In the history of therapy, has any therapist ever told a prospective client "you don't need therapy"?

Question

Or after some sessions, "Okay, we're done with your therapy"?

Do they ever turn down a paycheck?

Won't they find something wrong with everyone so they can keep making money?

And if you are cynical about therapists' motivation, are you automatically branded "paranoid"?

Answer 1

The famous three word analyist only needed one session. The three words? "Just Stop It".

Answer 2

I'm going to start with your last question and then address the other two.

I'm not sure what you mean by "turn down a paycheck." I'm going to guess that your question might be rephrased:

"Do therapists sometime refuse payment if someone consults with them and tells the client that they don't think the client has a problem?"

If that's your question, my answer would be "I don't" because the client made an appointment seeking my professional opinion. I gave them that opinion and I expect to paid for my time and expertise. Clients expect to pay too. In fact, I've never had a client ask if he or she had to pay simply because I didn't find anything wrong with them. Usually they are grateful and happy to pay!

It's no different than my mechanic. One time I thought my car's engine sounded like it was running rough. I thought maybe it needed a tune up. I took it to the shop and my mechanic spent about 30 minutes giving my car a thorough "check-up." He told me there was nothing wrong, adding that "it's just one of those weird things the fancy-schmancy new cars do."

Should I refuse to pay him for his time and expertise, simply because he didn't find anything wrong?

Or another example would be seeing a physician. I took my daughter to the doctor because she seemed to be sick but it turned out it was just her allergies and, since she was already taking the best allergy meds for her, there wasn't much the doctor could do.

But even though she (the doctor) didn't "do something" like write a prescription or take an x-ray, I still paid for her services.

Now on to your first two questions.

Yes, I have told people who came to see me one time that I did not think they needed therapy. Usually they made an appointment because their spouse or other family member thought they had a problem. Occassionally, someone will think they have a problem themselves when they are actually doing quite well.

And yes, I have told clients that they do not need therapy any longer. I have said this hundreds of times (I am not exaggerating) in the course of my 16- year career as a psychologist. Usually, my client is thinking the same thing or realizes after I bring it up that I'm right and they just hadn't believed in themselves quite enough to come to that conclusion on their own.

What's more common though is that I'll be thinking about a client who I'm about to see, and reflect on how well they are doing and how they probably are ready to end therapy--and the client will bring it up at the start of the session before I even broach the subject.

Ending therapy can be difficult for some people, particularly if they experienced abuse or neglect as a child and they fear that if they "let go" of the therapist that the therapist will go away forever. For such individuals it's occasionally helpful to conduct "intermittent therapy" in which they come in for a couple of sessions when times are rough but the expectation is that they are doing quite well and don't need regular therapy sessions. Eventually such persons develop enriching, meaningful relationships with friends and lovers and eventually a spouse and it is those relationships that sustain them. At that point they don't need the "intermittent therapy" any more.

I often tell my clients that "the goal of therapy is to not need therapy." I want that expectation to be explicit during the process of therapy to make it clear that this is a relationship where it's okay and often healing to develop a temporary dependency on the therapist but it is harmful to develop a permanent dependency.

Human beings possess an innate drive for self-reliance and personal power. Doing anything to thwart that goal is harmful.

Therefore, good psychologists are always thinking in terms of how to help a client become stronger and more independent. Such efforts to empower and inspire our clients permeate every session of quality psychotherapy.

Mark Worthen, Psy.D.
http://drworthen.net

Answer 3

Assuming that the therapist follows the ethical principals of their profession, these things happen all the time. It would be unethical to provide treatment to someone who was not in need of it. If you think about the amount of time an education required to be a "real" therapist - that is a psychologist or social worker or counsellor who has actually gone through a training program and has become licensed to practice - you will realize that they aren't in it for the money. A psychologist goes to school for the same period of time as a lawyer or a physician. You can make a lot more money in those fields. Unfortunately, in some places they don't regulate the profession of "therapist." That means anybody can call themself a therapist and such folks are not bound by professional bodies or ethical codes. Perhaps they might be more prone to take on clients who are not genuinely in need of services.

Answer 4

Definitely. The good ones will, anyway. For example, I had a difficult childhood, which I chose to deal with as an adult. I went to therapy. After I resolved my issues, my therapist agreed with me that I was healthy and that I was done.

I had a friend who took her child to a therapist, certain that something was wrong with him. The therapist spent a session with the child and told the mother that the child was perfectly normal, and to lighten up.

I know someone else who is a recovering alcoholic. Before he quit drinking, he went to a therapist who refused to work with him until he had been through rehab and was consistently sober. Said it was a waste of time trying to work with someone who was still drinking.

So, while I am sure there are therapists in the world who will take anyone who walks in the door and keep them there forever, that has not been my own experience at all.

Answer 5

If someone presents themselves for therapy, then there's something they need help with.

Yes, therapists do end therapy when the problem the person came to deal with has been taken care of.

Happens all the time.

Yes, there are therapists who don't actually help people, and just continue therapy as long as the client keeps coming to them.

But not all do so.

Some therapies are quite time-limited, the idea being to NOT drag it on and on, but get the person able to cope with their own lives without help.

Answer 6

Your Fun and Fun only has a hidden message that should not die with the laughter. Politicians are always calculative to garner money by various means. Many ministers are ignorant of their portfolios but sources of illegal money transactions involved in their ministry,they are thorough with. Money pours in from different directions. Not only money the other vices like illicit affair knock at the door. Once a Minister was on an official tour.He stayed in a Government Guest House in a town Before becoming a minister he had some woman affair in that town. Now as a Minister he couldn't visit her as she was a woman of bad virtue. So without police knowledge,who were stationed there to protect him,he went to her house by jumping the wall. But while coming back he covered his head and face with a towel and jumped over the wall of the Guest House.One of the police caught him red handed and when he removed the towel he,to his shock,found it was Minister. So these politicians don't have any moral values.

Answer 7

No I don't think that any therpaist has ever told a prospective client you don't need therapy. I had to go to several different therapist to get the help that I need. After a while the patient might diecide that they don't need therapy anymore.

Answer 8

There are different schools of thought and practice. One well used one is to just tell them they are nuts. But at the same time might say you are not nuts. It might be like a window seller passing out pet rocks to the neighborhood kids, but it's also a five and dime operation. It's in and out for patients and nobody like a cranky sick person. They provide a service. At the core of it is what is nuts? Where is the line between nuts and not nuts? Is it something written in a book somewhere for required reading in Therapy 101?

Answer 9

I went to thearpy for a while and my therapist said "DO THINGS" you are dwelling on your past and not your future and holding up in your apartment too much- Go out and LIVE... I started doing just that after another two sessions she said"You are doing great, I don't think you need me- just keep on living!"

So yes there are some that know when to say its over and not in it for the $

Answer 10

Is the premise of this question based on your own experience? If so, I suggest that there are many therapists out there who are not as crass as the people who you experienced.

So, the answer is, many therpists come to the conclusion that therapy ought to end. Ironically, many patients don't want to end.

Answer 11

Boy, are you paranoid! Of course some therapists have told people that they can't afford thera.... I mean that they don't need therapy.