[mel4]

i just got back from my therapist a few minutes ago, and i told her that i reallly dont wanna come twice a week any more and that once will do. so it went back and forth and i finally said that i dont really wanna talk bout it any more and ill just see her once a week because its really my decision. she then said that if i choose to come only once, she would talk to my parents (im a minor), and we'd have to find someone else that would be able to handle someone with my ".evel of trouble"on a once a week basis. thats basically a direct quote. me and my "level of trouble".. so basically, if i dont wanna come twice a week, she will not work with me any more, AS WELL AS talking to my parents (which is such a terrible thing for me becausemy folk are unsupportive and she knows i dont want her to). urghhh...its that even ethical for her to do? im considering just stoppin therapy all together.

I can't tell from your post why it is she feels you need to continue twice a week and why you want to change to once a week. Sometimes in a difficult place in therapy we are tempted to quit; the exact opposite of what we need and the time to hang in there!

I would suggest you trust her and follow her treatment plan, which includes twice weekly sessions for now.. It is your decision, yet you have asked for her help and she feels twice weekly visits are what will help you.

You might feel she isn'l listening to you or understanding you and you may need to talk more about it; it's important to you. Stopping therapy because of this disagreement won't help you; it would be retaliation. Keep going and keep talking to her about it so you can both understand each other.

If she is concerned for you, it may be her ethical responsibility to advise your parents.

ECHOES

[Peanuts]

I'm sorry your parents aren't very supportive. However, they are getting you to therapy .. and so that is a big plus in their corner. I agree that you should keep working with this therapst - maybe you could ask her what criteria would warrent a once a week schedule. Perhaps that will lead you to a goal that you can work on together to get down to once a week.

Hang in there - it will not always be so uncomfortable.

peanuts

Being a minor yes it is ethical. See minors under 18 in the USA unless they have been court emansipated minors cannot decide their own mental and physical health decisions or enter into a legally binding contract.

Any changes in your mental or physical health treatment must go through, be approved, and decided by your parents until you reach your 18th birthday.

As for stopping therapy since you are legally a minor your parents can force you to remain in therapy either by taking you directly to the appointments, finding a treatment facility to place you in and or taking you to the local ER for involuntary commitment or going to court and having you court mandated into therapy and or court mandated into involluntary commitment.

My suggestion sit down and try talking to your parents instead of telling them "I don't want to go to therapy 2x a week and Im not going!" say mom what do you think of maybe cutting my therapy time back to once a week for a bit. I want to see how I would do on that type 0f schedule. I've learned so much so far (and go into detail about your better coping skills). Maybe with this approach your parents will see that you aren't just wanting to drop out you want whats best for you.

Hang in there

[Perna]

No one can make you work at therapy (as in, "you can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink") but being a minor and having been in or had trouble of some sort it might be a better idea to "put up with" and get what you can from therapy than continue to rebel and ultimately cause yourself trouble. Yes, your parents and therapist pretty much hold the reins at the moment and struggling can make things much more unpleasant for you. Sometimes it's a better idea to go along with the current, enjoy the view for a bit rather than fight it. My husband's nephew ended up in a residential treatment place for nearly a year trying to fight the "system" with his rebellious behavior.

I wouldn't take "level of trouble" too badly. If you've been very unhappy or very angry or very anything, that could be your "trouble" and your therapist is probably trying to describe your situation rather than you personally. You are not trouble but have had trouble with getting along or whatever? It will get better. I had an older friend who use to tell me "It will be good for you in later life" when I was having a hard time or had to do something I didn't want to. Everybody has that kind of situation at some time or another, not just minors. Treat it like school; it's a necessary evil :-)

[Sarah116]

No stick with it but if it gets really bad switch Ts or even try a different kind of doctor, maybe even try group therapy! Tell her you are the one paying and the client so you should decide and have some say.

[mel4]

okay, thanks for the responses, ive decided that im going to try working with another therapist, and see how that goes. although im slightly hesitant to start therapy all over again, im hoping it'll be for the better.

mel

[Brookester]

Mel,

Just try to bite the bullet, so to speak and GO FOR IT!!! Therapy does suck and especially two times a week at that with a therapist you don't especially like. It sounds like you are going to try a new therapist according to your last post. That would be AWESOME!!! Just hang in there and try to use the therapist as a sounding board for what is bugging you at the moment if it is school, friends, parents, family, boyfriend or whatever. You never know, you might learn something interesting along the way... Nevertheless, be true to yourself and definitely take care of the little Mel as she is very precious!

Many Blessings and Wishes,

Brookester