You Don't have to be Crazy to see a Shrink

After working with traders for several years now I thought it was time to write a book. Actually that’s not true; a good friend of mine, Karen, has been pestering me for a while to write a book with her, and she thought it was time.

When I was explaining my theories about how barristers should rely on their intuition more (I also work with lawyers), and was making a connection with the work I do with traders. She said “You must write a book about your experiences coaching traders. How you do it; common problems and how to deal with them, that sort of thing.” She is a barrister with a mind as sharp as a very sharp hunting knife. She always gets her own way.

So there I was, a couple of weeks ago, trying to answer her tough questions about what I did and how I did it.

 “The first thing you need to do is come up with a title”, she nagged, which I did, only to find someone has already used it. “Let’s work on the introduction first then”, she said. “Something easy to start, what do you call yourself? What’s your job title?”

I laughed. “Well I call myself a psychological coach, but I think the traders I work with think I’m a shrink!”

Because I have spent several years also running my own private practice as a psychotherapist, and because most of the guys in the London offices of the companies I work with know this, there has been a tendency for them to confuse my other job with that of a psychiatrist (which I’m not!)

“So what are you then?” she asked.

“Well really I do what you might call performance coaching when I work in the city. It’s not about having anything wrong with you, although I do that too. It’s more about knowing what you are good at and building on it; a bit like a professional tennis player who wants to ‘up’ his game. He might do this by playing someone better than he is (in the markets this is a bit like increasing lot size or the size of risk you are comfortable with), or employing a performance coach with a sports background. The advantage of my being a psychotherapist is that I can address many more issues than a sports coach.”

I think she started to glaze over at this point.

“Traders usually start to trade because they are attracted to the lifestyle that goes with the higher earnings that are associated with the job.” I explained. “That’s bottom line for me. I see myself as a coach who helps traders up their game and increase their income, after all that’s why companies who employ me are prepared to foot the bill. However I can also help with those life-problems outside work, which affect trading. Trading supports lifestyle, but lifestyle must support trading.”

“So you help traders improve their skills, and earn more” she said, “And you help them with stuff not directly to do with trading, but can affect their trading and so limit their earning potential - personal stuff perhaps or relationship stuff.”

“Exactly!” I said, “If that’s what’s needed: managing moods and emotions, domestic issues, dealing with stress and loads of other stuff.”

“Does sound like a shrink” she said.

Last week working at ‘X’ Financials I saw twelve guys in six hours. Talk about time trials! As a rule I only see one person per fifty minute hour. I brought this up with the Head of Trading and Training:

“Saul, How come I got to see so many traders today?”

“They were lining up, mate,” he answered.

“Yes, I know” I said, “Why so many?”

“Oh”, he replied, “Lots more guys want to see you now.” He paused, looked at me, and then went on “I just tell them you don’t have to be crazy to see the shrink!”

© Jeff Turner