I've been seeing someone for somatic experiencing therapy (in addition to my regular therapist) since roughly mid August (7 sessions). I've really tried to give him a real shot, so much so that I've forced myself to disclose way more than I'm comfortable with from the onset. I tried to put my trust into the process and told myself that I needed to do this in order to get the help I need and to heal.
Despite my impressions, I've also forced myself to go back each week so that I didn't just make a snap judgment and walk away. However, I've found the entire thing to be fruitless, and in some cases, outright bad therapy. I feel like I might as well have been to talking to a sack of potatoes and doing so would have been less irritating and painful. He provided zero new insights and just generally provided very clumsy/hurtful comments when he did actually respond to what I was saying. Thus all the disclosures I made ended up making me feel really empty and maybe invalidated. (The SE part was minimal and since I didn't feel safe with him, it wasn't gonna happen. Plus, I seriously question his skills.)
I've decided not to see him anymore. I feel zero connection with him and have no respect for him. Not to mention he's consistently 20 mins late, runs way over the session time with me, and just seems so scattered/unprofessional. Last time he was running late, he came down and said he would be with me in "a minute." Over the next 10 mins, I heard him go to the bathroom twice with no washing of the hands! Anyway...
I finally told him over the phone today that I had given it some thought and that I didn't feel it was the right fit and I wasn't going continue my treatment with him. He rather forcefully asked me to come in and "talk about it" and bring it into the "therapeutic process" and tell him what wasn't working for me. I finally just agreed, but said that I had made my decision and would be coming in for a last session. Then he urged me to come in "open." I kind of got tongue tied and said ok and got off the phone. And actually as I'm writing i just realized why this is bothering me so much. His persistence is reminding me of someone in my past and his behavior feels threatening to me.
So my point in writing all this is, is there a time when NOT having a last session with a therapist is a good idea? I honestly think this session is more for him - probably so that he can persuade me to continue. I have already made up my mind and there is nothing he can say or do that will change it. I'm done and the thought of having to go back there and wait in the waiting room and see him again makes me want to vomit.
Despite my impressions, I've also forced myself to go back each week so that I didn't just make a snap judgment and walk away. However, I've found the entire thing to be fruitless, and in some cases, outright bad therapy. I feel like I might as well have been to talking to a sack of potatoes and doing so would have been less irritating and painful. He provided zero new insights and just generally provided very clumsy/hurtful comments when he did actually respond to what I was saying. Thus all the disclosures I made ended up making me feel really empty and maybe invalidated. (The SE part was minimal and since I didn't feel safe with him, it wasn't gonna happen. Plus, I seriously question his skills.)
I've decided not to see him anymore. I feel zero connection with him and have no respect for him. Not to mention he's consistently 20 mins late, runs way over the session time with me, and just seems so scattered/unprofessional. Last time he was running late, he came down and said he would be with me in "a minute." Over the next 10 mins, I heard him go to the bathroom twice with no washing of the hands! Anyway...
I finally told him over the phone today that I had given it some thought and that I didn't feel it was the right fit and I wasn't going continue my treatment with him. He rather forcefully asked me to come in and "talk about it" and bring it into the "therapeutic process" and tell him what wasn't working for me. I finally just agreed, but said that I had made my decision and would be coming in for a last session. Then he urged me to come in "open." I kind of got tongue tied and said ok and got off the phone. And actually as I'm writing i just realized why this is bothering me so much. His persistence is reminding me of someone in my past and his behavior feels threatening to me.
So my point in writing all this is, is there a time when NOT having a last session with a therapist is a good idea? I honestly think this session is more for him - probably so that he can persuade me to continue. I have already made up my mind and there is nothing he can say or do that will change it. I'm done and the thought of having to go back there and wait in the waiting room and see him again makes me want to vomit.
