In the practice of a psychologist, it may be necessary to refer a client to a psychiatrist. For example, you work and work, but for him nothing is better and even worse (by the way, did you know that the presence of clinical depression predisposes to the development of somatic diseases?). Or do you feel in your gut that the matter here is much more serious than the client’s complaints. Or you have some kind of medical question about this client. Well, or you see obvious signs of psychopathology (delusions, hallucinations, etc.) - well, this is sacred. But, at the same time, you have never been referred to a psychiatrist before and there is anxiety about this. You don't know how to tell the client about this. Or you don’t know what will happen and where he will go there, and what kind of psychiatrist he is, etc. Or you have had a negative experience of personal communication with people in this profession. Or you don’t personally know a single psychiatrist, but you have fallen under the influence of the anti-psychiatric myth that evil psychiatrists have taken over the world and are engaged in stigmatizing clients and selling them off expensive drugs that are produced for them. Or, according to the classics, you think that all psychiatrists are murderers who serve the machine of state terror. But the client apparently needs advice. And what to do? I’ll say right away that psychiatrists, oddly enough, are people too. Of course, experience working in psychiatry cannot but affect the personality and give it originality. The more experience, the more originality. And in communication, these are sometimes not the easiest interlocutors. I'm probably like that myself. But still, these are people. No vampires or murderers. Just working with such interesting people. And believe me, many will happily and gratefully agree to advise a psychologist’s clients. After all, these are often not severe patients and are well responsive to treatment. Well, a penny is never too much. To begin with, you can simply offer the client the opportunity to see a psychiatrist, clearly explaining why you think this is appropriate, why it is necessary and what it can give him. Most patients treat such an offer quite calmly and agree to it without any problems. The client should not lie or mislead him. After all, this is a reasonable adult. If everything can be explained to him and the advantages shown, he will do everything himself. If, of course, the client wants him to feel better. You need to understand that not all clients come for this, even though they say so. If he comes to you for someone else, this is a reason for clarification and confrontation, but this is a different topic... But if the client is in a psychotic state, then, of course, there is no time for contracts. Then the decision to organize emergency hospitalization in a hospital (calling an ambulance) must be made by you. If the word “psychiatrist” causes severe anxiety in the client, then you can offer a consultation with a psychotherapist. This is, in many cases, the same thing. You can, without distorting it, soften the information somewhat by saying that you want to refer him for a consultation with a “psychotherapist-psychiatrist.” It is advisable that this be a face-to-face consultation. There are many nuances that cannot be identified during a text or online meeting, but they are fundamentally important for correct diagnosis. A face-to-face meeting will give the specialist more information. Although many established psychiatrists, due to the epidemiological situation and due to age-related risk, have switched to online appointments. It seems to be successful. The “selfish issue” is also important. If you are afraid that the psychiatrist will “take away” or “poach” your client and this prevents you from providing comprehensive assistance to the client, you can do the following. Find a psychiatrist in the client's city. At least on this site. You can ask your colleagues, perhaps they have already worked with one of the psychiatrists and can recommend it to you. If the client takes the initiative to find a doctor into his own hands, then this is even better, a motivated client. Nice thing. Then ask him before the consultation to give you the contacts of the selected specialist in order to contact him and set the doctor tasks for