Posted by deets on November 7, 2002, at 18:18:41
In reply to What do you think? » deets, posted by jane d on November 7, 2002, at 16:53:54
Well, it's not so much my psych courses that have given me my opinion on what makes a good therapist, but rather the therapists I've been to in the past and the therapist I see now. The first therapist I ever saw was horrible. I didn't want to be in therapy, and he knew it, but he still tried to make me do all the talking. He sat there taking notes and wouldn't let me call him by his first name. I only saw him twice, and stormed out, cursing, both times. The other therapist I saw was not what one might call intelligent, and I just sat there and lied to her, and she never caught on. She also tried to get me to discuss things and change my behavior before I was ready.
But, the therapist that I see now is absolutely wonderful! I'm recovering from an eating disorder & self-injury. I've been seeing my current therapist for about a year and half, and during that time I relapsed twice w/ my eating disorder. She never once seemed frustrated or dissapointed in me for needing time to get better and more than one shot at health. I even asked her once if she was dissapointed in me. When she said she wasn't, I asked her why, after all, I was taking so long to make progress, and she said that maybe when I'm having periods of struggle, it is reason for compassion rather than disappointment. I think the most important qualities in a therapist are those of warmth, patience, compassion and genuineness. I think that they need to be completely non-judgemental and really show that they care about the client as more than just a source of money. My therapy sessions often go 10 or 15 minutes over, which proves that my therapist isn't in it for the money, because if I'm not done talking, she doesn't cut me right off when the "therapeutic hour" is over. I've also never felt like she's been "afraid of" or "shocked" by me. I've had others who have been shocked, especially when I confessed to self-injury, which doesn't help. But, with my current therapist, I know that I can tell her anything without the fear of being referred. I also feel in control of my therapy sessions, which makes me feel comforatable. I'm in charge of what I am and am not ready to discuss, and my therapist has promised me that we will end therapy only when I feel completely ready and decide to end it. Those are some qualites of a good therapist.> Deets,
> You've been a patient and taken some psychology courses now. Have any of the courses given you different ideas on what makes a good therapist?
>
> Jane
>
poster:deets
thread:32027
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20021106/msgs/32029.html