Do you believe you would know if the therapist lied to you?

Permacultural · Dec 18, 2015, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by QuietMind

No, and it scares me. I think perhaps I fall for the therapeutic lie of unconditional positive regard , though I know therapists are human, and I've taken classes in counseling where empathy and rapport are tricks to make the client more receptive.

I'm sure they omit certain things (such as I doubt they'd tell a client they dislike the truth) and aren't entirely truthful, all the time.

Like you say, therapists are wily.

This is a very intriguing point. What is the difference between a therapeutic lie/ a therapeutic trick versus a therapeutic intervention/ a therapeutic technique?

Also, are any of us as humans entirely truthful 100% all the time?

Dec 18, 2015, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Permacultural

This is a very intriguing point. What is the difference between a therapeutic lie/ a therapeutic trick versus a therapeutic intervention/ a therapeutic technique?

Also, are any of us as humans entirely truthful 100% all the time?

I think I see the unconditional positive regard as a calculated intervention, which isn't really truthful.

I really don't think any human can hold unconditional positive regard for another - even the most devoted parent might hate their kid sometimes.

nervous puppy · Dec 18, 2015, 07:42 AM

I have a hard time picking up on those signals from other people. I don't think I could tell if it was a lie or not. I can tell when T is uncomfortable or struggling to answer something in just the right way, or in such a way as to not disclose personal information. However, I have no reason to think that she would lie about something deliberately.

nottrustin · Dec 18, 2015, 08:52 AM

Depends on what you mean by a lie. I don't think she would lie about things that effect me. I am horrible about reading people so I probably wouldn't know if she did. she has however said she was doing okay when she didn't look herself. Turns out she was dealing with personal medical issues. When she was diagnosed she told me as she might miss appointments until she got things under control

FranzJosef · Dec 18, 2015, 05:27 PM

I don't believe a therapist has ever lied to me, except when they lied to themselves.

FranzJosef · Dec 18, 2015, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stopdog

So she is either a liar or an idiot. I suppose I prefer liar to idiot.

You can't always get what you want.

ETA:

Have you thought about why you prefer a villain to a fool?

FranzJosef · Dec 18, 2015, 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My kids are cool

I said yes because I have definitely been able to tell when he was lying to me. It really interfered with therapy for me until he was able to admit it was a lie and explain to me WHY he lied about it.

What was his excuse?

stopdog · Dec 18, 2015, 06:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FranzJosef

You can't always get what you want.

I don't think she is complete moron.

Pennster · Dec 18, 2015, 07:22 PM

I think my therapist has fibbed a few times - mostly for the sake of simplicity or because he couldn't quite deal with some aspect of something himself. Never on anything consequential - just kind of side issues that came up and I didn't need to know the full story. I'm ok with that.

BayBrony · Dec 18, 2015, 08:08 PM

Yes. One thing she has repeatedly said is that she will not lie to me. Plus I am phenomenal at reading people. So much so that its something everyone who knows me well has a story about.

Every question I have asked she has answered honestly. When she believes I am making a mistake she tells me. If she doesn't know what to do she tells me so.

So I'd say I can't even imagine her WANTING to lie to me.

Dec 18, 2015, 08:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FranzJosef

What was his excuse?

He wanted me to stay focused on my own issues and not get sidetracked by the relationship with him.

luvnola · Dec 18, 2015, 09:32 PM

Yes, I had a therapist outright lie to me and I knew it immediately. As she had got to know me well over the 2 years we had been seeing each other when this happened, I guess she forgot that I had also got to know her, at least in the therapist role, and so the lie went against everything I knew about her as a t. I confronted her and she owned up to it and told me why she had done it.

FranzJosef · Dec 19, 2015, 09:01 AM

I think it foolish for a therapist to lie to a patient who has trust issues and thinks in black and white, which is a fair proportion of the clientele.

Menu

My Support Forums - Mental Health Support Groups

Get emotional support and friendship from others like you!

Our community offers: No spam. No trolls. No social media connections.

Do you believe you would know if the therapist lied to you?

My Support Forums