[88Butterfly88]

Therapists are like yogurt, eventually they expire. They help at first but eventually they either go sour or run out of ideas and become sort of stale. Some expire faster than others, and I met a few that I think expired before I met them. Anyone else feel like therapists expire?

[Out There]

Yes , I met one that should expire , unfortunately.

Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88

Therapists are like yogurt, eventually they expire. They help at first but eventually they either go sour or run out of ideas and become sort of stale. Some expire faster than others, and I met a few that I think expired before I met them. Anyone else feel like therapists expire?

Not my experince. That would mean we have to expire too. Thers always stuff that can be brought up and looked at. It's whether the T has the ability.

[unaluna]

How can you tell if it's good or bad? Some people prefer it artificially sweetened, others want the unadulterated sour taste.

[atisketatasket]

Is it the therapist that expires or the therapist-client relationship? I've often thought based on anecdata on here that therapists have their own version of the 7-year itch and that for them familiarity really does breed contempt.

[Sarmas]

Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88

Therapists are like yogurt, eventually they expire. They help at first but eventually they either go sour or run out of ideas and become sort of stale. Some expire faster than others, and I met a few that I think expired before I met them. Anyone else feel like therapists expire?

I don't think they become "expired". I think that some might get frustrated and feel like their not of any further help to the client. Perhaps some might burn out the way see in other professions. I don't think that is the case with all therapists. Like in many professions there are some better than others. Unfortunately I have experienced the same as you but I've only had one therapist but have been in communication with others. I think my boys therapist had come along and is better "in tune" now. There always material to discuss but it's wether the client brings it up and how effective it's addressed in session.

[leejosepho]

I have only ever had one therapist, and there did come a time when he could no longer help...and ironically, that came about after he had said he had previously mis-diagnosed me and now knew what I needed. He had actually been correct from the beginning although incomplete since he either knew nothing about Aspergers Syndrome or had simply missed it back then, and then after learning of his own alcoholism he had dismissed everything previous and said A.A. was all I needed.

[awkwardlyyours]

Originally Posted by unaluna

How can you tell if it's good or bad? Some people prefer it artificially sweetened, others want the unadulterated sour taste.

Truer words were never spoken.

Also, my current can has mold growing in it -- but only on the sides. The yogurt itself is rather excellent.

And, I am irrationally attached to this particular can. Nothing else can compare. And, I look forward with great pleasure to having it once a week (more than that and my attachment issues get triggered).

(Okay, I'll stop with stretching the rather awful joke right about here)

[Ididitmyway]

Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88

Therapists are like yogurt, eventually they expire. They help at first but eventually they either go sour or run out of ideas and become sort of stale. Some expire faster than others, and I met a few that I think expired before I met them. Anyone else feel like therapists expire?

Yip. This was certainly my experience. But to me it's normal. Healing is a fluid, ever changing process. Your needs change all the time. Something that worked for you a month ago doesn't work now, and you may also need to do several different things at the same time. That's why I never believed in the effectiveness of a long-term therapy with one particular therapist. They do expire..and that, to me, is a good thing.

[alpacalicious]

With my T, I feel like that she can helps me only to a certain point, that maybe her capabilities reach a certain "point" and that after that "point" she cant help me, even is she really want to, and then I have to see another T more specialized. So yeah, I think now we have reach that point, where she "expired", because she doesn't have the capabilities (or specializations) to offer more help.

[88Butterfly88]

A lot of good points. Maybe yogurt wasn't the best example.

[itjustis]

I think that it's not the therapist that goes out of date but rather they can't help anymore and have to refer out to someone who can help if that makes sense?
A T can only help for so long given their expertise.

I never found it was the therapist that expired; it was my need for their particular help that expired (and that was always a good thing -- it meant I was making progress).

[WrkNPrgress]

This is a very cynical viewpoint and I simply don't agree with it as a rule.

I think in any caretaking field there is burnout. That happens to teachers, nurses, doctors, and yes, counselors.

Some therapists know how to counter it and some don't but it's up to the individual, not a rule. I've met therapist who has been in the business for YEARS, about ready to retire but is still amazing and very good at her job.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I had a counselor tell me that therapists are like politicians. You need to swap them out so you can get fresh ideas.

[AllHeart]

I think as I grow, my needs change. My t may or may not be able to take me to the next level. She's served a very useful purpose indeed. I may outgrow my need for her and may need someone else better suited for me. I don't know. I wouldn't equate my case to expiring. It's more outgrowing.

[atisketatasket]

Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88

A lot of good points. Maybe yogurt wasn't the best example.

I would have gone for roadkill myself. So yogurt was definitely a better example than that.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by atisketatasket

I would have gone for roadkill myself...

Since therapists are humans on highly-traveled paths of their own, that could be a possibility also. So, where do road-weary therapists go for therapy?

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by 88Butterfly88

A lot of good points. Maybe yogurt wasn't the best example.

Pour on enough chocolate sauce and its almost as good as ice cream...

[88Butterfly88]

Roadkill, interesting.

[xenko]

Mine expired years ago but no one cleaned the fridge and he just sat there growing mold and spreading his germs all over the good yogurt.

When a T sees they are beyond the expiration date they should just admit it instead of spreading their venom all over the place.

[leejosepho]

Originally Posted by xenko

When a T sees they are beyond the expiration date they should just admit it...

I had never thought about this until now, but that might be why mine left where he had been for so long and took on a different type of social work.

[MariaLucy]

oh goodness, yes. My T most definitely expired. Having him suspended stopped his shelf life for sure. Also yes, he had gone off me. and then when that happened, I started to go off him. It was like a 6 year itch. Also, I was changing and it has helped to be away from him, though he forced it on me.

[dancinglady]

What a great way of seeing this. I am going to remember this when I start missing my old T.

Well, in a good case the issues that brought us to therapy expire. I do enjoy therapy with a good T but I personally prefer it goal-oriented rather than going on forever and wandering aimlessly. I did not feel that my good therapist expired, I just did not need regular therapy after a while.