Just curious and not wanting to hijack another thread, how long have you been in therapy? with current t? how many t's all together?

I have been in therapy on/off since i was 17, now i am 48.
The t i have now has gotten me the furthest and have been seeing him for about 14 years...
Totally i have seen 6; some okay, some lousy and one that should have had his license revoked
Four males and two females; just seemed to relate better to male t than female t

hope this isn't too personal for everyone...

I have been in therapy on and off since I was 20. I'm now 47. I've had 3 t's that really count - all male. This t I have seen now for 5 years I guess.

This is my first time in therapy...I've been seeing T for three years.

My family (parents and brother) went to "Family" therapy when I was in high school, but I wasn't invited. Grrrr.

[deliquesce]

started seeing pdoc 5 1/2yrs ago, when i was 21. turning 26 tomorrow.
pdoc referred me to old-T, who i saw for 2yrs and austin-t, who i've been seeing for the past 1.5yrs.
pdoc/old-T/austin-t are all men.

before pdoc, i did a few as-needed drop-in sessions at the uni counselling service. and my first time seeing a psych was when i saw the school counsellor when i was 16. should've worked out but she told my parents, so i stopped seeing her and had double the trouble afterwards.

hopefully won't be seeing austin-t for many more years, but i think pdoc is going to have to be stable. pdoc, old-t & austin-t all reckon there is a strong chemical imbalance part to my depression and that i'll probably need continued care forever. and ever and ever.

which is fine by me, because it means pdoc's stuck with me just as long .

[sunrise]

First T: 8 mos
then took a break of 5 months
Current T: 3 yrs, 11 mos!! (coming up on anniversary time )

and mixed in there simulataneously was seeing a family T for 9 mos with my daughter

[Dani]

I've been in therapy on and off for 16 years, and 3 years with my current and hopefully last T I'll need.

[jexa]

I've had therapy off and on since I was 13. I'm 23 so that's 10 years off and on. I literally have no idea how many T's I have seen because I went to so many different ones during my teen years, for a couple of sessions here and there. There was one intern-T I saw for three months before she had to leave abruptly when her internship ended, but most of the T's I saw, I don't even remember.

But I don't really count those years - that stuff was mostly forced therapy anyway and I didn't really work on anything - just complained, that's it. The therapists I count are - T from freshman year of college (6 months), T in junior/senior year of college (7 months), and current T (one year, two months).

[WikidPissah]

When I was 17 I had a T for 6 mos, but I couldn't talk so it was pointless.

When I was in college I met with a campus counselor just a few times.

When I was 32 I met with a T for about 12 sessions...that's all my insurance would pay for at the time.

I'm 45 now, in the past 4 years I have had 6 T's. First one dumped me after about a year, because he thought I needed a different type of therapy. Then I went thru 3 in a matter of a few months...I don't think they count because they were just trials that didn't work out. Then I was with my last T for 2 yrs, but things got bad about 6 mos ago and I quit. New T for almost 2 mos now.

Some T's were female, but I am more relaxed with male T's.

[mightaswelllive]

I thought it was 5 years, but it looks like it's been a bit longer now..

First T: Fall 2004-Summer 2006
Crazy T: Fall 2006
No T: Winter 2006
Crying T: Spring 2007
First T: Summer 2007
Best T: Fall 2007 - Summer 2009
Bad T: Fall 2009
New T: Winter 2009 - Present

So I've had 6 that I've worked with for more than an interview, but only 3 that I can clearly define as progressive chapters of my life, all female. I've also had 4 pdocs, all of which have been male.

[Symbiosis]

Less than a year.

[splitimage]

In therapy with same T for 12 years now (wow that seems long.) On my 3/rd pdoc in that time. Also have addictions Dr. who I see for counselling but I don't really like her. then there were various T's and social workers who I saw when I was IP.

Really like my current T.

--splitimage

[sittingatwatersedge]

Almost 3 yrs.

Happy Birthday Deli!!! you young thing you. I iwll be 59 next Monday.

[Popskid]

I saw 9 different t over the course of 7 years none of whom I saw for more than 4 sessions. In the last 2 years I have been in t continuously until 3 months ago and had 5 different t. Done with t now.

