[Jenn1fer82]

Even though I feel guilty but I know what I had to say was the best thing for my well being. I'm seeing a new therapist and we've met about 3-4 times so far. I was honest with her and I told her:
* When she's disorganized with her scheduling, her phone continues to go off in our sessions - has me feeling like she's not focus in our session and that I can't depend on her.
* She talks alot in our sessions
* She's always ready to give me advice

I told her that what I need the most help with is to process my emotions. I may know intellectually of my current and past problems but I still have a very difficult time emotionally connecting and processing everything that I'm going through in life.
I may not always need to have an answer of my problems right away but I need help with emotionally figuring out what is happening in my life and why I'm emotionally feeling the way that I am.

I am also studying to become a counselor so it is very easy for me to recognize other counselors methods. It gets so old when counselors become so mechanical and always summarize and reflect back what I'm saying.

Sometimes I think its a disadvantage to me, that I know so much about counseling.

I don't know where to go from here. I dont know if I should continue seeing this counselor or just give up and find another one.
Before this counselor I had a wonderful therapist, one of the best one I've had in my life but she had to move on in her life.

Jenn, not all Therapist are a match. Better to determine if this one can help you now, then 6 months from now. If its not clicking, keep interviewing.

[Miswimmy1]

not all therapist/patrients are a match. finding the right therapist i think is like finding a best friend (not in the idea of you guys being best friends in the end, but in the idea that you don't meet someone and automatically become best buds.) It sounds like you hav a clear idea of what you need and you know that you are getting it. Can you talk to your t about it? Maybe you can tell her what you wrote? Or if it isn't working, it wouldn't hurt to try another t. She will understand, I'm sure.

[~EnlightenMe~]

I would just give up on this one and maybe try to find another. Good Luck.

You did the right thing Jenifer, if she is not helping you had to tell her and she probably should be grateful that you told her and are helping her too in a way.
I always wondered about that, when Ts have their own therapy would they be actually focusing on their own issues or comparing their style to that of their supervisor.

[Eliza Jane]

How did she respond to your feedback?

Some of those things seem possible to change, others less so. I suspect she will never become super-organized, but it is easy to shut off a phone (if she is willing to do so). Being an advice-giver can be tweaked to some extent, but some T's are more into advice than others. Or some are that way at the beginning and then snap out of it.

You haven't invested much time though, so it is pretty easy to find someone else new if that's what you want.

Best,
EJ