A Therapist Makes The Perfect BuzzFeed Employee, And Here Is Why

Keep scrolling, things get good down there.

1. We Know People Better Than We Know Ourselves (seriously, we’re really good at figuring someone out).

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When you are looking at a position such as a writer for brand development, you want someone who is able to get a sense for what a client is trying to achieve, as well as being able to read between the lines to create really amazing content. We get people.

2. Instead Of Ignoring Conflict, We Run To The Epicenter To Resolve It.

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A therapist is hardwired to identify conflict as a tool that someone can utilize to make significant changes that leads to self-actualization. We LOVE when a client is able to bring a conflict into session the same as a BuzzFeed creator loves to solve a conflict because that means a new idea or plan.

3. We Really, Truly Listen.

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A part of the never ending development of a therapist is being able to actually listen. Not like, “yes girl, I completely think that Starbucks employee was so rude to you,” but like a “wow that must be so difficult, let’s try and process this emotion together” sort of way. We listen in each session like we have never listened before. Best therapy states that a therapist should only talk about 20-30% of the time (hellllloo awkward silences) which means we are genuinely able to listen to others ideas and desires.

4. We Are All Basically Writing Professors.

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Writing is our strong point. On any given day, I am drafting 4-5 treatment plans, writing 8-10 case notes, tasking comments to 3-4 psychiatrists, and developing group therapy lectures. Writing is what we do; probably the other 70% of the not talking percentage. Being able to communicate the development of another human being is a strong therapist skill that directly parallels the needs of a BuzzFeed creator.

5. Timelines Are Our Middle Name.

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Introduce me to a therapist who has never been faced with a timeline and I will show you a unicorn. Timelines, much like writing, are second nature to us. Much of what we do is delegated by insurance coverages and state laws. If we do not have paperwork completed by strict and fast deadlines, our agency may miss out on billing for a patient’s therapy session; HUGE no no in the therapy world. We slay at timelines and will develop exciting and new content that will most likely be done before your deadlines.

6. We Are Flexible.

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Comparatively to the strict nature of deadlines running our lives, we are flexible AF. A day in the life of a therapist is never uneventful. We treat people who suffer with suicidal thoughts, hallucinations, delusions, homicidal behavior, and social phobias. Each day I walk in to my office, I know I have no idea what I am going to hear from each of my patients which means I have to be consistently on my toes to adjust accordingly to emergencies and crises. We can do flexible like no bodies business.

7. We Are Creative.

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You may think to yourself that because we are guided by such strong boundaries of insurance and law that we are not creative, but that is quite the contrary. I see multiple patients who each struggle with anxiety but each one of their treatment plans sounds completely different because creativity and individuality are so very important. Our creativity translates to our writing and that is fact.

8. We Love A Good Challenge.

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Try leading a group of 8-10 individuals who have depression and are also unwilling to participate in treatment; enter creative group therapy topics. We are able to handle challenges well in order to engage a patient in their own self-discovery and any mental health clinic will show you that. A day in the life of a BuzzFeed creator also has no shortage of challenges and I am certain, we got this.

9. A Degree In Communication Should Accompany Every Social Work Diploma.

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Therapists talk, a lot. We communicate with our colleagues, supervisors, psychiatrists, and patients each day. I often say I have a Master’s Degree in talking to people because without a strong ability to communicate, therapy would be nonexistent. Carrying communication into any role at BuzzFeed should certainly be the first requirement; collaborating and communicating are pivotal.

10. We Surprise Ourselves At How Much We Can Handle And Still Remain Organized.

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Re-enter point 4. Therapists handle a crazy amount of writing and communication each day. Being able to keep record of what you said, what they said, when it was said, and where it was said is an art form and therapists are no strangers to that. In the therapy world, if you don’t document it, it didn’t happen, so we learn before we even graduate that planners are gold and organization is just not optional.

11. We Are Some Of The Nicest People You Will Ever Meet.

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We are in the business of making people feel better. Now, in my case, I am doubled up on the nice o’ meter being from the Midwest AND a therapist. I love people, I love socializing, I love learning about different cultures and mindsets. We leave a little trail of happy wherever we go because feeling good feels so great!

12. We Are Highly Dedicated.

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Not many professions out there come with the definitive understanding that it will be difficult, scary, traumatic, and most importantly, undervalued and also is accompanied with minimal pay. It takes a highly dedicated and genuine individual to do the work we do. We don’t do it for the money. We do it for the satisfaction of knowing we made someone’s life that much better. We affected their outlook on life for years to come. If that right there is not indicative of highly dedicated, then I fold.

Now is the time for employers to see therapists for what they truly are, professional and crazy nice people who can communicate with a crack in the wall if necessary. We are dedicated, friendly, flexible, creative, and organized. Any company would be propitious to employ a therapist in a non-traditional therapy role and utilize their amazing people skills for new and unique positions. Doesn’t BuzzFeed seem like the perfect employer to start this trend?

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