Therapy From... Classmates? Help!

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I am a student studying speech-language pathology, but I am considering getting some help with pragmatics myself. The thing is, I am considering going to the clinic run by the university. This would mean that I would go through a diagnostic session with my classmates on the other side of the glass. I would be diagnosed (effectively) by my own professors. I would receive therapy from a peer-- possibly even a classmate. When students came to observe therapy sessions, they could see me as the clinician one day and as the client the next day.

Why in the world do I want to do this? First of all, I need the help. Secondly, I think it would be good for everybody involved. I have a reputation around the department as (I shall quote the head of the department) "confrontational, rude, abrupt and impulsive". My classmates cannot stand me (it took 18 months and someone else pointing it out for me to catch on). I am willing to submit myself as a bit of an experiment to the department. Also, I'm not very good with the whole empathy thing, but I am extremely sympathetic. If I could have the chance to be the client, it would make me a better clinician someday. I would be able to sympathize with my clients and tell them that I have been the client before.

I'm just trying to see what other people think about this. Am I making a huge mistake to even think about doing this? I have nothing to lose, socially. I am a social pariah among my classmates. Is this a conflict of interest? I mean, therapy is one thing, but getting it there? Part of me thinks this is among the better ideas I have ever had. Another part is saying this might be among the worst. Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Well if you have nothing to lose socially, why not? It could be awkward, but it sounds like it's already awkward.

You're not like required to stick with it if it's awful, are you? Why not give it a try?

It's a complex thing. Will you be emotionally safe doing this? Doing this kind of thing would make you better at the job you want to do though. Perhaps it would be a good idea to ask (nicely) professors and the head of department what they think about this. I think it may be a good idea but asking them may also be a good idea.

Psychology grad students often go through therapy themselves while they're studying; and while you're not in psychology, I don't see why this is so different. I say go for it. How are you supposed to be good at being a speech/language therapist if you don't learn how your own communication system works?

Yay! Go for it... it might increase your understanding, and it will definitely increase theirs.

I'm studying psychotherapy, which requires me to be counselled myself (as Callista says), sometimes by other students on the course. On the first day I just blurted out to them all that I had AS, and have been open about everything ever since. They love it.... one or two people kind of see me as a bit of a guinea pig to work on, but the majority have been genuinely and sincerely interested. It's been great for me to have a chance to teach people something about AS from a first-hand perspective, and hopefully it's been an advantage for them too.

I guess that's the way I'd see it - that you are teaching them something valuable, as much as you are getting help from them. If it doesn't play out quite the way you hoped, it will still have been an incredibly brave thing for you to do, and hopefully there will be people who see that and respect it.