Which psychiatrist is right? (logical vs. emotional)

To put it briefly, over the last year, I’ve faced difficult failures that I'm still having trouble coping with. I suppose I've always had some self-esteem issues and I'm right now at the tail end of my teenage years so it isn't all that unusual to have trouble making sense of things, especially when certain goals and dreams had been crushed. I’ve begun to go through small cycles of depression, mostly because I tend to bottle emotions and recently there has been much on my mind.

I’ve tried two psychiatrists so far, with very different approaches to better help me cope, and I'm not sure which is better for me. Ultimately my goal is not just to explore the problems I have, because I’m fairly introspective and I’ve done that quite a bit on my own, but to find ways of solving them and of rebuilding myself for the future.

Psychiatrist A
Pros
Very logical approach that draws some interesting and valuable conclusions.
Very on-point and accurate, probing questions.
Friendly Personality and good fit
Reasonably priced comparatively

Cons
Avoids discussing our goals and dislikes me asking about them
Interrogated me after cancelling one appointment which breached trust a bit,
Self-guided and traditional approach so he doesn’t offer that much input
Fewer questions so doesn’t always uncover the most hidden emotions

Psychiatrist B
Pros
Asks more emotion based questions
Delves more into hidden feelings
Advertises diverse and varied approach (on website).
Adds more input and opinions

Cons
Input seems less accurate and appropriate.
Seems less skilled in identifying the problem.
Slightly Less of a fit personality-wise
Charges for appointments canceled six days in advance
Supposedly takes insurance but has a really expensive copay

Is either of them right? I feel comfortable enough with each of them but I can’t say I trust either of them completely in helping me. Should I try someone else, a psychologist maybe? I’ve already tried a few others and these were the best of the bunch. What should I do? If I continue with these two, which is better for me? I ultimately want to build up my confidence and overcome this cycle of negativity.

What type of therapy would be best for me? To put it briefly, over the last year, I’ve faced difficult failures that I'm still having trouble coping with. I suppose I've always had some self-esteem issues and I'm right now at the tail end of my teenage years so it isn't all that unusual to have trouble making sense of things, especially when certain goals and dreams had been crushed. I’ve begun to go through small cycles of depression, mostly because I tend to bottle emotions and recently there has been much on my mind.

At this point I'm fairly aware of much of what makes me upset, but I'm less sure exactly how to solve it. I need something that can build my confidence while also helping me to overcome the depression and find direction in my life. I’m a bit cynical and a bit guarded but I’m willing to try anything that could help. Thanks in advance for the advice.

Hmm...well...could you look for another T who doesn't have so many cons? If not, which list of pros is more appealing and which list of cons is less bad?

If it were me, I'd go for the first psychiatrist from what you wrote in your post. Not perfect but no one is, and the 3 most important factors in a pdoc for me are:

-Good personal connection
-Trust in their judgement and knowledge
-Price (that cancellation policy of pdoc #2 is outrageous)

You may benefit from seeing a pdoc for medication (if you take it) and a separate therapist for the more in depth discussions. I don't know what state you live in, but where I live most psychiatrists work mainly with meds and refer out for more intense therapy.

Have you ever considered CBT? It can be really helpful if you have negative or self sabotaging thoughts and behaviors that you want to change. It's also great for developing effective coping skills and self confidence. CBT is collaborative and action oriented and less about earlier life experiences than psychodynamic therapy. It also often involves homework which turns some people off, though I generally appreciated the homework and found it useful. It really depends on your personal style and your approach to things. Often many Ts utilize a bit of CBT and talk therapy so its important to interview or get referrals. Psychology today has a good website with a lot of Ts and biographies. Or, if the pdoc you choose to stay with offers therapy, you can stay with them. The connection between the two of you and their general competence is the most important thing in the long run.

Are you an intuitive person, Nobody? I ask because there's probably no right or wrong answer to your question, just a matter of trusting your own judgment and intuition about which psychiatrist feels right to you.

From your description, I would probably be happier with psych number 1. But that's me and my style. I'd also probably choose the one who was the most affordable so that I would be able to have as many sessions as possible. But what would work for me might not work for you and vice versa. So it comes back to what you think and feel is best for you.

There's been a lot of research that says the most important factor in a patient's success in therapy is the personality of the T, how it fits with the personality of the patient and the relationship they're able to form. That was certainly true for me.

If you click with one of them, even though they may not be perfect, if there's an okay fit, that's the best one to go with. I clicked with my main T and we worked well together although I disagreed with some of his ideas and he disagreed with me. We agreed to disagree and that was reassuring to me -- the idea that conformity was not demanded or even encouraged unless it was what I wanted.

You (I really mean one, a person) can look forever trying to find the best or perfect fit. I doubt if there's any perfect T out there. If there are obvious red flags, like them smelling of alcohol at 9 a.m. or being rude to you, it would be good to look elsewhere. The 6 day cancellation policy would be a red flag to me. That seems too rigid and just a little greedy. How does that seem to you?

Knowing which T to go with often comes down to an intuitive hunch, a feeling or sense that it will be a good fit. So that goes back to my original question. How's your intuition? If it's okay, generally, even if it's not perfect, it's okay to go with what feels best to you.

I wish you the best.

I think I would hold out for a third option.

Go with A as a pdoc and get a therapist to do all the warm fuzzy talking with.

Hellboy

first one is more professional/competent. good luck

If it were me, I wouldn't go with either of them. The first one sounds like the least worst, but it seems like you might be better off with a therapist instead of a pdoc. If you need a pdoc for meds, then keep the first because he costs less and sounds more competent than the other. A therapist will cost less and you'll have more options. It's not easy to find a good one, so be prepared to make a lot of calls and set up some initial appointments.

I hope you find one that works for you soon. You sound like you really know what you're looking for, so that's all very good and hopeful.

Thanks so much everyone for the responses so far and I think I agree with the general consensus. I'll probably go with the first one, who is ultimately the more professional and skilled of the two, though as crazy as it sounds, I may try a few more sessions with each. They focus on different parts of my life and use starkly different styles, so I actually don't mind the juxtaposition of the two opinions. Thank you once again for being so helpful and making my first experience on these forums a great one. Good luck to you all as well.

Just let them both know and only one manage meds. You don't want to get mixed up on multiple prescriptions from different docs.

Hellboy

I'm actually not on any meds so that shouldn't be a problem. Thanks again for the help.