Posted by Dinah on August 2, 2008, at 18:06:00
In reply to Is therapy a 'double-edged sword'?, posted by stellabystarlight on August 2, 2008, at 17:52:30
Yes, I think it is.
Look at me. My therapist's issues are having a major impact on my mental health. He tried to keep them out of the therapy room, but that hurt me. He tries to be more open in a limited and appropriate sort of way, and it still causes trouble. Although much less trouble than when he pretended he was ok.
I lost him for a while, and it was devastating.
For the most part, though, I'm more stable than I've been at any time in my life after the age of ten or so. I'm hopefully being a good enough mom to my own son, so that maybe it will all stop with me.
Anything so powerful that it can do substantial good also has the capacity to do substantial harm. Even if they don't mean to, they can and will hurt us. I think everyone has to decide for themselves if the benefits outweigh the costs. All the costs.
Sometimes I wonder if I'd do it all over again, if I knew then what I know now. I wonder that about many things in my life. :) My marriage, my dogs, my career choice. The answer may change from day to day.
Of course there are a whole range of experiences. Some people don't find therapy a powerful enough tool to cause either harm or good. Some people find it a more limited tool that does a goodly amount of good, and not much bad at all. Some people have found the wrong therapist and found only harm. There appear to be some case studies around where a client has found only good. I wonder if it ever occurs outside of case studies?
poster:Dinah
thread:843770
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20080727/msgs/843774.html