[hauntedswamp]

Recently, I have been thinking about signing up for Talkspace to supplement my current therapy.

I currently see an in-person therapist. I see him twice a week: once for individual, and once for group therapy (which I hate). I like him a lot -- we have done a lot of great work together. I've been seeing him for roughly about 2.5 years. There's just one issue I have. He only practices one method of therapy -- psychoanalysis (Freudian and Lacanian). When I first started looking for a therapist, I was looking for someone who was eclectic, someone who had a CBT focus. That is not what he does, and I think he probably doesn't believe in the value of CBT.

Although he's been really good for me, something is lacking in my therapy. A lot of what we do is comb through my emotions and patterns, trying to link whatever overwhelming emotion I have to stuff in my past. It's a pretty slow going process. The goal as I understand it is to be able to recognize what from my past is triggering me, and to disentangle it from my present emotions. Mostly, I just kinda bring up whatever I feel like talking about, and it sparks a freewheeling discussion and collaborative analysis.

This has been useful for me in many ways. I've really grown to understand myself in ways I never thought possible, and it has brought me some small measure of peace. However, I still find myself struggling daily with little things like eating healthy, being active, focusing on work, doing things that I love, cleaning my house, having good hygiene, etc. It's embarrassing, and in some ways I feel like my life is slowly spiraling out of control. You see, as much as we have really good sessions, we never talk about practical solutions. I feel like the solution always ends up being some kind of "learn to love yourself, and the rest will come naturally" (my words, not his).

When I talk to him about this (and I speak to him very frankly), and I tell him how frustrated I am that therapy hasn't helped me in practical, day-to-day terms, he says that's not what he does. He says that this is a hard road, but that there's a shiny rainbow at the end of it (again, my words, not his).

Maybe he's right? I am not sure. I don't want to stop seeing him, but I also feel like I need someone who will give me advice on how to challenge the thoughts/feelings (something I have great difficulty with), someone who will help me brainstorm ideas of how I can dig inside of myself for hope and nurture myself. All the stuff he and I talk about is really insightful, but it's not really that useful in practice (at least in my opinion). I want some stuff that's useful in practice.

I was thinking about joining Talkspace to supplement my therapy. Basically because it's affordable, and I feel like I could get what I'm looking for without putting too much more strain on my already busy schedule. Also, I feel like on-the-go therapy could be useful for my specific needs.

Is that a bad idea? Should I be looking for a new therapist altogether? Maybe I'm wrong in thinking that I need to supplement my therapy? What do you guys think?

[AllHeart]

So you have been with this t for 2.5 years and though you have done some great work together, he is not able nor is he willing to help you with the things that make you feel like you are spiraling out of control. That poses a huge problem for you, I think.

You may just be outgrowing this t. Maybe it is because your needs have changed over time and this t doesn't have the tools to best help you with these new needs. Doesn't make him a bad t at all. It just means that he may not be the best fit for you anymore.

I think supplementing your current therapy is a great idea -- either e-therapy or adding a second t (in person) to the mix. Sounds like you do still get some benefit out of current t, and since you don't want to stop seeing him it may not be a good idea to leave him altogether. Also, can you stop going to group since you hate it and replace that time with a 2nd t?

[Focus62]

Just to play a bit of a devil's advocate, here's a three page article on "Talkspace" and what they actually claim (or don't claim) to be doing: Forbes Talkspace Article

I actually think the above poster is on to something -- maybe drop the group therapy and take up with a new CBT T? I would think carefully about Talkspace, but I'm kind of skeptical about therapy that's not done in-person.

[hauntedswamp]

Originally Posted by AllHeart

So you have been with this t for 2.5 years and though you have done some great work together, he is not able nor is he willing to help you with the things that make you feel like you are spiraling out of control. That poses a huge problem for you, I think.

You may just be outgrowing this t. Maybe it is because your needs have changed over time and this t doesn't have the tools to best help you with these new needs. Doesn't make him a bad t at all. It just means that he may not be the best fit for you anymore.

