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maybeblue raises a good point, however. Although I stand by my opinions and many others' opinions here, maybeblue does point out indirectly that there are differences between therapeutic ruptures and therapy (emotional) abuse. However, the lines are not that clear in such cases, and they can often become blurred. Sometimes mistakes happen, but sometimes they are more than mistakes - they turn into an abusive relationship over time. How can we tell? Would we be susceptible to further emotional abuse in therapy if we allow ourselves to explore the answers? Will the relationship be repairable? Could it be repairable? What does that mean for the client and his/her continuity of care?
For many of us who have experienced therapy abuse, myself included, I recall seeing the warning signs early on but ignored them because I wanted to see if it was just me, if mistakes are repairable, etc. In some minor ruptures, they are repairable. But in others, those ruptures become a pattern and a cycle that does little to help the client; in fact, when it turns into a cyclical pattern of abuse, it is like experiencing intimate partner violence, where leaving becomes even more scary and painful.
As noted under Dr. Grohol's PC article found here:
Your Patient Rights in Therapy
Quote:
You have a right to object to, or terminate, treatment.
Don’t like therapy or a specific type of treatment? You can leave at any time without any kind of repercussions (unless you have been court-ordered to attend therapy).
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Dr. Grohol also includes this bullet point in his PC article:
Quote:
You have a right to be treated in a manner which is ethical and free from abuse, discrimination, mistreatment, and/or exploitation.
Therapists shouldn’t use your story to write a book, a screenplay, a movie, or have you appear on a television show. They shouldn’t attempt to leverage the therapeutic relationship in an inappropriate manner (e.g., sexually or romantically), and they shouldn’t pass judgment upon you based upon your background, race, handicaps, etc.
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In another PC article by Dr. Nauert found here:
Strong Therapist/Client Relationship Necessary for Exposure Therapy
Here's an excerpt from Dr. Nauert's article on PC:
Quote:
The study is among the first to examine how ruptures in the relationship between the therapist and client can damage a patient’s treatment outcome.
As reported in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, an alliance rupture may occur when there is a break in the therapist-client bond.
For example, ruptures in the therapeutic relationship may occur when therapeutic progress stalls, negative feelings arise between the therapist and client, or when the work in therapy becomes challenging.
“We want therapists to know that a rupture in the therapeutic relationship isn’t a bad thing, as long as the therapist tends to it,” said graduate student Stephanie Keller, one of the study’s researchers.
“However, if the rupture is not repaired, then your patient may not do as well in treatment.”
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In the case presented here, many of us who are supporting or trying to support maybeblue may recognize our own past therapeutic experiences, including therapy abuse and/or non-abusive therapy ruptures. Sometimes we do our best to help, but our own past clouds our judgment or influences our methods for helping. Sometimes our past traumas are so similar to the traumas we hear from those whom we're supporting that we experience "vicarious" or "secondary" trauma, but may not even be aware of it. In my case, I can relate to some of the things mentioned here, and in my experience, it had turned into therapy abuse over time. But that's my own bias. And no one is without bias. It just gets more challenging when we are trying to help someone we know. So, when in doubt, I turn to articles that can shed light on areas I may not be aware of, which helps to reduce bias.
Hopefully some of these articles found on PC help not only maybeblue, but also the rest of us who struggle or have struggled with similar issues in treatment. Many times, we learn by example, and we're hoping that the examples shown on here or elsewhere are positive outcomes, even if that means ending a potentially toxic relationship (emphasis on
potential, because nothing is always 100% absolute or predictable).
Anyway, I'll get off my :soapbox and end here. I won't post anymore under this thread unless addressed directly. I just wanted to help.
((safe hugs to all))
