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superchick22684
07-15-2014, 05:55 AM
I know that nobody on here is a medical expert but I was wondering if there is a way to tell if a person is ready to be discharged from therapy/counseling? I'll give a little background on why I'm asking this.

I don't have health insurance so in April I started going to a place where they charge you on a sliding scale for counseling. At that time my therapist and I worked together on a treatment plan with goals and things to work on while I was there. At that time she established that I would likely only need to be treated for 12 weeks. I have panic disorder and depression. Most of my anxiety and depression are fed by negative and obsessive thoughts.

Last week I expressed to my therapist that coming to appointments was causing me to feel anxious. She then told me that perhaps that meant that either a) therapy was not a good option for me or b) that was an indication that it was no longer necessary for me to see her anymore. The only reason that I feel anxious at all is because even though I've had eight appointments with her sometimes there are things that I don't want to talk about either because its stuff I don't want to think about or the topic is a trigger for me. I'm pretty sure when I told her that the appointments make me "anxious" she misunderstood what I was trying to say.

I really don't want to skip out on therapy. I'm not progressing at break neck speed but slowly and surely I'm noticing changes. I'm concerned that since I mentioned going to therapy appointments makes me anxious that she is going to discharge me before I'm ready. I have not reached the 12 week benchmark that she set on my original treatment plan yet. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I would talk over this misunderstanding with her?

My therapist is currently on vacation for two weeks so I'm trying to figure out how to handle this before my next appointment.

Im-Suffering
07-15-2014, 06:27 AM
.............The only reason that I feel anxious at all is because even though I've had eight appointments with her sometimes there are things that I don't want to talk about either because its stuff I don't want to think about or the topic is a trigger for me.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I would talk over this misunderstanding with her?

My therapist is currently on vacation for two weeks so I'm trying to figure out how to handle this before my next appointment.

How you would handle this is honesty.

Ive cut your post to reflect the only relevant information, frankly show her what you said above in bold.

Secondly by not discussing core issues that trigger you, you might as well be going to the supermarket instead of therapy to kill an hour every week.

Better get going, open up, get to the real issues, the ones you hide from.

"I screwed up, im anxious because im afraid of my obsessive thoughts, the issues that trigger me, and the dark recesses of my subconscious. Should we go there im scared I may get swallowed up by my own demons, so I self defeated whats in my best interests by leading you to believe I do not need these sessions, or somehow the sessions themself bother me. I know it is exactly what im afraid to talk about that is the core of my problems, so now I will open up and be brave, and finally get to the real work, please forgive me"

Your post will be read by others in the same boat, let it be said that should you invest your time in therapy, then about face, look in the mirror and be 100% open and honest, especially with those issues that block your tongue from moving the words out. It is not ok, to bounce from one person to the next, playing mental masturbation with each one. Ignore posts that coddle you, get back in the boat and paddle.

Therapy is not selective, as to the topics, nor is it fashionable to brag about it and show off like a shiny new car or a trophy for the superficial. It is the down and dirty, grit, the underbelly of your psyche exposed to release the pains, hurts otherwise unexpressed.

End of post.

Irish Sammie
07-15-2014, 06:28 AM
Hey Superchick,

My first reaction to that, is that if she discharged you before you felt like you were ready to handle this by yourself, that she's not upholding proper practice and not being professional about her viewpoint. I know a lot of this has to be cured by ourselves and our own actions, but if she hasn't provided you with the correct tools in order for you to fight this, then I see that as a failing on her behalf. I know that not everyone is susceptible to therapy, and if you feel that perhaps she's not helping you as much as you'd like, it could be a case that you need to find another therapist to help you with your situation.

Finding the right therapist/psychologist that suits you specifically, is just as important as the information they provide. I remember years ago I went to a therapist, and after about 4 sessions I decided to stop going to her as I felt like she didn't suit me and I felt like she wasn't helping that much. I then went to another afterwards who was a breath of fresh air and helped me hugely. It might just be the case that she's not the right therapist for you? Just a thought.

Im-Suffering
07-15-2014, 06:30 AM
Hey Superchick,

My first reaction to that, is that if she discharged you before you felt like you were ready to handle this by yourself, that she's not upholding proper practice and not being professional about her viewpoint. I know a lot of this has to be cured by ourselves and our own actions, but if she hasn't provided you with the correct tools in order for you to fight this, then I see that as a failing on her behalf. I know that not everyone is susceptible to therapy, and if you feel that perhaps she's not helping you as much as you'd like, it could be a case that you need to find another therapist to help you with your situation.

Finding the right therapist/psychologist that suits you specifically, is just as important as the information they provide. I remember years ago I went to a therapist, and after about 4 sessions I decided to stop going to her as I felt like she didn't suit me and I felt like she wasn't helping that much. I then went to another afterwards who was a breath of fresh air and helped me hugely. It might just be the case that she's not the right therapist for you? Just a thought.

Again, back to our regular scheduled programming after a brief interruption.

It is not the therapist, period. Read my post above.

Irish Sammie
07-15-2014, 07:22 AM
Depending on how comfortable you are with a particular therapist, it can potentially be reason why someone is not comfortable talking about everything depending on the therapists approach to the subject matter. You don't have the authority to say whether it is or is isn't. I'm merely providing "what if's" based on my own experience. You make some valid and correct points, but it's not the be all and end all of the correct approach.