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Old May 17, 2016, 01:57 PM
MBM17 MBM17 is offline
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How much time have you spent with helpful therapists, neutral therapists, and damaging therapists?

I've had a LOT of therapists. I've been in therapy since early 2008 and met with a total of 25 therapists one or more times. Only 11 of those have been for more than 4 sessions, so I consider myself to have had 11 therapists.

I've had a lot of therapists who have overall done more damage than help (seven). They total about 19 months.

A lot of therapists have been kinda neutral, like meh.

I've had five good therapists, but the first four totalled only 9 months. I had to stop meeting with all of them, not by choice (one moved, one was in the hospital, that type of thing).

Then I met my current therapist, who is an amazing fit and has helped SO much. Now I've been meeting with him for 30 months and I'm SO glad I found him. He gets how my brain works better than anyone else. It took long enough to find him, that's for sure!

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  #2  
Old May 17, 2016, 08:02 PM
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Skeezyks Skeezyks is offline
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The Skeezyks has not had good experiences with therapists. They ranged from dreadful to so-so. He no longer sees one.
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  #3  
Old May 17, 2016, 08:09 PM
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BeyondtheRainbow BeyondtheRainbow is offline
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I don't know my total. One in high school through children's protective services; she protected my mom (her friend) and not me. A great one in college. A bunch in grad school, all disasters except one who was a trainee and just was overwhelmed by me but did try to help the best she could. Then 4 years with one who I thought was good but really just chit-chatted with me every session instead of making me work on learning to function. She had little experience with bipolar and I think she didn't really know what to do with me except try to distract me and keep me happy if possible. Then 10 years with the current one who is great and I will see him until he retires which I don't like to think about.

So a rather wide range for me but ultimately it worked out the right way.
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  #4  
Old May 17, 2016, 09:34 PM
seoultous seoultous is offline
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I have had a total of 3 therapists. The first one was ok. I saw her about 3 times. The second one was very good and I saw him for 4 years. My current t is amazing and I have been with her for 7+ years. Nothing but good experiences for me.
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Old May 17, 2016, 10:01 PM
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Victoria'smom Victoria'smom is offline
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I had 4 in high-school 1 horrid, 1 good, and 2 meh.

as an adult 1 meh, and 1 good total of 6 adult years. Now I'm getting ready for a new one.
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  #6  
Old May 18, 2016, 04:43 AM
BastetsMuse BastetsMuse is offline
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Member Since: Jan 2015
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MBM17 View Post
How much time have you spent with helpful therapists, neutral therapists, and damaging therapists?
I spent twenty years in therapy, and my pdoc wants me to go back into therapy. I think there was something good about every therapist I had, even as there were bad things. The worst was having an affair with a therapist I had....that one was the last therapist and I am nervous about having another one.

I hate feeling vulnerable to people and therapy really emphasizes that in me.
  #7  
Old May 18, 2016, 05:30 AM
Anonymous35014
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I've only had 2 therapists. My first therapist was an idiot, but the second one (my current one) is awesome.

Here's why my first therapist sucked:
When I first came in, I told her I was depressed and I explained my symptoms. I also mentioned that I tend to become depressed from time to time. (I didn't know I was BP yet.) She said, "No, you don't seem depressed to me. You seem fine. I don't think you've ever experienced depression if this is what you think depression is like."

Then when I had another appointment with her, I was actually in a mixed state. I told her I was depressed but full of energy. (I also didn't know I was BP yet.) She said, "No, that's pretty normal. Sometimes I get 3-4 hours of sleep. This happens as you get older and, unfortunately, you have to accept it. You should do a sleep study."

Later that week, I saw my pdoc for the first time, and he was like, "No, you're BP and you're currently in a mixed state." Never saw my therapist again after that.
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