Don't Trust My Therapist Anymore

[Anrish]

I had a bad start with my therapist who didn't want me as a client because my insurance and my allowance need a special report to allow a therapy - but they don't pay for it - as private insurances would. ...I only have a few sessions left and she never worked on my PTSD, it was rather coaching for current events - and whenever I brought up other topics, she just changed it. She also sent me to a psychiatrist so he would describe me medics - which made it only worse for me and I stopped taking them. At first, she said to give it a try for a short period of time...the next session, she suddenly said that the medics were meant for a long time treatment?! ....to prolong my therapy, she has to write another report including my PTSD and it seems that she doesn't want to do so. She told me that it will not leave a good impression if PTSD was written down in my data by the allowance and the insurance. She just wants me to take my final five lessons and stopp the treatment - because I'm doing fine in her opinion. I don't want to go back to her...because I feel totally misunderstood and falsely treated due to financial agreements with the allowance and my insurance - facts that I can't change. I think about quitting and search for a new therapist, one who really starts to work on what's bothering me....and I would be glad for any advise....:(

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

I think about quitting and search for a new therapist, one who really starts to work on what's bothering me....

I think that's the best thing you can do :) She doesn't sound like the kind of therapist anybody needs, -it's making you feel bad, instead of actually helping you. I'd say leave her be and look for someone who can actually communicate with you and help you.

 

[Seasounds]

Good for you! Sounds like a good decision. I have been in a similar situation, where the Provider didn't want to deal with PTSD. Eventually, I found a great psychiatrist, who did counseling and meds; with a PTSD diagnosis, your insurance may grant more sessions. Good luck!

 

[Neverthesame]

I concur. Therapists are kind of like dentists. While you can pretty much safely say all of them know how to fix teeth. The trick is finding one that goes about it in a way that agrees with you.

 

[scout86]

From what you said, that sounds like the best thing to do. I hope the next one is more interested in actually working on the things you want to work on!

 

[Digz]

Your thinking seems right to me. She doesn't seem like she's helped you a great deal and doesn't sound that invested in your therapy. If she doesn't want to work through what's bothering you, then she's not going to help you. To say something like writing PTSD would not leave a good impression I think is not only both unhelpful but somewhat offensive. You have PTSD, we have PTSD - we should be able to admit it and talk about it without worrying about creating a 'bad impression' and a therapist should be the first to understand this.
I think definitely look for a new therapist. She doesn't sound very good to me, for anybody with PTSD.

 

[darrenS]

Working on ptsd can involve many facets , a true trauma therapist will not take you straight into your traumas, and depending on the severity and complexity of your ptsd will spend a lot of time on identifying symptoms and reactions first and teaching you how to manage those. The reason being if they launched straight into the hard stuff you more than likely would not cope and could actually become a danger to yourself. The teaching of symptom management not only helps with the day to day stuff , but it also ensures you can identify when your spiralling and so forth and deal with it.

It sounds like in your current state that is not possible and the first thing you have to do is practice patience. PTSD is not one of those things that can be solved quickly. I would actually bring all this up with your therapist , ask her what the treatment plan is and what approach she is using, only then you can be sure if she has you on the right track with a solid plan,

 

[Friday]

I would leave, also. Sound rational thinking IMO.

 

[Anrish]

Thank you all for your answers and your support. It really helped me a lot to get my thoughts clear.

@darrenS : I know that PTSD is nothing that can be healed in a short period of time. But I have only five sessions left and she told me that she does not see any reason why she should prolong my therapy...so she doesn't leave me enough time. I was patient for more than a year without anything happening or rather being spoken at in my sessions. Whenever I tried, she switched to current topics...and I always left with the feeling that I did not get the chance to tell something important and work with it. Her treatment plan is to end my therapy after the final five lessons...and that without treating me for PTSD once.

 

[Anrish]

I wrote her a message yesterday and she already answered...she was kind of surprised that we had such a different point of view on our work. But I don't care anymore. ...I don't want these empty phrases. But she also made me doubt myself again. Am I wrong? Am I mean? I don't know...but my gut feeling still tells me that it was right.

 

[Neverthesame]

I have had a similar experience with a therapist which was working under a treatment scheme like the one you described. Limited number of sessions covered. I found right away that he was keen to steer the conversation away from what was really bothering me. Instead focused on other things. I wonder if this is standard with these kinds of therapists?

 

[scout86]

Limited number of sessions covered.

That right there COULD be a reason to avoid dealing with some things. If the number of sessions are limited, I can see where there might be a concern about starting something there isn't time to finish and leaving you in a worse mess as a result. (Not saying that's what's going on here.)