People Being Told They're Too Broken For Therapy

[Powder]

Great thread!

I think some people see therapist as a nice job and that's it. Not all of them are quality just because they passed their courses and residency. Same goes for doctors. Some are just "doing a job."

Same goes for teachers. Most are caring about the whole student and would take a bullet for the kids they work with. Others could not care less and just pretend. These types are too lazy to quit and do something else.

I work with professors, one of whom recently said addressing a suicidal student is "not their job." Wow. Really? I can't believe the apathy of some people, and I don't think it's naive; it's disgust.

 

[ptsdsolution]

Having the right therapist is like a surgeon having the right equipment to conduct surgery-would you put your life in the hands of someone with no real experience except text book stuff, or someone who hated their job, was having a bad day, made wrong decisions, misinterpreted things? Yikes no way-finding the right person-you will know is right for you because they will be able to identify with you, and get through to you on a deep level that makes sense.

 

[Deleted member 12723]

I have had some good therapists and some bad therapists.

I went for therapy when my husband died, and after a few sessions, the therapist said she could not help me anymore and recomened a grief group. I went to the group but it did not help me either. So I gave up.

Now I have a doctor who sees and hears and helps me. The thing is to not give up but keep searching.

Bad therapists can do so much damage. I am so sorry springer that happened to you. It must have been a devastating experience.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I haven't read the replies yet, but want to say this. I see this "too broken" statement issued a LOT by people from the UK. I think it is a reflection of how crappy the NHS is, and their inability to help anyone who won't be healed by 6 sessions of CBT. Of course, in some areas of the UK you can get better treatment than others, but unfortunately decent treatment for PTSD does not appear to be widespread. I am not in the UK, rather in the USA. I am making this statement simply based on the many posts I've read by those who live in the UK and cannot receive treatment unless they can afford private treatment.

 

[Powder]

discussion with gp (I didnt realise I had ptsd at the time) ~

....Couldnt you have done something about it?

Grrrrr!

I'm so glad that the ACE Study is fighting this. They want physicians to wake up and smell the coffee. Dr. Vince Felletti said he was initially shocked at how totally common child abuse and adverse events are in America.

He said "If this were true [about the % of sexually abused kids] then I would have been told this in medical school!" That was his first reaction, and probably the reaction of most physicians. They, apparently, think all you need to know you learned in med school.

He now is on a mission to ensure all teachers, nurses, and doctors screen better and prevent this culture of ignorance and disbelief of child abuse.

Let's home the next generation of people who unfortunately get abused don't get this CRAP from so-called educated people.

 

[Deleted member 19804]

@Springer80 I am so sorry that your therapist actually said that. You were a CHILD for goodness' sake.
I find it both disgusting and deeply worrying that there are in fact still licensed doctors who are so ignorant and judgemental. This is exactly why I think that all people with a medical profession should be obligated to take a general, but thourough course in patient psychology.
I hope you have found or will very soon find both a gp and a therapist who actually know what they're doing.

 

[Deleted member 19804]

There is a big difference between "I can't help you" and "You can't be helped".

Everyone is right, we generally only get one side of the story. My T says, "Communication is what the hearer hears, not what the speaker says." Maybe dealing with garden variety relationships, you can cut the speaker some slack for being clueless. If you're talking about someone who is supposed to be a trained professional, then I really think they have an obligation to make sure of what the hearer heard. And, if THEY can't help someone, they should help them find their way to someone who can.

Completely agree here, thank you.

I think there are times when a professional might be in over their head. I think there are people who won't improve, for a variety of reasons. Maybe they just never get the right chance. I refuse to believe there's anyone who can't be helped, with the right opportunity, once they realize they need help.

Exactly! If someone who is clearly motivated to heal doesn't show any progress, it's time for the therapist to change their approach. It's easy to say you're a great T if you kick out all the clients you can't help, but a real professional would never refuse a client before they have found them a better option.

 

[Deleted member 19804]

Thank you all so much for your responses. It was nice to see I'm not the only one who feels this way and to read your insights in the matter.

I just thought about one former therapist of mine. My dad went to see him a couple of times too, a few years after I'd last been there for anorexia. He had a nice way to form his opinion on the guy: "he makes great tea, but he gives me the impression that he got his degree in psychology as a special offer bonus when he bought a large package of cornflakes at the supermarket". Haha :)

 

[Caterpillar]

I've never personally been told this, though I've fired several therapists for clearly being clueless even though they wouldn't admit it (and really, my problems of bipolar depression and relatively simple PTSD should be WELL within the training of ANY professional). I was witness to my ex, who had severe PTSD and multiple dissociative disorders including DID being told this repeatedly, however. I understand that such complex pathology is beyond the scope of some therapists, but it seems to me that they have a professional obligation to refer to someone who can handle it in such cases. My ex was never able to get the help he needed (at least during the time period I have knowledge of) and I'm still angry about it. It felt like there was just no help to be had, which is a supremely helpless place to find yourself in.

Of course, considering some of the extreme incompetence I've since witness among psychological professionals, I suppose I should be glad they were simply unable to help instead of making him WORSE.

It's a very sad state of affairs, really. It seems like in order to get good help you need to either be very lucky or have the strength to aggressively advocate for yourself like I have, an ability mental illness robs many people of.