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Worst Therapist Story

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I have a long list of nightmare therapists and currently I need a new one as the one I am working with (sweet ineffectual and just listens and says ' I am sorry you feel like that ' a lot), has decide to retire early. And told me there is no trauma specialist in my area so that even though he admits I need help, there isn't any. ??!!
anyway, first psychiatrist just wanted to weigh me ( admittedly I was anorexic at the time). Second unleashed a storm of breakdown proportions when I was trying to finish my degree by asking about my family and for the first time I became aware of the childhood deprivation and trauma. He bailed out. Third stopped seeing me suddenly even though she was my absolute life belt at the time. (because her daugher got pregnant). third was good for nine months but later on got angry because I pointed out he told me that my CSA couldn't be abuse because it was another child doing it. Fifth had a sex addiction and sexually abused me. Sixth (fifteen years later, the fifth had put me off therapy) bailed out after 14 months and told me by email. The sixth is retiring early and is ineffectual and has a 'no can do' attitude. In between I saw a therapist for 8 sessions who said, without knowing my family history, that I had a roof over my head, and clothes and got educated, why can't I just accept I had a good dad? and recently I had sessions with a really crap guy who did 12 sessions of EMDR really opening me up to extreme distress with no stabilising and then he rang me on the morning of the 13th session to tell me he wouldn't be working with me anymore. I would like a good trauma specialist and I would like to feel this process works. I would like sensorimotor therapy or brain spotting but there aren't any therapists like this in my rural area.
I have had to become an expert on therapy myself to direct my own therapy. I have bought the books, participated in forums, listened to the online training seminars. I feel horrified at how little understanding of trauma and attachment issues therapists in the UK have and how bad so many of them are.
 
Well, at age 12, my mom was sleeping with my disgusting therapist. Much more to this one.

In 30's, misdiagnosed on purpose, so out of it was sexually exploited 2x/week for 6 months, both at my house and office. I still feel so dirty and won't see any therapist ever again. Unable to publish more re: Medical Board, or outcome of DOJ Accusation/Trial. (there's a lot more)

Moved back home, had great Psychiatrist, total boundary keeper, soft toned and professional. Got a call one early morning that he had shot and killed his wife, 7 year old girl, and while on phone telling police to come, shot himself in the head. This was published and he was a great doctor. You can read the story looking under either John Rivard or Michael Rivard in San Luis Obispo, CA. It happened about 7-9 years ago. I really respected and liked him for his knowledge and professionalism . . .
 
I once had a therapist who refused to help me with my severe anxiety. She just couldn't handle it. Plus, she would often text during a session. She was very unprofessional, but unfortunately I realized it much too late.
 
It's not a therapist who just won the "title." It's a crisis worker on the veterans national suicide prevention hotline. I suppose he is a therapist, as all of them are supposed to be professionals

I'm having a hard time for a few days. Last night, I got on the hotline chat.
They have a voluntary questionnaire that gives background to the crisis worker about how you're doing.

Long story short, I talked about being totally overwhelmed, isolated, and thinking about suicide. I also know how I'd go. But have no plans to do it yet. After a bit, he tells me that I seem to be doing "well" on the chat and just told me to get some sleep. My last message to him was along the lines of "yeah, thanks. Then the F bomb.

Talk about totally dismissive. I felt unimportant. Like the joke "suicide prevention put me on hold." I guess the problems didn't really matter. I didn't have s specific trigger- I just felt totally overwhelmed by everything. The sh@t storm can overwhelm as much as one thing. I think it's worse actually.
 
I have been blessed with good T's.. the only one that comes to mind that wasn't, was very young. I was doing ok and the depression got really bad, so set my appt with this poor little guy... After about 10 minutes in, I realized how nervous he was, so I started asking HIM questions... he talked the entire time I was there... before I left I asked him if he felt better, he said, yes, gave me a huge hug, I left, never went back... But HE felt better.
He did call the next day and profusely apologized... told him no problem, was I going back, uh, no thank you, His comment... You missed your calling, my reply, I am too f#cked up to have a calling. But thanks...
 
Oh man you guys, I feel so bad that so many people have encountered not just bad but dangerous therapists! I think that the bar should be set higher in this profession, but not sure how that would be accomplished. The mentally ill are a vulnerable population and ripe for the picking by unscrupulous therapists who are only there for their own selfish gain. :-/
 
Ironic... I was thinking about things that the occasional psychology student comments upon here, with all t...

I am a professional, medically trained psychotherapist myself - and I have been searching for help for my at times debilitating PTSD. I am trained to treat trauma but it is accurate to say that neither psychologists nor psychiatrists know anything about trauma. God help us.
 
I have had a few awful experiences. One therapist seemed to think I could solve all my problems by going off and getting pregnant. She said had I not thought that if I didn't do it in the next ten years, I'd have no chance. There's more but it's too stressful to type right now.
 
I am a professional, medically trained psychotherapist myself - and I have been searching for help for my at times debil...

Gosh, that certainly is a downer.... I am sure there are many who are ineffective, however when I am at my most symptomatic I have so many walls put up that I am not sure it is the therapist that is ineffective as much as it is that I can't let anyone in. I'm begging for help, but I don't know how to let them in. Therapy is such a team sport and at times that makes it tough. The guy I work with worked at a rape crisis center. I am sure that sucked somewhat but it did at least give him insight into the mind and hearts of those suffering. He may not be the ultimate trauma therapist, but he certainly has seen a lot and I always feel like his intentions are about helping me. It's tough!!!
 
Lots of bad therapists out there. Now I know to check their credentials, only go with Phd or PsyD level therapists with good reviews online. But I didn't always have a choice, especially when I was a teenager and lived in a rural area. There's one particularly bad therapist I can recall. He was an older guy, wasn't a PsyD or even a Master's level therapist. He had some kind of counseling certification and there weren't any other options for 30 miles. I was 13. The first red flag was when I disclosed a sexual assault that occurred when I was 4 or 5. He immediately dismissed my story as "not abuse" and "not trauma" because the perpetrators were 10 and 12. Something about that didn't sit right with me, but what did I know? I was only 13. It's like he didn't want to hold them accountable. The second red flag was a few weeks later when he stood up in the middle of a session and smelled my hair. I stopped going after that. Maybe he saw something of himself in my attackers.

I have a female therapist now, PsyD, great patient reviews, and she is awesome. She let's me bring my dog into therapy, and even provides treats for him!
 
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