I think supplementing your current therapy is a great idea -- either e-therapy or adding a second t (in person) to the mix. Sounds like you do still get some benefit out of current t, and since you don't want to stop seeing him it may not be a good idea to leave him altogether. Also, can you stop going to group since you hate it and replace that time with a 2nd t?

AllHeart -- So I've told him several times that I hate hate hate group, but he is always insistent that it has the potential to really help me. This past week, I actually kind of understood what he means by that, and I sort of see the value in group now. So for now I am sticking with it.

Can I ask you -- have you had experience with outgrowing a therapist? If so, how did it play out? He's the first good therapist I've ever had, so I feel kind of inexperienced.

Originally Posted by Focus62

Just to play a bit of a devil's advocate, here's a three page article on "Talkspace" and what they actually claim (or don't claim) to be doing: Forbes Talkspace Article

I actually think the above poster is on to something -- maybe drop the group therapy and take up with a new CBT T? I would think carefully about Talkspace, but I'm kind of skeptical about therapy that's not done in-person.

Focus62 -- Thanks for the article, I think it's really important to play devil's advocate in life. I am also kind of skeptical about e-therapy -- it kinda seems like a too good to be truly useful kind of thing. For now, I am sticking with group therapy as I might be starting to see the value in it, but I will definitely keep that idea in mind.

[AllHeart]

Can I ask you -- have you had experience with outgrowing a therapist? If so, how did it play out? He's the first good therapist I've ever had, so I feel kind of inexperienced.

I have not experienced outgrowing a t yet, but, there have been a few indicators recently that make me believe it is going to happen sooner than later. Sometimes it's devastating to even entertain the idea of leaving my current t while other times it's exciting because it will mean I've made a lot of progress and will start a new chapter in the healing process.

Glad you were able to discover value in the group therapy!!

[amandalouise]

just a heads up. a few treatment providers from my location went on talkspace. more or less to feel the site out because it was becoming popular with the college crowd here. what was discovered was the site was misleading the public. despite advertizing the site as online therapy each treatment provider was told the site does not perform actual therapy and is not meant to take the place of actual therapeutic help. when the treatment providers asked for proof that their "therapist" was an actual state licensed treatment provider they refused to give this information. siting they did not have to disclose their credentials due to it was online and they were not providing mental health therapy. they state they are privacy law compliant but when asked direct questions like do they save the chats or screenshot them, what documentation do they keep (they charge money so they have to keep mental health files on their "clients" by law) and what happens to the documents. some even asked if they will be getting receipts documenting who was receiving their money ie if "nicole" was the therapist would "nicole" be endorsing a legal receipt for payment... so that should any detrimental mental harm come from these so called therapy but not therapy sessions "nicole" can be brought into court to varify what talkspace is, services that were provided, (these treatment providers who went under cover as clients on talkspace were very thorough with their questions) in all cases Talkspace stated things like I'm sorry obviously you dont want our help, good bye, or Im sorry we are not at liberty to answer that question, or no we dont assume any risks to the client based on what we tell the client. they enter talking with us as a friend type relationship, this is not actual therapy, so we can not be held accountable should any harm happen. when asked how many of those answering the chats were actual treatment providers the answer was usually oh a great many of us, not everyone but a great many of us, one person did comment that statistics wise its about 1\3 to 1\2 since its online and they dont provide actual therapy they do not have to be actual licensed mental health treatment providers. when asked if any of their so called therapists have ever gotten into trouble with the law, been sanctioned, fined or lost their credentials due to being brought before their states mental health ethics board, there was laughter and the word probably, not sure, who knows.

in other words talkpsace is just like any other website where anyone can go to talk with someone who ......may or may not be licensed as a mental health treatment provider, who may or may not have been disciplined by their state ethics board and may or may not cause harm to another. for all we know the person behind the screen could be any one.

there is also a Forbes (company that reviews businesses, finds out whether they can be trusted, dow hat they say they do and much more in the business world) article about talkspace

Forbes Welcome

my point when using online "therapy" please be careful and make sure you know whats what. do your background checks.

me I was thinking about signing up with them at one time. I am glad now that I did not.

amandalouise, thanks for the useful information. I didn't know this about that site. I think it's important for me as a trauma client to know this if i ever decided to pursue this service.