incompetent therapist?

So I went to see this new therapist. She has like 20 years of experience. I am not at all pleased with her intake, she seems to lack interviewing skills. At one point she asked if I had ever been on meds. I said yes I have been on lots of meds for depression, and none of the meds did anything to relieve the depression. I told her how I'd been first to my doc and he prescribed effexor, we kept increasing the dose but did not see results. Then I went to a psychiatrist, he put me on something else, can't recall, gave it a six week trial, still nothing doing, he gave me other stuff, then concoctions, still nothing doing. I went to another psychiatrist, tried a host of other meds, still nothing doing.
So this therapist says, "Y'know, you have to WANT it to work! The mind and the body are connected, and if you don't want the meds to work, they won't work!"
What an invalidating statement!
I am quite disappointed with the quality of her work.
Oh, and by the way, I had asked my psychiatrist at that time, "Is it possible it's not helping me because maybe subconsciously I don't want it to?" He said these meds work, whether I want them to or not! Besides, I'd not be spending $100 for a 15-minute session if I didn't have the desire to be relieved of my depression. In fact, I remember clearly, going to the psychiatrist and looking forward to finally getting relief!
And this therapist insisted that the meds didn't work cuz I didn't want them to! What do these csw's learn in college???!!!!!!!!

oooooh, I have had lots and lots of bad therapy experiences with social workers. If you find an answer to your question, let me know!

Candy

i understand your feelings there...good luck

Sorry to hear you had a bad experience. Her comment would have turned me off for sure. Just makes you remember, there are incompetent people in every field, all around us, everywhere. I probably wouldn't even bother going back myself. On the other hand, I have been known to later get along with someone I didn't click with at first. After that comment, though, I might not be patient enough to give her a second chance. Good luck. Hope she turns around or you find a better match.

So I went to yet another therapist today, a csw, and she claims that I run away from my problems! Hellooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I happen to think it's a wise choice to run away from a therapist who has ideas that my meds didn't work cuz I didn't want them to!
She claims that I run away from all my problems! But when I told her that my previous therapist, a psychologist whom she respects, agreed with me and even encouraged me to move away from those problems, ooohhhh, all of a sudden she was like, "oh, okay". Why is it that I wasn't taken seriously, and I was being finger-wagged for "running away from my problems" but when she heard that the psychologist was in agreement of my choices, she took it seriously. She takes the psychologist seriously, but she doesn't take ME seriously. How invalidating.
One of the problems I had "run away from", was that I removed my child from an abusive school environment. I get so worked up at these incompetent therapists! I still don't know what it is they learn in school!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What exactly does their degree mean, for heaven's sake????????!!!!!!!!! That they have license to continue providing the same kind of invalidating environment which is one of the reasons you have come to them?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can relate. It took me three tries this year to find one that I could relate to.

The first one made me feel like a horrible mother for allowing my child to watch TV more than an hour a day, and the next one just sat there and listened with no real input at all. Heck I can call a girlfriend if I need that.

This counselor I have found is really good; the only thing is he wanted me to take medication too and it doesn't work for me, it makes me worse. So I do sometimes have this feeling like he wishes I'd just take a Xanax already. LOL

But I open up to him and cry and fret and stew and open up, so I think it's going to go well. I can see things more clearly now after about two months. The only thing is now every time I leave his office I have a crying spell and have anxiety for two days. I think he brings up a lot of stuff in me and I don't always know what to do with it after leaving his office. I have to go back to my "real" life which means running a business, and caring for two small kids and a sick husband, and I think part of me doesn't want to leave!

Sorry to hear about the app't. with the T's not going so well. I hope when I finally see mine they don't ask / tell me something so stupid. I think sometimes people open their mouths and spew crap because, they don't stop and think about what they are saying or even take them time to try figure out how to word things appropriatly. I know I am 100 percent guilty of that myself. But, I agree with you. A, T. should know better.

Just keep telling yourself it will get better, it will get better.

take care my friend.

Dear Friend,
I can certainly relate to your stories about stupid ( sorry for
speaking plainly) therapists. Just because they can graduate and do the school/lab work doesn't mean they
have the love/guts it takes be truly help someone. My experience tells me that there is only 1 good therapist out
of 7-10. That doesn't mean a few of them aren't good for other people but that they aren't suited for my personality.
One of the problems we have as patients is that many of us are exceptionally intelligent and also have a really good
insight into ourselves which makes us even harder to
work with. I'm starting to see someone new tomorrow to help deal with the death of my Borderline Personality Disorder sister's life and recent death. Who knows if he is a good match but I'm certainly hopeful because I need the
relief from the "dis-ease" I'm experiencing. One thing I do like about this guy is that he is in AA and has the same foundation of beliefs I do. Of course, he will also call me
on my BS quicker than most. Anyway, hang in there and don't be afraid to be demanding because this is your mental health and your time!
Best of everything,
Anniego

Well, 9874 I hope you will keep looking. It is possible to find a good person to work with, you might just have to wade through a few bozos to get there. I'm lucky to have found someone that's a great fit, though his licensing is not what most would deem acceptable. We get along great. My trouble seems to be finding psychiatrists that aren't dumb and contrary. My latest is the most acceptable one so far, but sometimes I do have to push back when he hits me with the stupid statements.

Of course, I'm sure you know by now that in order to find someone you like working with, you have to WANT to find someone to work with Just kidding of course.

You go. Demand what you want and get it. You seem like the kind of person who knows how to get what they want. Good luck. Keep trying...

JonB, thanks for the good laugh....that I have to 'WANT' to find a good one...lol...lol....
tc,

So why do you keep going to therapists if you already know the answers to your own problems ?? Sounds like you're just looking for someone to professionally validate what you're doing and thinking.

So thats why I get high when I smoke pot...it's because I want it to get me high..
Now if I can only get a cigarette to do the same thing.
Lol

This is an ancient thread btw