in that a new clinician is a fresh story. I believe my enthusiasm was highest at the beginning, and I feel that many opportunities were missed simply because I did not feel strong enough to confidently pursue.

The boring parts build discipline.

How often do you find yourself putting off a note till tomorrow, or planning to follow up with an insurance claim on Monday morning? You are not alone, in fact I think that it is normal to shrug away what may not feel like an immediate priority. Another thought I’ve about this is how it may be a product of our work. I find myself in a heightened state sometimes, especially after a day of heavier sessions. It makes the less intense work far less appealing. We all know the importance of building good habits, but why? I fall back on it helping us create a routine, a formulaic system that’s readily available when times get tough. Ask yourself honestly, how freeing was that weekend when you knew Friday’s work was waiting to be completed? For me, it is not a great feeling. Similarly, entering a weekend feels honestly earned when I leave my office with a clear desk. There is something about being thorough that withstands the volatility of my emotions. Like Nike, Just Do It.

These tips can also be strong conversation starters; feel free to use them as topics for supervision and team meetings. Our workflow may not always allow for peer consultations and that can lead to feelings of being independent and autonomous while working. Stay connected, keep talking, and establish a pain-is-not-weakness mindset. It may help you ground yourself among peers, it did for me.

Author: Rohun Sendhey (he/him)

Rohun is a part of the Alline Therapy Clinical Team. Rohun encourages clinical strategies from a lens that recognizes real-world struggles and setbacks. He emphasizes building strong interpersonal relationships, recognizing and working towards self-actualization, and maintaining a long-lasting mindset that promotes positive psychology.