Does your therapist actually help you?

Question

It seems to me like all mine does is feed me all this positive yackety-yack that's not true. I know she's just trying to encourage me, but she doesn't seem to acknowledge the real-world limitations and deficits that I have in talent/creativity/skill/wisdom. I mean basically I feel like she just blows smoke up my *** and that's not helping my self esteem any more than everyone else in my life telling me I'm a loser. It's like two ends of the spectrum and they both piss me off. What do you do when even your therapist can't help you? Does your therapist make you feel better?

Answer 1

I dont go to one but i heard that many of them like to "give gas on neutral", meaning they like to waste time just to get more money. I dont believe in psychotherapy. I think that YOU know your problem better then the psychotherapist will ever know it. If YOU know the problem better, you should also know a better solution then he/she would. I suggest you take a notebook and start writing down all your dillemas and the solutions. Take this seriously. Then decide which are the most plausible and stick to those solutions. Another solution i would suggest reading books that will make you appriciate life a lot more. Since i read plenty of books all the time, i can give you at least names of two books i have personally read and think are good. "Albatross" by deborah Scaling and "The Jungle" by Yossi Ghinsberg. They really open up your mind and make you realize that other things such as people telling you that you are a loser are compeltely stupid little things that dont matter in life. Good luck, hope you the best!

Answer 2

If you find a therapist is not helping you, then think about changing therapists or going to a different type of therapist. The only way I was able to get help for my depression through a therapist was to go to someone who helped me change my behavior. It did me no good to just talk about the horrible things that happened to me. I also do not need to pay someone to agree with me. I know that I am right on certain issues and the other people were wrong.

It sounds as if you need a therapist who will actually teach you or help you deal with the negative people in your life. That would be a help. All her affirmations about your good qualities do no good if you have family or other people telling you otherwise.

If you are having troubles, don't give up on therapy, but do try to find someone who can help you.

Good luck to you. I know how hard it is.

Answer 3

I am a little disappointed to see that so many people are against psychotherapy and say it doesn't work. It's true that even one middling to bad experience with a therapist can leave a bad taste in one's mouth for years afterward, but that alone is not proof that psychotherapy is useless.

I must have lucked out considerably, since I have been seeing my psychiatrist for almost a year and a half and have improved tremendously. I agree with those who say that it's important to find the right doc for you. For example, if you suffer from an anxiety disorder or depression, it will do you no good to see some Freudian freak who insists on dissecting your childhood. Anxiety and depression require action-based therapy.

I would also venture to say that it's important to know what you want from a doc and from therapy in general before you start. Set some personal goals and talk to your therapist about them. A good doc will instantly begin to work with you on helping you achieve what you say you want to achieve.

For now, just share what you just told us with your therapist. It will then be on her to set up a different course of action. If she insists on her way or the highway, it may be time to find a different therapist.

Good luck to you.

Answer 4

The title of "psychologist" or "psychiatrist" is not as important as the individual who is behind the title. Sometimes you will find that these indiviuals behind these titles are not these psychological mind fixing masters that you think they are. Sometimes the person behind the title will be nothing special, and they may be as mentally lost as the patient may be, except that they obviously have studied the science of the mind.

It is possible to find an excellent psychologist that can help you tremendously, but odds are that the specialist will most likely prefer you start daily supplementation of some sort of drug. For example, they may insist that you start taking xanax for your anxiety, or something else. One of the most important things you need to understand is that the daily supplementation of a drug is not going to fix anything. Obviously taking some of these drugs can assist an individual in getting better, but so can other, less expensive methods or less dangerous supplements. Understand that once you start to get better mentally, you will have a new problem to deal with called withdrawl; and not to mention, these drugs can easily create brand new side effects and medical conditions that your doctor will prescribe you a NEW drug that you need to pay for and take every day. Which, in turn, can help you to develop even MORE bad medical conditions.

The bottom line is that there is a high percentage of therapists that are looking for the quick fix, as you are, and will recommend that you start taking prescription drugs immedietly. The daily supplementation of prescription drugs can be extremely dangerous to your overall health, just like they tell you in every single commercial.

In my personal experience, I only went to my psychologist 3 times, and each time he insisted that I start taking drugs. In addition, he also seemed much more interested in speaking about himself than he was about listening to my problems and helping me work through them. After 3 visits I was just like, "dude what the **** am I paying you for?". And I just stopped going. Also keep in mind that it is much more difficult to deal with a person that is not xanaxed out and zombified by the prescription drugs, these drugs suppress your issues.

To answer your question: What do you do? I dont recommend wasting your money on a new therapist. It is said that you can build massive amounts of self esteem when you begin to see yourself doing things that you didn't know you could do.

And you've got to understand that alot of your countrymen are madmen. Dont pay attention to the foolish mans comment, it doesn't really matter. In the very end of time, do you really think it matters who had the nicest car, or the fattest paycheck, or the nicest outfit, or who had the biggest d***? Of course it wont matter.

Answer 5

I tend to agree with "TKD540".
However, there are people that they help. If you are bipolar or alcoholic or drug addict, then you might not see the problems right before you. But if you are a normal person, with normal problems, then I'm sorry to say that they aren't much better than a good friend.
Unfortunately, they also tend to make quick and silly judgments based on their training. A case in point.
One therapist thought I was an alcoholic, but I just would not admit it [probably because maybe I WANT ONE]. Great, not only was it my job to deal with my problems, but also convince her that I was not an alcoholic.
Another time, a doc thought I was a fag because I was suffering from hemorrhoids at the age of 25 and fell down on a rock which got shoved up my ***.
They are trained to match people with common most liking aliments. Great strategy if you are sorting colored and different types of marbles into boxes, but don't know if this is the best way to deal with patients.
BTW, I am not a fag, for if I were, I'd know what was my problem, and would be scoped and probed with a rigid endoscope.
Unless of course I wanted to be scoped and probed!!

Answer 6

Therapy has helped me numerous times, but sometimes it takes a few visits to each one to find the one RIGHT FOR YOU. One therapist may not be as helpful one person as another. I'm thinking of going to a life coach now myself. The therapist I've gone to for yrs. helped me so much thru depression that I used to have. But now feel I need someone who is trained in a different way...like a life coach :o)
If you've gone several times already to this particuliar therapist and still aren't satisfied, I'd go try out another......and go a few times to see if they work. I know it's a pain in the beginning, but I have a feeling you'll find one you like a lot better who's worth your time and your money.
And plus, you can tell them if you want, -- why your not satisfied w/their services/open up to them.
I have to say,.....those self help tapes/cd's have been so helpful for me. You know, go to Barnes-N-Nobles, check 'em all out.
There's one by Louise Hay "101 power thoughts"---I SWEAR it is so uplifting when you listen to it.
Good luck to ya hon

Answer 7

It took me 5 years to find the correct therapist. She has built my confidence and self-esteem. You may want to look around for another therapist that will meet your needs.

Answer 8

A therapist is as usefull as a bike for a fish.

Answer 9

my therapist does not help me i hate that ***** all she talks about is positive things and i hate that she doesnt know how it is to trult suffer from depression and suicidal thoughts

Answer 10

No