[Craftybeth]

I am thinking about going back to therapy and trying to decide whether to see the psychologist I saw briefly before or find someone new. It's been a couple of years but I remember that he didn't really say much and there was a lot of uncomfortable silence. Is that normal? I hadn't really done therapy before that so I didn't know what to expect.

[Leah123]

Hello. Silence is normal in some types of therapy with some therapists, but it's definitely not a particular requirement of successful therapy. I've seen five therapists total, for a period of about 5 years.... half as a teenager, half 20 years later. The one psychoanalytical therapist I saw was quiet as part of her approach (blank slate approach) and it didn't work for me. My current therapist is more relational and I'm making tremendous progress and finding the therapy much more tolerable, not easy, but eaiser to communicate which is so important.

You'll find many therapists who are conversational if you shop around a bit- I would suggest, if you did like some things about your last therapist or found that you made good progress with him, that sure, you could give him another shot, but just an interview, and then interview a few more therapists too at least.

[Craftybeth]

Thanks for sharing your experience. That was really my first experience with therapy and having him sit there and not say anything made me nervous. I felt like I should say something but had no clue what.

Originally Posted by Leah123

Hello. Silence is normal in some types of therapy with some therapists, but it's definitely not a particular requirement of successful therapy. I've seen five therapists total, for a period of about 5 years.... half as a teenager, half 20 years later. The one psychoanalytical therapist I saw was quiet as part of her approach (blank slate approach) and it didn't work for me. My current therapist is more relational and I'm making tremendous progress and finding the therapy much more tolerable, not easy, but eaiser to communicate which is so important.

You'll find many therapists who are conversational if you shop around a bit- I would suggest, if you did like some things about your last therapist or found that you made good progress with him, that sure, you could give him another shot, but just an interview, and then interview a few more therapists too at least.

[RedSun]

I agree with Leah, to have a look round and try a few others. You might click with someone. The silence really works for some, but no means all. My T will leave a bit of silence, especially if she can see that I'm processing, but she doesn't leave me to struggle which helps.