Many of us psychologists decided to devote our lives to this field of activity, not suspecting that psychology in Russia is of little use or interest to anyone. Every year, dozens of educational institutions graduate hundreds of graduates in the field of psychology. Thirty percent of graduates, at best, continue their studies after graduation. Spending many thousands of rubles on additional education, after a few years they find themselves in an extremely ambiguous, I would say, humiliating position. On the one hand, the head of a newly minted psychologist is full of knowledge. He mastered and, it seems, comprehended the basics of therapeutic work from several schools at once. It doesn’t matter that, often, this knowledge may contradict each other. Doesn't matter. The main thing is that such a person is full of strength and determination to finally start working, because while he was studying, years passed, and now he is almost thirty. Friends of youth at this age are already heads of departments, directors, have completed their second term, have been coded, given birth, built a house, taken out a mortgage. Who is he? Young specialist looking for clients. The time has come to collect the stones, that is, to finally start recouping the money and time invested in education. But Russian reality has a different opinion on this matter. Of course, they told us, but we didn’t believe it. We are all not without illusions about ourselves. Confidence, hope, desire. At worst, the timid assumption: “I can handle it, or the client will come to me” - time after time, it breaks down in everyday life, or rather, in Russian life. The client must be hunted like a rare animal. He needs to be lured with a snow-white smile, meaningless framed titles, and promised quick relief from any ailments in the shortest possible time. It will take years before you can develop a decent customer base. How to wait out this time and not become too exhausted; they don’t teach you how to pay for gas, water and electricity in institutes. Everyone gets out as best they can. Why is that? It's definitely not about us. This is not sarcasm at all. This is a given, such as it is. We studied conscientiously, did not go into sales and building management, although there was a temptation, we really wanted to eat. Psychological nihilism. Alas, our highly moral compatriots are not accustomed to trusting psychologists. The myth that only crazy people go to psychologists is still alive today. The illogical opinion that I can ineradicably cope with my problems myself. Where does this come from? From lack of education, laziness and unwillingness to change something. The clients of Russian psychologists are the middle class of large cities, and even their most passionate part. In order to go to a specialist, you need to read something, study something, and based on this make a logical conclusion that it works. Agree, the process is not at all simple. As a result, for hundreds of psychologists in a city with a million people, there are several thousand people who theoretically know what psychology is all about. Of these several thousand, many choose training rather than individual counseling. They can understand why solve a specific problem if you can completely change yourself, become better, smarter and richer. As a result, for the same few hundred psychologists there are fewer and fewer potential clients. We need to fight for them. The practice of turning to a psychologist can only develop among the financially wealthy population. Maslow's pyramid clearly illustrates this process. Can we say that people in our country as a whole are financially secure? Quite the contrary. Psychology is in demand where there is money. Rural and small areas are a proud black spot on the psychological map of the Russian Federation. For many decades, a psychologist in such an area will have great problems with his practice. But Moscow and St. Petersburg are not rubber, no matter how much we want a place in the sun, there won’t be enough for everyone. Next time we’ll talk about television, magazine and Instagram psychology. * Instagram is owned by Meta, which is recognized as an extremist organization in Russia.