Who would study psychology unless they had some issues?!
Chapter 197 - 195: Targeting Family Members

Chapter 197: Chapter 195: Targeting Family Members

The issue with the Li Minglu case?

At these words, Nan Zhubin couldn’t help but widen his eyes.

All along, the situation with Li Minglu’s case had been an unresolved mystery weighing on his mind.

The mystery lay in—why did Lin Lulin transfer the case to him?

The causes of Li Minglu’s depression were complex and deep; yet in terms of intervention, it could be described as "normal."

But the fact that Li Minglu was referred by Lin Lulin made this normalcy seem "abnormal."

It couldn’t be that the old mentor suddenly grew a conscience, knowing that a deserted student needed cases to practice on, so he specially sent someone over to rekindle the mentor-student bond, hoping to rebuild the relationship?

More plausible than hoping the national football team will make it to the World Cup again.

There must be a problem with Li Minglu’s case.

Yet Nan Zhubin couldn’t find the problem, which was why he had been deeply concerned.

Now that Huang Xin brought news, it definitely made Nan Zhubin pleasantly surprised yet wary.

Unexpectedly, when Huang Xin saw Nan Zhubin’s attentive look, he finally showed a satisfied expression.

He then spoke straightforwardly to Nan Zhubin—

"After you left, I had Liu Pan tell me in detail about his work in intervening with Li Minglu. That guy always does whatever the teacher says, sometimes not even knowing what he’s doing himself."

Nan Zhubin nodded in agreement; this was also why he had gained almost nothing in the lab before.

"But after hearing his account, I noticed something off," Huang Xin said. "He spent too much effort on the relatives of the visitor."

Nan Zhubin blinked: "Wang Sui?"

Huang Xin shook his head: "I don’t know the name of Li Minglu’s relative. I only know that every time the teacher did consultations with Li Minglu, Liu Pan would chat with the relatives for the entire session duration. However long Li Minglu’s sessions lasted, that’s how long Liu Pan chatted."

"Moreover, according to Liu Pan, he was instructed to use consultation techniques during their conversations; but he wasn’t actually doing consultation, just chatting—do you know what that means?"

Nan Zhubin’s brows immediately furrowed.

"It means that Li Minglu’s relatives found themselves interacting with someone who could catch any topic, extend it, delve into it, and provide support, gaining extraordinary emotional value."

"In other words—he was enacting transference on the visitor’s relatives!"

...

Nan Zhubin suddenly widened his eyes.

Huang Xin observed Nan Zhubin’s reaction and slowly nodded.

Nan Zhubin was puzzled: "Does Liu Pan have the capability to do this?"

Good question.

Huang Xin sighed: "I initially doubted it too. But the teacher trusts him, which means he is indeed capable of handling this part of the work."

"Now thinking about it in detail, this guy, although somewhat... simple, has a background and educational experience that destined him to grasp some fragmented techniques. Even if they are unsystematic and can’t support him in executing a full consultation systematically, if he’s willing to effortlessly use them in daily interactions—"

Huang Xin said slowly: "In dealing with some special kinds of conversational targets, there might be miraculous effects."

Nan Zhubin recalled Wang Sui’s exhibited personality traits.

He nodded solemnly: "Li Minglu’s relatives are indeed those ’special kinds of conversational targets.’

Huang Xin shrugged, spreading his hands.

"Such transference towards relatives is rarely done in the industry. This is because it requires spending a lot of time, outside of consultations, to mentally accompany someone in conversation. Given the effort it takes, one might as well conduct direct transference during the consultation with the visitor."

"But it’s very suitable for dealing with a case like Li Minglu, who lacks autonomous decision-making ability due to depression. Currently, all his major life decisions are made by relatives. Transference on the relatives, in a way, is more useful than transference on him personally."

Nan Zhubin immediately grasped the logic and found it indeed effective.

"On one hand, this kind of transference on relatives provides practice for newcomers like Liu Pan, after all, veteran consultants are reluctant to engage in such thankless tasks."

"On the other hand, it also serves as a new experimental method for monetary gain. If it proves feasible, it can be applied to similar visitors in the future, simultaneously avoiding the harm transference can cause to consultants. Not only that, but consultations also don’t have to be taken so seriously... The consultants just need to please the relatives!"

Nan Zhubin furrowed his brow deeply.

From a technical point of view, this seemed to be an even more effective and covert means of consultation for monetary gain than pharmacological control!

Huang Xin nodded, reminded him: "It’s very clear you’re currently at the stage of experimental result acceptance. In the morning, the teacher has already called Liu Pan to contact Li Minglu’s relatives again. I can think of two possibilities for what’s next—"

Maybe his finger had finally warmed up enough in his pocket, Huang Xin was at last able to raise it, slowly putting up one finger in front of Nan Zhubin.

"First, the relatives acquired significant emotional value from previous consultants but were overlooked by you, which will make them extremely dissatisfied, thus hindering your consultation process."

Indeed.

By normal procedure, when a visitor’s relatives accompany them to a consultation intervention, it’s generally considered adequate if someone offers them a cup of tea as reception.

Even if an assistant or receptionist occasionally chats with them, it would never have the effect Liu Pan had—after all, someone who received systematic psychological consultation education, no matter how inadequate, at least counts as a half consultant.

Unless a legitimate consultant accompanies for chats, but as previously mentioned—thankless and tiresome, nobody wants to do it.

Furthermore, consultants excel at "consultation," but not necessarily at "chatting."

Many friends of psychology workers often complain, "You’re studying psychology, why can’t you be more accommodating when chatting with me."

Meanwhile, consultants might think "I accommodate people’s chats on an hourly basis, are you paying?"

People who study literature don’t rhyme every time they speak, dancers don’t spin every time they walk, and doctors don’t treat every possible illness they see on the street.

Similarly, those who study psychology don’t necessarily speak eloquently.

If so, it either means this person is inherently good, or they’re not busy enough with consultations during weekdays, or perhaps—they’ve recently learned consultation techniques and are using you as a free test subject.

Such work is indeed best suited for someone like Liu Pan.

Nan Zhubin contemplated.

Huang Xin slowly extended the second finger.

"Secondly, there’s another possibility."