Having intimate conversations with loved ones can truly have a motivational and therapeutic effect. Moreover, they are also good because they strengthen relationships between people. But it’s not always possible to solve your psychological problems by talking with your mom, dad, friend, or brother. Experiences can be deep and require a professional approach. In addition, there are a lot of nuances that simply get in the way when talking with loved ones. Let's look at the differences point by point. The psychologist is objective, relatives are not. Relatives have known you, perhaps since you were born. They can perceive any information through the prism of their ideas about you. A psychologist is an outsider; he sees your problem based on facts and your feelings. A psychologist does not allow himself to make value judgments. Relatives may respond emotionally, and these emotions are not always positive. People are not perfect. Agree, it is extremely unpleasant to hear from an unmarried sister: “You should have complained!” You’re not alone, but you’re still whining!” in response to a confidential story about difficulties with a spouse. Or your aunt's hidden envy of her appearance, for example, may push her to show sarcasm. Relatives and friends may simply find such a conversation unpleasant. It is difficult for them to withstand other people's emotions, they do not know what to do, and perhaps they do not have the resources at the moment. At such moments you can hear: “Don’t give a damn. Look how the sun is shining! Think positive!". Or: “I don’t recognize you. Where is your willpower?” A very dangerous moment is blaming you for your problems. This is what you sometimes hear from parents who have high expectations or are overprotective. “And I told you not to get involved in this work - you don’t have enough intelligence for it!” Such an attitude can only aggravate the situation. The psychologist has proven solution methods. Relatives and friends can only rely on personal experience and ideas. A psychologist is able to understand the origin of your problem, which is sometimes so implicit that it is difficult to see this connection. The specialist knows the general laws by which the human psyche is built. And that compulsive overeating is not “put a band-aid on your mouth, you weakling,” but a possible consequence of parental coldness in childhood. The psychologist does not advise. Its task is to isolate and show you the origins of the problem, as well as to identify the methods used in practice to solve them. There are no universal ways; each client receives an individual approach. The psychologist works with your resources. It helps not only to alleviate the current situation and condition, but to understand oneself and build long-term algorithms. This allows you not only to resolve the situation, but also to learn to look “from the outside” in future moments, to analyze what is happening from the adult part. One of the main principles of working with a psychologist is confidentiality of information. In a conversation with loved ones, even if they swear to remain silent, no one can guarantee that tomorrow even your second cousin from a distant village will not know about your difficulties. The psychologist devotes time to you and only you. At the moment of the meeting, he is not distracted by anything around him; you are his professional task. As a specialist, I am glad that over time society is coming to understand that turning to a psychologist is not a “fad” and not an admission of one’s supposed abnormality. After all, the emotions we experience directly affect self-realization, relationships, health and quality of life in general..