In an era when managed care companies are supporting use of drugs for treatment of mental illness issues rather than psychtherapy or psychology, professionals have begun to brand themselves in order to build practices.

Not too long ago, I had a T who branded himself. He did not live up to his claims! And, because he was a gay therapist, his ads and promotional materials made him a target of the religious right and homophobes. He reported receiving many nasty emails.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/25/ma...me&ref=general

[Open Eyes]

Interesting unhappyguy, but I am not surprised at these marketing strategies. I am not surprised either that the answer to "problems" has been "drug treatment" either.
However from what I am seeing, there has now been a turn back to psychotherapy and that many benefit from that "more" than they do just from "drug treatment".

I am also not surprised that you were "dissappointed" in the therapist that was "supposed to specialize in gay issues". You have more involved in your personal challenge because you struggle with PTSD.

It took me a while to find a therapist that actually had the "right knowledge, experience and skills to help me". I had thought that a therapist that was marketing himself/herself as specializing in PTSD patients actually "knew how to treat PTSD patients" ummm, wrong.

I also discovered that many therapists enter the field because they themselves have struggled. And some of these therapists do fairly well, but often they have never really resolved their own issues first. It is not unusual for a therapist to go along treating patients for 10 years and then burning out because they never did fix themselves first, it is not unsual for a therapist to have a therapist themselves either.

It is not easy for a therapist to do their work either, they spend their days hearing so much doom and gloom that many of them end up being overwhelmed. For example, it is no secret that the people that are around patients with PTSD and have close relationships with them, can develope secondary PTSD.

In my last session my therapist told me that when looking for a therapist it is better to find a therapist that is "older" because they can relate better to patients that are older and struggling. So, if you have gone to a T that is younger than you, chances are, it was a poor fit.

What I have done that has helped me alot is I also read and do research on my own, and I always bring in things to discuss with my therapist. He has come to know me to be a challenge that way, however it has encouraged him to make efforts to stay abreast with the new research being done as well. Often a theapist can get into a certain kind of treatment plan "they" feel comfortable with, and that plan may not be what is "best" for the patient.

The bottom line is that the patient is the one that does the work, the therapist is there to keep them on track and guide them. And it is important to know that if a therapist is at all "intimidating" they are not a good fit at all, time to look for someone else.

I don't see anything wrong with a therapist "specializing" or "branding" in certain challenges, but it is important that they actually "do" specialize in that area and are prepared to dig deeper "past" that brand.

Open Eyes

[Maven]

I've never heard of therapists "branding" themselves. I've heard of therapists who claim to specialize in certain things, but I didn't know there was a word for it. Basically I agree with Open Eyes...if s/he is going to claim to be a specialist in something, then s/he better be correct!