Should I leave my therapist?

So I'm 20 years old and I've been obsessed with my physical and mental health for as long as I can remember. I'm clearly a hypochondriac, always aware of every little sensation in my body, googling symptoms and freaking out over stupid things.

Well last year too much pressure and some unlucky events led to me having panic attacks and obsessive thoughts, thinking I would pass out or just die at any second of my life.

So I realized I needed therapy. My only experience with therapy had been when I was just 5 years old (similar issues, I was extremely afraid of death and germs) and of course I don't remember that much about it.

I've been seeing this woman that does CBT since mid-June. On our first encounter I told her about my symptoms, I told her same thing I just said here and she already diagnosed me with an *undefined* anxiety disorder and *probably* depression, and said I needed a psychiatrist. I was like, ok fine. I started taking sertraline almost immediatly after that, which she was very pleased with.

I haven't had panic attacks since then, but my health obsession is still there and there are some things that make me wonder if She really is a good therapist or not.

- She literally told me "I won't let go of you that easily" on our SECOND encounter. Which of course made me feel kind of uncomfortable.
- She takes calls while we're on session.
- She always promises she'll send me information vía email so I won't end up googling things, always completely forgets about it.
- She insists on talking about my girlfriend (and most of the therapy has focused on that) when I don't think that's my main issue.
- She once forgot our appointment. Apologized.
- She even calls me my girlfriend's name (!) even when we're talking about something completely unrelated to her. Realizes it but for some reason keeps doing it.
- She suggested I should leave my home.
- She suggested I should change my job.
- She suggested I should leave my girlfriend due to complications on our relationship ('love is not always enough' were her exact words)
- She asked me, just like that, if I had been abused as a child.

And finally, last time I saw her She said I was having a "relapse". And that this was completely normal and expected, also that coupled with the anxiety I had some kind of OCD (it seems somewhere in the middle She discarded depression) and I needed to up my dose of sertraline. I cried, told her I didn't want to because having to take the pill makes me even more anxious, that I have doubts and no way of knowing if it's working, if it's making symptoms worse or what (for ****s sake didn't She expect this? I'm obsessed with my health).
She even asked me if I was taking the pills (of course I am!!!) and suggested to up my dose just by myself without consulting with a psychiatrist, because She thought I wouldn't want to go.

Also she literally LAUGHED in my face for having these concerns. And I came out of her office feeling worse than before.

I realize some of you guys have more experience with therapy so I wanted to ask, do you think I should reconsider seeing this woman or just go through with it? Any opinions will be very much appreciated

Wow. Anyone who tells you that you should change your dosage without consulting the prescribing doctor is definitely someone to be wary of....

I would run to the nearest exit and not look back.

Don't walk away...RUN as fast as you can.

She sounds awful

All of the things you mention would be big red flags to me. I'd trust my gut and step away. Please don't change any of your medication without consulting with your doctor. There are so many problems with that-- like getting refills sooner than prescribed and dealing with new side effects. Therapists should be there to support you, not to tell you how to run your life.

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Some of the items on your list I would need more context for, like "change your job," and forgetting an appointment is OK with me if it's once and an apology is forthcoming, but the others would all be deal breakers. Change your medication without physician oversight? Calls you by your girlfriend's name - what is up with that?

Run.

Some of the items on your list I would need more context for, like "change your job," and forgetting an appointment is OK with me if it's once and an apology is forthcoming, but the others would all be deal breakers. Change your medication without physician oversight? Calls you by your girlfriend's name - what is up with that?

Run.

No, I would steer clear of a person like that. I don't need any more aggravation in life & this T looks like she'd provide plenty more :s

Could you interview *several* other Ts and go with someone who would actually be supportive and/or consistent.

I agree with the other responses. You seem to have enough evidence that this therapist is not a good fit for you and goal in therapy. She does CBT and it sounds like she is not even focusing on the main area you would like to work on in your interactions.

OP here, thanks so much for all of your replies. Seriously.

I think just the fact that I don't trust her completely (and to be quite honest I don't think I ever did) plus her taking 85% of what I earn (yes, she's THAT expensive) should've been enough for me to walk away sooner. But I wanted to make sure I wasn't overreacting and/or letting my 'congnitive distortions', or so she says, feel and speak for me.

Perhaps I should have clarified, I'm a girl. So is my girlfriend. Still, our names are in no way similar so I don't find a reasonable explanation as to why she keeps calling me my girlfriend's name, let alone her weird obsession with her and our relationship.
As for the appointment thing, that didn't bother me at all but the point I wanted to get across is how "forgetful" she is. It's not that she forgot one appointment, it's that plus her forgetting to send me emails plus her mixing names and events (sometimes she doesn't even remember if I told her something or not, or asks the same questions more than once).

Again, thank you all for your responses.

A therapist is NOT supposed to tell you what to do, they are supposed to give you some tools to make your own decisions.

I think you can come to your own conclusions.

Yeah, too many hot red flags with this T. Run. Run fast and don't look back!