I'm looking at other options.

Here's an example of services:

Goose Creek Coaching | Centreville, VA | Life Coaching, Career, Family, Mental Health Help in Northern Virginia

Just a random company, but I noticed some tend to have a variety of services-health, wellness, mental health, social, career, etc.

I was thinking about how negative my therapy is, how none of my possible strenghts or good qualities are discussed, so it may be helpful to do a complete change- someone identifying and growing my strenghts, and encouraging me.

I also found personal training services that cost about half of what i pat for therapy. They are weekly sessions. Maybe some in that field are inspiring and encouraging.

Maybe i can use these services to help get my life together. My therapy has drained me at this point. Im still near the bottom of Maslow's hieirarchy of needs, and im not getting any younger.

Someday i want to change careers, but need to get my life together first. And therapy hasnt helped with that as much as i have hoped.

*posting on ambien again, sorry for so many typos

[brillskep]

It depends on the depth of work you want to do. I have only ever had one coaching session but the coach was thoroughly trained, so it wasn't very different for me from a psychotherapy consultation, but my understanding is that (at least in my country) one can become a coach with much less prerequisites and training than a therapist. Of course, there is no limit on the other end, so I'm sure some coaches will also be extremely effective and great at their jobs. (By the way, just to be clear - the reason I only had one coaching session was that I was already in therapy and that one coaching session was a Christmas gift - but it was an awesome experience!).

While reading your post I was also thinking about positive psychotherapy - have you tried it? It sounds compatible with the needs you describe and is based on research. Unfortunately I haven't personally experienced it, at least not yet - I hope to do so when I find the time to look for a therapist or when I feel more of a need for it - I have read about it and even did their strengths survey, which you can find for free with an abridged results report here: Character Strengths Survey, Character Test: VIA Character It was a number of years ago but I recall the experience being a good one and an opportunity for positive exploration and growth. It focuses on strengths and values, so that's why I thought I'd mention this as an option.

I hope you find opportunities to match your needs for growth and development.

[here today]

For me, after many years and lots of therapists that didn't "get it" and I didn't either because of dissociation, denial (despite my best conscious efforts), whatever -- with my last T, a specialist in trauma, I feel like I did get in touch with a lot of previously dissociated feelings, etc. So I kind of got "fixed" in that regard. The depth work, like surgery, finally worked somewhat. Except that, that's not all there is to it.

It's like even after a successful major surgery, exposing parthology to air, rebreaking bones that knit together crooked -- there still needs some (re)habilitation. Like physical therapy.

I'm consciously trying to find that in support groups, etc., but it DEFINITELY ISN'T EASY, especially as an older adult.

Seems like life coaching might be something which could help with that process but I haven't tried it.

[brillskep]

Speaking about strengths and changes brought on by depression, it is my experience that different strengths can emerge in different stages of our lives. I think actually new strengths can be uncovered in times of challenge.

I'm glad you found something worthwhile in the positive psychology idea. I do agree with you about psychodynamic therapy, but I also relate to sometimes just needing something light and encouraging of your potential. Luckily my psychodynamic therapy incorporates that enough usually, but some psychodynamic-oriented therapists may be less receptive to the need for a health- and growth- oriented approach. I once read in an article a little about the concept of psychosanalogy as an approach opposed to the usual psychopathology viewpoint. I think there is a lot of merit to that.

Originally Posted by Skies

Thanks Brillskep!
When i first read of positive psychology years ago, including Seligman, I sort of recoiled. haha

I took the test and see what they are looking for-impulse control, openness to experience, etc. Though I have trouble with these tests because a lot changed since I got depression, such as thinking positively about the future, kindness, etc. Consistent traits are creativity, appreciation for beauty, love of learning, bravery, fairness/justice... Might be good to find ways to tap into these traits, so I like your idea.

The reason I stick with psychoanalytic is because I think of it as addressing the root cause-object relations and integration of my self. And the attachment relationship. I did get a lot from my last therapist, and this one has helped a lot with the integration especially. I do think, however, that mishandling of this type of therapy can cause a lot of damage.

After this email episode, I am realizing the true problem in terms of my therapy is that my this therapist isn't seeing me clearly. I have since looking into other therapists.

I read into life coaches more-the difference, I think, is that therapists focus on emotional healing (I know i am oversimplifying) and life coaches focus on making changes in your life based on what you have by motivating; inspiring.

[BudFox]

As i see it, therapists are life coaches. Try articulating meaningful differences. The packaging is slightly different, but the content is roughly the same (dubious and vague).

This turned out to be more of a fleeting thought; an escape fantasy. And I was Ambien posting again.

But it got me thinking of things to work on in the therapy and about strengths in general.

I don't know about that BudFox.

My life coach exploration exercise led me to sites about healing and shamans and spiritual channeling and psychics. I got turned off from the thought pretty quickly.

I do still like the thought of a personal trainer at the gym though, but that's not a replacement for therapy.

[lovinglostie815]

I go to both life coach and therapist. I love both. My lifecoach is a therapist he is mft, so he has the capablities of understanding more than maybe a life coach that wasn't trained as such. I think he has a great advantage but he does focus on goals, how to get to a different place, how to implenment goals, follow through on choices, etc etc, based off my past strengths and weakness how to overcome that which I haven't before. I love him ...! I also love my therapist who really helps me dig deep and understand things and give me tools.. give me insights and pieces to the puzzle of life I have never understood before.. love him too.. I think they both are of great value.

Thanks for your post lovinglistie!

If only I were rich....i'd do it all, really. I'm open to everything, just saw a lot of capitalizing on people's misery and guru-ish with the life coaches. If I looked more, I'm sure I'd find some reasonable people. Career coach and fitness trainers-those seem most credible.

I'd try the whole array of things out there, but unfortunately, I have to spend my money on 1 and do self-help for the rest. When i look at other options, the one that keeps circling back to me is therapy.

[BudFox]

Originally Posted by Skies

I don't know about that BudFox.

My life coach exploration exercise led me to sites about healing and shamans and spiritual channeling and psychics. I got turned off from the thought pretty quickly.

I do still like the thought of a personal trainer at the gym though, but that's not a replacement for therapy.

I've been to talk therapists, shamans, intuitive/energy healers, an "empowered healer", somatic healers, and more. I try to keep an open mind and try different approaches, but many of them were peddling various forms of snake oil. The talk therapists were the most dishonest about what they were selling. They use medical jargon and call themselves "clinicians" but they were much more like shamans and life coaches.