I should probably mention that these two examples happened ten years apart (as opposed to me seeking out a second therapist for the same issue after ending my sessions with the first...in case that's what it sounded like).

I admittedly don't remember many details of my conversations with the first therapist, since that was way back in 2001, but I do recall her having the tendency to cut me off even when I was giving short concise answers to her questions.

I spoke to the second therapist in 2011 for a completely different issue (difficulty retaining newly-learned job skills and performance anxiety at work). She was "matched" with me through a mental health referral service that was part of my employee benefits, and yes, the initial consult was free. I got the distinct impression that this particular therapist was rushing the session along and had a superficial level of compassion at most. I told her about my concern and she proceeded to ask me various questions about my background. Whenever I would mention something that fit in with what seemed to be her preconceived notions, she would interrupt me and jump to conclusions. For example, as soon as I explained that my husband had died eighteen months before, she abruptly cut me off and said "oh, you're grieving--THAT right there explains why you're having trouble concentrating at work." To which I replied that I had been in bereavement counseling and that it helped significantly and that I honestly felt like I was in an otherwise good place emotionally. Again, she cut me off dismissively. "But it's only been eighteen months, there's no way you could be in a good place emotionally. The grief is obviously still distracting you. You should continue those sessions and go back on the Lexapro" [that I had been weened off of without complication]. The only thing obvious to me at this point was that this particular therapist was not interested in my perspective and was looking for quick, easy ways to label me. At the end of the discussion, I politely explained that I didn't feel anything constructive would come of future sessions. I then drove to the bookstore and bought a book on improving one's working memory. It genuinely helped me with the problem in question. I've been opting for books over therapy ever since.

I think it's also worth mentioning that both therapists were considerably older than I was. The first was in her mid-50s (compared to my 21) and the second around 70 (compared to my 31). I can't help but wonder if the compulsion to interrupt me might be a generational thing. Like the unconscious assumption that more life experience = more insight and understanding into the patient's mind than the patient herself could possess. That, and perhaps the tendency to drift into "parent mode" when speaking to someone young enough to be the therapist's offspring. Lots of parents interrupt their kids when trying to prove a point in conversation, and so it wouldn't surprise me if the habit carried over into therapy sessions with younger patient. I would be curious to see if the interrupting thing happened with a therapist my age or younger.