Not only artists and fashion designers need models, today's clinical psychiatrists too need models, psychological models, who play the parts of patients in simulated psychotherapies, which are necessary courses in the training of psychiatrists.

Many young people in Shanghai are interested in the post of psychological model, because they believe it can help them solve psychological problems of their own.

According to Shanghai Youth Daily, after a psychiatrist-training agency recently put up an advertisement recruiting psychological models, many young white-collar workers showed great enthusiasm in this part-time post. Currently, 40 people have been chosen and will start work upon completion of their training. One of the psychological models told a reporter of Shanghai Youth Daily that he had applied for the post not out of interest, but out of belief that it could help him solve his psychological problems, as it would offer him a platform to communicate with psychiatrists.

"I work in the IT industry, which is a very demanding job, and I seldom get the chance to communicate with others, thus I have applied for the job. On one hand, it is a part-time job with a fairly high income; on the other, it offers me a chance to communicate with psychiatrists, which can be very helpful to me, " said he.

A college teacher who has also applied for the post told the reporter that he had found the emotional problem in his heart of hearts during the application process.

Other models also say that being psychological models in simulated psychotherapies can greatly help them to relieve them of their stress and anxiety.
 
(China News Service August 30, 2006)