[unaluna]

Originally Posted by MoxieDoxie

I asked for a sub forum for Transference and got blown off.

Thats probably because transference is ubiquitous. As is resistance. As is jargon!

I think the major reason for keeping the abuse/trauma threads separate is not to undermine and cast unnecessary doubt on helpful therapeutic relationships - which are frequently people’s lifelines. I think the risk of keeping triggering material intertwined with questions and positive experiences outweighs philosophical preference to keep as-is. In instances where someone needs support for a crisis like abandonment, nothing would prevent cross-posting. Despite my negative experience I continue to see therapy as beneficial to most and try hard not to taint healthy experiences and perceptions.

Also, I think separating out a sub forum would discourage voyeuristic comments or attempts to minimize victims’ experiences. Therapy damage is a loaded topic and as someone who has been harmed, I would prefer quality support from those that understand and can relate vs random comments from the masses assessing my resiliency and ability/inability to move on.

Originally Posted by ArtleyWilkins

I think the issue with the Romantic Feelings Toward Therapist forum was that it was designed, if I remember right, for matters particularly of erotic transference that were both highly triggering to some members and also met often with debate rather than support. By having a separate forum, it created a more delineated forum and has seemed to work well since its creation for the most part. (I think many have felt the title of the forum is questionable, but the members have found how to best use it.)

I see this possible sub-forum for therapy harm as perhaps working similarly as a way to respect those who really do need a safe place where they can find support without it becoming debate.

These are some really good points. I have had good and bad therapy experiences and like to discuss all views. I also have strong interest in advocacy.

There have been several times where someone posts about a negative experience with a T, and a whole bunch of people who normally view therapy positively reply that the T is 'bad' or incompetent or x, but I was the sole person or among a few that saw the T as competent. I have trouble understanding how the forum and therapy clients as a group would benefit from segregation rather than a wide variety of views.

I tend to agree especially with some points raised earlier. It can be ostracizing enough for people to experience trauma in a society where therapy and medications are the default and even sometimes considered 'curative' which is already misleading as therapy trauma is swept under the rug. People may feel isolated or left out among all the positive stories, and further isolated by being relegated to a non-mainstream forum. This in itself can be triggering and lead to further feelings of inadequacy, isolation, defective, or ostracization. Given that, since everyone gets triggered, I think the weight should be tilted more toward inclusion not exclusion.

No one is required to accommodate others outside following the rules here, but maybe those feeling positive and strong can use the benefits they received from therapy to help others, or to at least be more tolerant, compassionate, or empathetic towards others.

I still don't understand the need for the romantic forum as again, the same topics are repeated in both forums.

Originally Posted by PurpleMirrors1

I think the major reason for keeping the abuse/trauma threads separate is not to undermine and cast unnecessary doubt on helpful therapeutic relationships - which are frequently people’s lifelines. I think the risk of keeping triggering material intertwined with questions and positive experiences outweighs philosophical preference to keep as-is. In instances where someone needs support for a crisis like abandonment, nothing would prevent cross-posting. Despite my negative experience I continue to see therapy as beneficial to most and try hard not to taint healthy experiences and perceptions.

Also, I think separating out a sub forum would discourage voyeuristic comments or attempts to minimize victims’ experiences. Therapy damage is a loaded topic and as someone who has been harmed, I would prefer quality support from those that understand and can relate vs random comments from the masses assessing my resiliency and ability/inability to move on.

Thinking about what Scarlet said....People posting about erotic transference in the main forum are often moved to the romantic forum (even though most seem to have nothing to do with romantic feelings)-so how would that work in cases where someone is or was abused and taken out of the larger group to the forum 'above'? Might that not be triggering to the individual in need of support whose post is moved to a more obscure forum? How is it the triggers of some outweigh the triggers of others?

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by octoberful

I still don't understand the need for the romantic forum as again, the same topics are repeated in both forums.

Theres a difference between erotic and eroticized transference. Kinda like soft porn and hard porn? I think what we are saying, soft core therapy stuff is for the main forum, put the hard core therapy stuff in the subforums. Emotionally speaking. Yeah okay im a snowflake. But im a STABLE snowflake.

