[newtus]

how many T's...not pdocs...just like.. counselors...how many have clients that deal with severe things like psychotic disorders, or many many many hospitalizations, or numerous severe traumatizing life things like fatal.. deadly...like one after another trauma things that severe in the clinical sense?

anyone one have experiences or numbers? or something idk

My T sees clients like that. Lots if trauma stuff.

[nicoleb2]

No trauma in my background that I am aware of, but I have been hospitalized 15 or 16 times in 5.5 years... my t is amazingly patient with me about it

I know my T has worked with patients with psychosis at some point because he has referred to it loosely a few times, but I have no idea if he still does or not. I'm not privy to that kind of information. I've been hospitalized I think 13 times in the past 7 years, so he certainly has experience dealing with that. I've been through multiple traumas and he is excellent with that. I suspect he sees a great deal of trauma cases for some reason. He's also very knowledgeable of psychotropic meds as he has gone through a psychopharmacology program and has worked closely with the pdoc in his office. That has been hugely helpful as I've gone through various med trials with varying results over the years. He is able to explain the actually workings of my meds, side effects, etc. and is able to steer me to my pdoc when a med issue arises. He's a pretty awesome therapist -- very well rounded and knowledgeable.

[bipolarmedstudent]

My couples' counsellor (who is a licensed clinical psychologist) worked for 30 years in a psychiatric hospital. He semi-retired and went into private practice just a couple years ago. He is still on part-time staff at a psych hospital though (he works there one day a week).

When we chose a couples' counsellor, we specifically looked for a clinical psychologist who had experience in the psychiatric hospital system and with treating people with multiple comorbid conditions.

[seventyeight]

i'm not even sure how the topic came up, but my therapist told me specifically that she doesn't treat clients that have severe psychoses or ones that where a danger to society in some way or another at one point in their life. what makes you ask?

[newtus]

Originally Posted by seventyeight

my therapist told me specifically that she doesn't treat clients that have severe psychoses or ones that where a danger to society in some way or another at one point in their life. what makes you ask?

that is kinda what makes me ask.
ive been turned down more by therapists because of my diagnosis. and i wonder if so many turn me or others away how much experrience do they actually have with people dealing with it. i was wondering how to tell. im ebarrased to ask. my therapist only mentioned 1 client one time. and gave me a small story about a colleague they have that had a patient that had a psychotic disorder diagnosis.

so yours doesnt even if it was ONE time in SOME way in their whole life??? do you live in the US? im actually jw about that. but im turned down more by therapists because of my Dx. and never gotten one off meds (understandable) they require me on meds or no therapy. for a minute im forgetting how lucky i am to she took me and still is with me because im not on meds. sillingly enough i need to cherish this moment hah ( )

um anyway. also been hospitalized 9 or 10 times in 9 years. basically almost once a year. lots of heavy heavy trauma.

[seventyeight]

i remember my therapist said something to the effect of, "i've made it to this point in my career where i feel i can be a lot more selective about who i see and don't see." i got the impression that since she's been a therapist for so long (almost 30 years in private practice), that she just doesn't want to deal with certain issues. that being said, she does specialize in trauma treatment, so i'm not sure how that goes along with the other stuff. yes, i live in the US.

i'm sorry to hear you're being discriminated against because of your diagnosis. may i ask what that is? i don't know if we're talking about two different things here: diagnosis versus the "danger to society" thing. from what my therapist said, i understood her to mean that she wouldn't treat criminals, abusers.. that type of thing.

[bipolarmedstudent]

Originally Posted by newtus

that is kinda what makes me ask.
ive been turned down more by therapists because of my diagnosis. and i wonder if so many turn me or others away how much experrience do they actually have with people dealing with it. i was wondering how to tell. im ebarrased to ask. my therapist only mentioned 1 client one time. and gave me a small story about a colleague they have that had a patient that had a psychotic disorder diagnosis.

so yours doesnt even if it was ONE time in SOME way in their whole life??? do you live in the US? im actually jw about that. but im turned down more by therapists because of my Dx. and never gotten one off meds (understandable) they require me on meds or no therapy. for a minute im forgetting how lucky i am to she took me and still is with me because im not on meds. sillingly enough i need to cherish this moment hah ( )

um anyway. also been hospitalized 9 or 10 times in 9 years. basically almost once a year. lots of heavy heavy trauma.

Don't take it personally. As you suspect, the reason that many therapists have turned you down is that they lack the training and experience to help people with psychotic disorders. If a therapist doesn't have the training to help you, the most responsible thing to do is to turn you down. In fact, it would be very irresponsible to treat you if he or she doesn't feel confident in their ability to do so.

I think you would probably have better luck with:
- psychiatrists who do talk therapy (my pdoc does talk therapy and I LOVE her)
- clinical psychologists (with PhD/Psy D) who have worked in a psychiatric hospital

Both psychiatrists and clinical psychologists who have worked in psych hospitals will have lots of training and experience with patients who have psychotic disorders.

But from everything you have told me, it sounds like you have a great T? Are you looking for a new T or something?

[newtus]

Originally Posted by bipolarmedstudent

...If a therapist doesn't have the training to help you, the most responsible thing to do is to turn you down. In fact, it would be very irresponsible to treat you if he or she doesn't feel confident in their ability to do so...

...But from everything you have told me, it sounds like you have a great T? Are you looking for a new T or something?...

my T actually told me 3-4 months ago she could not help me but i told her if i could just stay to let out stuff. (im trying to comply with meds so talking unbiasedly helps relieve the distress while on my meds).

but my T IS great. very compassionate but doesnt talk down to me, helps keep me independent from her, helps me realize the need for medication by talking me through compliance, calm demeanor, easiest ever that i could talk to. i was just reevaluating my situation. i think im in a good place right now actually.

thanks everyone.

[carla.cdt]

it is interesting you are saying you are in a good place right now. But you were thinking to bring a knife to therapy this week.....
just a thought...

[newtus]

let me clarify my own thought.
i think im in a good place with my my choice of therapist.

the knife hasnt left my mind. HAHA. i shaved my arm with it with one swift justice.

its a specialty. the handle is a bullet casing from a 12 guage.