[88Butterfly88]

I have PDD-NOS, PTSD, OCD, anxiety, and depression. I'm trying to find a new therapist, preferably one in my insurance, and I'm having a hard time. I found one but she only has six years experience and not experience in all of my diagnoses. I feel like a complicated person and that maybe 6 years experience isn't enough. Thoughts?

[catnip123]

You can go for a few visits and see how it goes. You might find that the T seems very professional and knowledgeable with just the 6 years of experience.

[Waterbear]

It's such a hard decision isn't it. Experience doesn't always work out for the beat though I think, maybe it has more to do with whether the fit between the two of you is right. All the experience in the world is not going to help if two personalities are incompatible. Best wishes for your decision.

[88Butterfly88]

Thank you both, I might try a session.

[Ellahmae]

I would try it. I have very complex diagnosis's and situations, etc. My T only had 7 years experience when I started with her. It's the best decision I made. She is incredibly helpful and seems to always know exactly what to do.

[Merecat]

It really is more about her client work - she might be qualified for 6 years and have seen 20 clients a week in that time = lots of experience. She may have qualified 6 years ago, saw 5 clients a week and taken two lots of maternity leave = much less experience. I'd go to her for a few sessions, schedule a review every 6 weeks or so and see how it goes. If she feels she's getting out of her depth there are options open to her to support her or ultimately she may decide you're at a stage where you need more than she can give but she may already have a lot of experience under her belt.

[Myrto]

My therapist had only been practicing for 8 years when I began to see her and she's been great overall. I agree that what matters the most is if both of your personalities match. Give it a try I woudl say.

I wouldn't personally be bothered by only 6 years of experience, but I would find out what exactly she did during that time. Hopefully the experience is diverse. You may want someone with significant experience or a specialty in trauma though. Trauma in inexperienced hands has the potential to go very, very badly.

Ultimately though, it's all about how well you connect with the therapist. I would trade years of experience for someone I could easily open up to.

[Argonautomobile]

You could always ask. How she handles the question could be pretty revealing about her competency and level of experience.