Therapist

Oct 02, 2012, 01:28 PM

So I'm back in therapy. Today was my third session back since my hypo stint. I'm struggling to find the point in seeing her besides someone neutral, an objective person to listen. Is that all they're supposed to be there for? She goes on and on about meditation which I am not against but it's as if that's her cure-all answer. Sorry but I need a lot more than just meditation. I would like to learn more skills and techniques to take control of this illness. I was seeing her for three months before my hypo stint and it was the same thing then with her. Perhaps I should switch T's? Perhaps I am not asking the right questions? What has your T suggested to you that could help others with bp?

AuntieD · Oct 02, 2012, 01:39 PM

I say switch T's. When I very first started seeking help, i went to a T who tried to blame EVERYTHING (rage, irritability, etc) on anxiety. and it didn't feel right. I stopped seeing her after two sessions, because she wasn't listening to me. My second T, I saw her until I stopped getting what I needed from her. My third T, i've been seeing for a couple years now, and she's amazing. We spend a lot of time just going over my day to day activity, if that's what i want to do. Just in "conversation" i've learned coping mechanisms and techniques, when the blinding rage, irritability, or even the extreme giddiness come upon me unexpected.

Regardless of your feelings on meditation, if it isn't something you want to hear about every sesh, i say go find a new one!

~Christina · Oct 02, 2012, 01:42 PM

Maybe tell her that meditation isn't all you need ?.. you need tools to help you navigate the ups and downs of bipolar.

Hell If meditation was a cure all for Bipolar she would be out of a job and the big Pharma's would crumble and blow away.

Remember YOU are seeking help and that's a really hard thing to do in my opinion.. Get the help you need and deserve ..

If she is unable to provide you the Therapy that will help you move forward and cope better ... It's time to find a new Therapist.

Good Luck

Clinte89 · Oct 02, 2012, 01:58 PM

Some people thing medication is some sort of magic fix for some reason and I find that very unfortunate for you. Maybe its time for a new T? Just a thought. You need someone who can give you sound advice and listen to whats going on in your day to day.

faerie_moon_x · Oct 02, 2012, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheHighPriestess

So I'm back in therapy. Today was my third session back since my hypo stint. I'm struggling to find the point in seeing her besides someone neutral, an objective person to listen. Is that all they're supposed to be there for? She goes on and on about meditation which I am not against but it's as if that's her cure-all answer. Sorry but I need a lot more than just meditation. I would like to learn more skills and techniques to take control of this illness. I was seeing her for three months before my hypo stint and it was the same thing then with her. Perhaps I should switch T's? Perhaps I am not asking the right questions? What has your T suggested to you that could help others with bp?

I say if she's not a good fit you should switch.

I personally cannot stand the "happy puppy rainbow" therapists. If you just think about happy puppy rainbows everything will get better! Yeah, well that may work in your delusion but it doesn't work in mine.

She sounds more like a T for those people who don't have actual mental health issues. You know, the ones who just want to be "in therapy" because their mom didn't cut the crusts off their bread when they were in high school....

The ones who see being in therapy as some type of status....

That's why I prefer a psychologist to a therapist. That's just me. They have more training into the actual workings of things but didn't finish the med-school MD part.

Oct 02, 2012, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dark_heart_x

I say if she's not a good fit you should switch.

I personally cannot stand the "happy puppy rainbow" therapists. If you just think about happy puppy rainbows everything will get better! Yeah, well that may work in your delusion but it doesn't work in mine.

She sounds more like a T for those people who don't have actual mental health issues. You know, the ones who just want to be "in therapy" because their mom didn't cut the crusts off their bread when they were in high school....

The ones who see being in therapy as some type of status....

That's why I prefer a psychologist to a therapist. That's just me. They have more training into the actual workings of things but didn't finish the med-school MD part.

Thanks for your reply! She is a psychologist. I use the terms interchangably. I'm seriously considering switching but it's hard to find someone because most people don't accept my insurance. There's another psychologist that accepts my insurance and is closer in location to me but he's all about yoga and meditation too based on his reviews, which again, I don't have a problem with but like someone else said, I don't want to hear about it at every session. I don't think that's the answer to everything for me.

Anika. · 04:23 PM

Switching might be good. I had a one T for many years, all she did was listen to me talk, well she would help me navigate problems communicating with my pdoc. But I did not really need someone to just listen to me talk. I didn't really get a lot out of that.

I do think meditation, and yoga, stuff like that can go a long long way, there is a reason why it is being incorporated into our medical system more and more. It doesn't always work in a timely fashion tho, and this can also differ depending on peoples mindsets. A good therapist should be able to help you with many different skills. Plus you don't really need a T for those things, so I can understand that.

It sounds like what you are looking for is maybe something more like DBT, or CBT based therapy? I could not get that covered for me through healthcare, so I researched online, and used books, and workbooks, ya haha. Not the best solution, but it was they only way I was going to get at it. And actually I was able to do on my own what a therapist could have taught me.

If you look for a new T check into what kind of therapy they offer and if they specialize in the type you think would help you most. Most of the time we have compounded and complex issues, one thing is not going to "fix" it all. I hope you can find someone more compatible.

Anika. · Oct 02, 2012, 04:15 PM

Oh, have you brought this up with her, I find that hard to do myself. But maybe if you discuss this with her, and research a bit what kind of therapy you would like to try, perhaps she would be able to change her approach with you. Might be worth a try since you are limited because of insurrance.

Oct 02, 2012, 05:16 PM

Thanks Anika. I do yoga when I can, which isn't everyday and I try to incorporate mindfulness in my life. I am trying to achieve an overall balance of things, diet too so I'm definitely not against these things at all. I just feel like I could use a lot more coping techniques to use on a day to day and skills to help me when I'm really over my head in an episode. I'm so scared of getting to that point again. I think CBT would probably be the best approach but I'm very hesitant of bringing up to her the fact that I'm not satisfied with what I'm getting out of our sessions together. I should probably try to build up the courage to do that before I just quit and move onto someone else. Sometimes for some reason I really try to avoid confrontation especially with people who are always nice to me. I may look into getting some CBT type books from Barnes and Noble. That sounds like something that would suit me well and possibly help a lot. Thanks for your feed back and suggestions, they are much appreciated

Anika. · Oct 02, 2012, 05:31 PM

My pdoc gave me a dbt workbook for anxiety and phobias, it was pretty helpful.

I know, I hate confrontation too, but maybe it's how you are framing it in your mind. It is not critisim, but asking for what you need, the one thing most therapists I think would try to teach us, so hopefully she would be receptive to that. I think she would be. Maybe if she can't do it she can help you find someone who does this, or more resources.

I think we see more medition as science proves it physically changes the brain. It can increase grey matter, biochemical changes, brain wave changes, changes in the prefrontal and posterior cortex, and they way we use them. Which is some of what we use medication to target as well. Anyways, I think that is partly why we are starting to see more of a leaning towards it.

Good luck, I hope you work through this, and have the courage to ask!

Clinte89 · Oct 02, 2012, 05:40 PM

Finding a good t or psychologist either way can be difficult and as much of a journey as dealing with the ill was itself. I have been lucky to find a good one and hope for you to find a good one as well. It may take some time but well worth it. My t is not a psychologist but she knows alot about how things work and that has really surprised me. So there are good therapist out there just got to weed through the bad ones to find a good one.