Originally Posted by octoberful

Thinking about what Scarlet said....People posting about erotic transference in the main forum are often moved to the romantic forum (even though most seem to have nothing to do with romantic feelings)-so how would that work in cases where someone is or was abused and taken out of the larger group to the forum 'above'? Might that not be triggering to the individual in need of support whose post is moved to a more obscure forum? How is it the triggers of some outweigh the triggers of others?

Anything with abuse or trauma in the title - or posts made especially for that topic - get bumped if flagged by members as triggering.

The rest stay put.

I feel like people are generally good about using the romantic forum for its intended purpose. I don’t agree with moving posts unless they are obviously in the wrong place. Occasionally I see off-topic threads that are in the grey zone and they usually just phase out.

People should post where they feel comfortable posting lMO. It’s nice to have the option.

Originally Posted by unaluna

Theres a difference between erotic and eroticized transference. Kinda like soft porn and hard porn? I think what we are saying, soft core therapy stuff is for the main forum, put the hard core therapy stuff in the subforums. Emotionally speaking. Yeah okay im a snowflake. But im a STABLE snowflake.

Yes, but do people use that criteria to decide where to post? And altough there is a book definition, it is not cut and dry. And who would tell the difference-would it be moderators who discern? I think I've seen but one person maybe two at the most on this forum-ever-describe what I would consider 'eroticized' transference. It's very uncommon. But nice try.

Originally Posted by nottrustin

I have to agree while I skip many topics that do not pertain to me, at one point there were 7 different threads on the topic of therapist sbuse. Honestly, that was why I started the post about the benefits of therapy.

Great alternative over trying to control what others do or say.

People who try to control others can get frustrated, angry, disappointed, and even become resentful or bitter. It can be beneficial to invest your energy into activities that you control that bring you positive feelings.

[HD7970GHZ]

Originally Posted by junkDNA

dear DocJohn and other admins and moderators

is there any way we could create a sub forum for psychotherapy abuse?

for lack of a better term... I find it triggering when I log on and see so many articles about it in the main psychotherapy forum. I've been checking the forum less and less because of this

of course this is just a request... take it or leave it

love,
junkDNA

Hi JunkDNA,

I want to give you a digital hug for sharing the impact that this has on you! I think it is wonderful to hear your perspective and I take it to heart when someone says that such posts affect others.

Thing is, while I understand what a trigger feels like, I also know that I cannot avoid triggers completely. I respect that it is a trigger to you, but it is not a trigger to a lot of people, in fact, it has helped inform and educate others to a large degree and hopefully prevented further abuse by therapists. That is the purpose of advocacy about such matters.

In short, I respect your feelings and empathize greatly. I also experience triggers when I go onto Psych Central. It happens in every forum section, regardless of topic. But you have a choice to click on a forum thread if the title is obviously about something that is triggering. Unfortunately there is not much anyone can do about this.

What I am asking is for you to consider that we have feelings too. We deserve to have just as much freedom on these forums as you, irregardless of content.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

[HD7970GHZ]

Originally Posted by ScarletPimpernel

I see both sides. On the one hand, I am triggered by the negative polarized views that seem to be common with people who have experienced therapy trauma. However, I also see how separating therapy trauma into a sub-forum could be unhelpful. In my personal case, I'm so grateful that the forums weren't separated when my ex-T abandoned me. I needed all the support I could get, and I don't think I would have survived with out such support. If the forums were separated and I posted in therapy trauma forum (which actually they did have their own group at one point), I probably wouldn't have been encouraged to try therapy again which is the very thing that helped heal me. Maybe that's one of the reasons I can understand both sides?

ScarletPimpernel,

I love your logical reasoning here. I agree with you. I don't think the forums should be separate. The other part is that opinions matter. The more feedback we can get from a thread, the more helpful it will be for ourselves and others. The amount of people who see the Psychotherapy section is quite large, if we made a smaller sub-section for people who have experienced abuse within therapy, that number would dwindle quite considerably and as a result, we may not get the support we need.