[pachyderm]

I am my own T now.

(NO WONDER! THAT EXPLAINS IT ALL! I can see some of you saying.)

Of course I do get some help. I get it from reading, from some of you here on Psych Central (even when you don't know it), from the news (!), from Charlie Rose, just from people around, from my cats, from the black walnut tree down the street...

Originally Posted by treehouse

This is my first time in therapy...I've been seeing T for three years.

My family (parents and brother) went to "Family" therapy when I was in high school, but I wasn't invited. Grrrr.

family therapy? doesn't that usually include the whole family? pdoc when i was seventeen wanted the whole family in together and i told him if that happened i would never come back, didn't happen... i was so glad

Originally Posted by pachyderm

I am my own T now.

(NO WONDER! THAT EXPLAINS IT ALL! I can see some of you saying.)

Of course I do get some help. I get it from reading, from some of you here on Psych Central (even when you don't know it), from the news (!), from Charlie Rose, just from people around, from my cats, from the black walnut tree down the street...

sounds great and hope to be there someday; i am only doubtful because of the dumb depression... if i don't have a t on the back burner i really seem to spiral down and if i have a t, not necessarily seeing them all the time; i seem to do alot better i think it is psychological (LOL)!!!

Originally Posted by Popskid

I saw 9 different t over the course of 7 years none of whom I saw for more than 4 sessions. In the last 2 years I have been in t continuously until 3 months ago and had 5 different t. Done with t now.

how come no more therapy? it is hard, one of the hardest things i've ever done in my life, but my life is worth it... took a t to make me see that

Originally Posted by deliquesce

started seeing pdoc 5 1/2yrs ago, when i was 21. turning 26 tomorrow.
pdoc referred me to old-T, who i saw for 2yrs and austin-t, who i've been seeing for the past 1.5yrs.
pdoc/old-T/austin-t are all men.

before pdoc, i did a few as-needed drop-in sessions at the uni counselling service. and my first time seeing a psych was when i saw the school counsellor when i was 16. should've worked out but she told my parents, so i stopped seeing her and had double the trouble afterwards.

hopefully won't be seeing austin-t for many more years, but i think pdoc is going to have to be stable. pdoc, old-t & austin-t all reckon there is a strong chemical imbalance part to my depression and that i'll probably need continued care forever. and ever and ever.

which is fine by me, because it means pdoc's stuck with me just as long .

damn depression and that big black hole and the chemical imbalance... i hate taking pills for my brain. i have epilepsy as well so all the meds i take are for my brain... kinda makes me feel lopsided at times

Originally Posted by sunrise

First T: 8 mos
then took a break of 5 months
Current T: 3 yrs, 11 mos!! (coming up on anniversary time )

and mixed in there simulataneously was seeing a family T for 9 mos with my daughter

congrats on anniversary!

[sunrise]

Originally Posted by jbmomg

family therapy? doesn't that usually include the whole family?

No, not always. My T is a family therapist and he sees members of families in different groupings--whatever is needed. (I have seen him as part of 3 different groupings.) My daughter and I went to see a different family therapist--just the two of us--for family therapy. Since the relationship between the two of us was the main issue, it wouldn't really have helped us with that particular problem to have other family members present. Both of these Ts said that they would welcome other members of the family into the sessions. My T has even said he would welcome my mother.

[Popskid]

Originally Posted by jbmomg

how come no more therapy? it is hard, one of the hardest things i've ever done in my life, but my life is worth it... took a t to make me see that

I have learned the coping skills that I need to manage my behavior, deal with my emotions, and have good relationships in the last 2 years. I don't really need a therapist anymore to advise me on how to do that. Why would I waste the time and the money to keep going. I find that if I deal with life skillfully in the present there isn't really any need to "resolve" underlying issues or spend time dwelling on the past.

[koalabb123456]

Since i was 17 years old. Sigh! It like an revolving door that never end!

Originally Posted by koalabb123456

Since i was 17 years old. Sigh! It like an revolving door that never end!

OMG,,that is me! although i describe it as a rollercoaster and everyone left me alone at the amusement park (my brain)