[ObsideousPrime]

Assaults...abuse....it changes a person. Survivors can be dangerous.
Survivors filled with anger, hatred and vengeance can be deadly.

Know what my shrink said to that? "Well iola, such feelings are never helpful, nor solve anything. Move on. Move forward. Be positive and nice!"

....kinda makes wanna knife her....in the head.

The greatest thing about therapists is......... if you have one you cannot relate to, ask for, and if need be insist on, another

[ObsideousPrime]

Not favourable course of action if at all possible on the NHS.

Assaults...abuse....it changes a person. Survivors can be dangerous.
Survivors filled with anger, hatred and vengeance can be deadly.

Know what my shrink said to that? "Well iola, such feelings are never helpful, nor solve anything. Move on. Move forward. Be positive and nice!"

....kinda makes wanna knife her....in the head.

I can truly sympathize. Around 10 years ago I decided to swallow my pride and risk my career by going to see a therapist for my PTSD and the other issues combat gave me. The instant I mentioned being in Iraq I was treated to five minutes straight of hearing her political opinion on the war. Never went back. Haven’t been to a single therapist since as I don’t care to experience anything like that again.

I can truly sympathize. Around 10 years ago I decided to swallow my pride and risk my career by going to see a therapist for my PTSD and the other issues combat gave me. The instant I mentioned being in Iraq I was treated to five minutes straight of hearing her political opinion on the war. Never went back. Haven’t been to a single therapist since as I don’t care to experience anything like that again.

I'm saddened by this fact. And is merely one more reason I chose my field. I'm sorry this happened to you, but would hope, that if you feel the need, down the road.....you won't let one bad experience dictate future actions.

I hate to sound like I'm defending these incompetent , insensitive oafs, because I'm not. But I would encourage people to stop placing the therapist they go see, on a pedestal. So, one of them ruined your perception of what you needed at the time ? One of them? Find another. And don't go with a preconceived notion of what their help may entail. AND, someday, somewhere, somebody needs to start complaining to those therapists, what they just did. That's the only way they'll ever learn. And, may stop them from shutting someone else's feelings off.

 

I hate to sound like I'm defending these incompetent , insensitive oafs, because I'm not. But I would encourage people to stop placing the therapist they go see, on a pedestal. So, one of them ruined your perception of what you needed at the time ? One of them? Find another.

The only problem was at the time, I was risking my career by going in the first place. While the military recognized the necessity of encouraging soldiers to reach out to mental health professionals rather than drinking or taking drugs or taking their own lives, the government never updated qualifications for security clearances. As I had a top secret clearance at the time, the fact I went to mental health is something I’d have to disclose, and that would disqualify you from a TS clearance. Losing my clearance would mean the Army would have to kick me out. When I went I was recruiting, and could go to a civilian provider out of pocket without the Army finding out if I didn’t disclose. But after that, and until April 2017, my only option was to go to on-post mental health. So there’s also that.

[ObsideousPrime]

I asked for mental health assistance. Waited about a year and a half before therapy offered. Jumped through hoops of pointless useless group therapy. Went through one male therapist -when I asked specifically for a female one.
Got a female therapist...as I said I'd rather knife her in the head.
The therapy is over now. No help whatsoever. In the coming weeks due for talks with my GP on the way forward.
I've no faith really in the psychiatric nor social services. Most don't have a clue what to do.

I asked for mental health assistance. Waited about a year and a half before therapy offered. Jumped through hoops of pointless useless group therapy. Went through one male therapist -when I asked specifically for a female one.
Got a female therapist...as I said I'd rather knife her in the head.
The therapy is over now. No help whatsoever. In the coming weeks due for talks with my GP on the way forward.
I've no faith really in the psychiatric nor social services. Most don't have a clue what to do.

Well, it's common for males to request a female therapist, but it's proven that same sex therapists help more people. And, your opinion on group therapy, while unfortunate, is very common. Most people won't relax and let group help. They close themselves off. So it's pretty pointless to even go at that point.

And General practitioners can help. As long as you don't go in with either of two self defeating attitudes. Try not to go in, thinking it's a waste of time. And #2 ... please don't go in with a plan of what you think you need. Nothing quite as frustrating as a patient trying to tell a professional what they need. If the person actually knew, they wouldn't be there to begin with.

[ObsideousPrime]

Lol errrrrrm I'm female! 

I got that, after I posted. But then my question would not be aimed at you, but at the mental health professionals who seem to be making all the wrong decisions. There has to be something missing from your history.

It still doesn't detract from the benefits of group therapy


here's the thing about "shopping" for a therapist, as opposed to just working with the one assigned to you. If you "shop", you can say you're finding someone who feels like you, thinks like you, and will be sympathetic to your struggles. But in reality, you're finding another problem. The goal should not be, to find someone that you feel hears you and understands you and is sympathetic, but to find one who listens, and tries to empathize with you. Guides you. Gives you other ways to look at things. Maybe suggesting cognitive therapy. All steps that lead towards recovery...as opposed to complacency


And while I really don't mind giving suggestions or advice to people, I didn't spend most of my adult life in med school and residency to get into something online, where I really am under informed. So, I'll stop my opinions on this. And hope you find help for the issues you're having 

[Hazard]

I tried therapy once for issues to do with relationships. The first one was like …. how do you even have this job? How did you pass any exams or tests? It's like he was quoting psychology from the ladybird book of "Broken Brain Tips". I was talking about an issue and he was responding with stuff which quite honestly shocked me with how basic it was. Some sort of scam maybe.

Then I went to someone else, and I felt like she was a bit more professional and got it … but I just spend the whole time talking, and psychoanalysing myself. She didn't really guide the conversation in a way that revealed anything new to me. I just did all the work and she clock watched. I guess I felt a bit better from being able to let it out with someone, but I also felt worse because that person didn't actually care.

I think your shrink needs to be significantly smarter than you, so they can instantly process what you're saying, understand where it's coming from, and thinking on the fly, probe and move it in the right direction. If you're smarter than them, and are introspective enough to have taken an interest in why you are the way you are, they're not going to be much help. Even if you're wrong about yourself and why you have these problems, if they can't get ahead of your thought processes, they can't help you.

I had therapy when I was in prison years ago and it still helps me every single day.

Just to make everyone laugh (because face it we all need one), I saw this meme on Facebook. I suck at posting these things on this site so I’ll just quote it—

THERAPIST: And what do we say when we feel like this?

ME: My illness is chronic, but my tits are iconic?

THERAPIST: No.

The greatest thing about therapists is......... if you have one you cannot relate to, ask for, and if need be insist on, another

This. I have two therapists and one is just okay and one is great. And even then I had to meet others before, to decide.