I agree with your logic and I think there should NOT be a mandatory subsection for therapy abuse. I believe it should be in the same thread, however, if someone wants to make a subsection thread, it is their choice.

Thanks,
HD7970ghz

[koru_kiwi]

i'm of two minds on this topic:

1) personal responsibility- we, as adults, participating in a very large world wide online public forum with thousands of topics and members who read, post and/or participate in the many conversations found here everyday have the responsibility to look out for ourselves and do what is best to keep our ourselves 'safe'. as adults, we need to be mature and sensible enough to be able to understand ourselves enough to know when a discusion topic may or may not stir up some strong emotions. if you know a topic is gong to cause distress, or is going to bother you, then perhaps it is best to do some personal self care and either take a break or avoid those topics that are known to or may cause such distress.

2)i'm in support of sub-forum if it will help maintain the continuation of some very informative constructive conversations, support, and important topics from being locked down by the moderators because of some members who become upset and began to detract an informative and/or supportive thread into what feels more like a squabble among five year olds in a sand box. this very topic tends to result in some very uncomfortable thoughts and feelings for quite a few people which often leads to some very passionate, sometimes personally harmful to others, emotions emerging and becoming intertwined into the conversations and the detriment of the thread. i would rather not witness or be involved in those kinds of 'debates' and often find it disheartening to see this kind of behaviour happening among fellow support forum members.

[elisewin]

Good idea jdna! I fully support this. Right now half of the threads are about abuse and I feel it puts off many posters participating in any other kinds of topics. Or visiting the whole forum.

[Myrto]

This request amounts to basically saying " go away, go post your shameful dirty crap somewhere I can't see it"
And this is described as "Well there is too much negativity around here"
Very telling.
Anything is "triggering" these days. Trigger may have meant something at some point but it doesn't anymore.
People are "triggered" by facts (not necessarily talking about therapy here, more about politics in general).

It's often used as a silencing tactic.
If people don't want "negativity" that's on them, if other people discussing their therapy abuse upsets them so much again that's on them.

And I find people who have been abused to be EXTREMELY patient with all the dismissive and silencing tactic used by some posters. Just wow.

[junkDNA]

Originally Posted by Myrto

This request amounts to basically saying " go away, go post your shameful dirty crap somewhere I can't see it"

And this is described as "Well there is too much negativity around here"

Very telling.

Anything is "triggering" these days. Trigger may have meant something at some point but it doesn't anymore.

People are "triggered" by facts (not necessarily talking about therapy here, more about politics in general).


It's often used as a silencing tactic.

If people don't want "negativity" that's on them, if other people discussing their therapy abuse upsets them so much again that's on them.


And I find people who have been abused to be EXTREMELY patient with all the dismissive and silencing tactic used by some posters. Just wow.

I would never call their posts shameful and dirty. and no I'm not trying to hide these posts in a corner because I see them as shameful and dirty. how dare you equate my request to that.

[junkDNA]

why would I ever call their posts shameful and dirty when I've been through these same horrific things regarding therapy abuse?? thst doesnt make sense to me at all.

I made a request for my own personal reasons and I said it is just a request. take it or leave it

Right now half of the threads are about abuse and I feel it puts off many posters participating in any other kinds of topics. Or visiting the whole forum.

We are all responsible for ourselves and can only set boundaries for ourselves, not others. People can practice self care or tolerance skills. Or choose to not come here. Or choose to make half the posts more positive.

What else-
-People with negative drug experiences, allergic reactions, bad side effects can't post in the general medication forum
-people with bad relationship experiences can't post in the general relationship forum
-people who lose their jobs shouldn't post in the work and careers forum

[sarahsweets]

I see both sides. I do not have an issue with there being a subforum if it makes people more comfortable yet I can also see how things can get lost or overlooked in the subforums.

[MoxieDoxie]

I am counting down when I see that this thread has been closed down. They always are.

[junkDNA]

moxiedoxie.. I have requested this thread to be closed.

[DocJohn]

Closed as per OP's request.