Positive Experiences With Therapy

[Mallaky]

Hello.

Naturally, this forum mostly deals with the negative experiences with therapy and therapists. I am in the process of finding one and it its horryfing, absolutely terrifying to me. Three meetings, three disasters.

So I thought I'd ask if any of you would like to share your positive experiences. I think this could became an encouraging and positive thread.

I have none, so I cant start this thread with one. I hope someone does. :roflmao:


:tup:

 

[Rumors]

I have had good fortune. I had no expectations so I didn't know what to expect. I went to see one and he retired and moved on to another one and it seems to be a good fit. Therapy itself isn't easy but if you can find someone that you can partner with than it becomes less awful. I don't think you can make a judgement on a person in one session. I am glad I didn't. I stuck with him and find it to be ok.

 

[scout86]

I'd have to say I've had a good experience. Found my T online. His web site was a little.... "different". He uses and obviously likes dogs.... I wasn't in a particularly good place at that time, debated about emailing him, sent one, immediately wished I hadn't, and he replied, almost immediately, sounding reasonable and non-threatening and mentioning he had an opening that week, "in case I wanted to come in". Kind of didn't give me time to change my mind, which I definitely would have done, if he'd given me more time. I'm still not sure if he's THAT good at reading people or that was dumb luck, but it's worked out. There have been some rough patches, but I think that's part of the deal. It's been a really good fit, and I don't think "just anyone" would have been.

I'll add that I really had my doubts for awhile. I'm pretty sure that was ME, not him, and I'm glad I didn't give up as quick as I wanted to.

 

[mrsps]

I have been seeing my current T for about 4 months. I knew from the first session I had with her that she was going to be a good fit for me. I have seen changes in me since I have been seeing her, I have more confidence to get out and do things, things I would have worried about over and over in my head previously. It is like something from her rubs off onto me and she gives me the confidence to do things I normally would struggle with. In saying that we still have a lot of stuff to work through and it will take time. But she is just amazing, I count myself very lucky to have a T like her. I have never felt so safe with someone and she just accepts me for who I am and is so gentle and kind.

 

[FindingMyself88]

I absolutely have the best therapist for me! I am so lucky. She is very compassionate, understanding, and funny. She helps me laugh at myself and also makes me feel safe enough to cry (which is HUGE). I could not do EMDR with anyone else. She is very intuitive to when I am starting to dissociate and helps me come back. We also do out of the box things like take a walk around the block after we finish EMDR and throw rocks into rock piles.

She has been gone for 2 months with surgery and I have missed her SOOOO much. Thankfully she comes back this week. I've been seeing one of her friends but it hasn't been the same.

 

[KwanYingirl]

I've had three therapists over 15 years. All of them were what I needed at the particular time in my recovery. The first just helped me survive the legal case against the hospital that poisons me. And helped me hold it together to send my children off to college. Then I moved to another state and commuted to see him. I only went once a month and I was falling apart. My Voc Rehab counselor recommended I find someone more accessible and she gave me the name of a woman who was just what I needed. I was seriously suicidal suiting the time I saw her and was in an abusive relationship she helped me get out of. Then she was promoted and had to give up her clients. I had been carrying around the number for a therapist at the Maine psychological Trauma Institute. One of my clients recommended him for EMDR which my previous therapists had both recommended. So I called him and I've been with him for two years. I highly recommend you find a trauma therapist. I have made slit of progress with him. He encouraged me to add energy healing and yoga to my life and they've helped me tremendously. Good luck, I know there are some jerks out there. All my psychiatrists have been wooden robots but there's only one here that takes my insurance. He's a weirdo.

 

[Chava]

Mine thanks me for speaking up and telling her no, or that something isn't helping. She's patient, caring, open-minded, creative, and very non-judging. And smart. She allows my process more than pushes me or makes me feel like a subordinate to her, which matters a lot to me.

She has also let me scribble when trying to get some anger out of my body, and was okay with me breaking a bunch of her crayons. She also lets me take a teddy bear from her office home. She's good at pointing out where I'm doing good work, very good about positive recognition of the hard work I do and the progress I'm making, and my part in it....so empowering that way. She's very supportive but I think wants me to feel ownership of my healing.

 

[Stickler]

I was with one for over seven years, very skilled, very kind. Money issues are preventing me from seeing her ATM :(.

Get someone who specializes in trauma and dissociative disorders...and don't be afraid to walk away and try another. It's a collaborative work.

 

[falling_wave]

I have the best therapist I could have asked for. I've been seeing her for two years. She is patient, non judgemental, empathetic, and challenges me in a way that is not confrontational or scary. Therapy definitely brings up some uncomfortable feelings but if you are ready to look at those then they can be the energy for healing. I think in addition to helping me deal with trauma and resolve struggles my therapist is like a role model to me. Knowing she is behind me gives me all sorts of confidence I never knew I had to move forward with my life and make appropriate changes. I am happy to say that although I still struggle at times I am feeling like my sense of self and quality of life have improved greatly since I started seeing her which makes everything else a bit better as well. Good luck on your search!

 

[Friday]

The vast majority of my therapy experiences have been positive... With the caveat that I've never really/exactly* seen a trauma therapist or worked on PTSD stuff! :P

What I have done is over 20 years of ADHD stuff... Needing a new therapist or team (psychologist for therapy, psychiatrist for meds) every 6mo-2years as I moved frequently. Had finding a therapist down to an art form. First the initial search, then the interviewing process & initial sessions, (that's the finding them part). A few dozen therapists over a few weeks & voila! A short list of a least a few damn fine ones that I could work well with, and from there it's simply choosing the best. Worked with really and truly amazing therapists all over the world.

Lol...if they exist? I can usually find them. I've made 3 or 4 goes of it this past year (a few hundred phone calls & a few dozen interview appointments with therapists in each go). No joy, so far. My region isn't particularly keen on my issues. Shrug. Something will turn up. :) LOL, my own fault for running as far and as fast away from any kind of reminder of my past = not a whole lot of people with my past around. Meaning no clients for therapists who specialize in my past. It only makes sense, afterall!

In the meantime I'm working on my own. It's what I did last time, albeit in a very different way. Last time I winged it, this time I'm learning as much as I can. Therapy would be an easy-button, but ya work with what you've got :D

* I've accidentally worked with a couple trauma therapists back in the day. One off conversations for the most part, as we happen to bump into each other exactly when I needed them the most. A tool here, a different way of looking at things there, a fantastic argument here, a good laugh there. I'm pretty damn lucky, overall.

 

[Suzetig]

I have a fantastic therapist, her way of working suits be well. She's kind, concerned for me, patient, challenging and can read me like a book! We've been working together for 2 years and will be ending over the next couple of months. She has quite literally changed my life.

Good luck with your search, it's worth finding the right person for you.

 

[AnnaLost]

I had never had a therapist before the one I am with now, but I feel like I hit the jackpot. I specifically looked for someone who had experience with what I was trying to address - loss, depression and cults. An unusual mix, but I found her, and she's been amazing. She's been kind, tough, loving and helped me through some really bad stuff.