[SarahSweden]

After about 200 sessions included evaluation, longer therapy, shorter counselling I can conclude that therapy is nothing more than a monologue where you get speech support from someone.

It´s also similar to read from a fairytale in that respect that someone nods, says "hm" and wants to ask questions about a character or a picture in this fairytale.

But when you end this monologue or you´re finished reading from your fairytale there´s nothing more to it.

After spending several years, soon it´ll be four, what I´ve learned from therapy and meeting with therapists and other mental health care staff is to

• Don´t tell anyone about your problems, they can´t do anything about them.
• Don´t trust anyone with secrets or things you find hard to talk about.
• Don´t ever think anything will be better.
• Know your position in society as noone will ever help you reach your goals or do anything for you to succeed.

[SalingerEsme]

That disenchantment with therapy I feel sometimes, and struggle with often. it promises so much, and inside the fifty minutes, it can feel profound. There's no making it right though, that for the T's it is at best a calling and at worst a job they are meh about and for the clients it is often a sincere kind of real relatating that is being sought/ needed. It's very tough situation, and it is exhausting any times.

[here today]

So sorry, Sarah.

[Salmon77]

Sorry to hear you feel so disillusioned and that therapy has not been helpful to you.

In my experience—yes, therapy itself is a lot of sitting and talking. Through talking I have learned some things about myself and gradually changed my attitude and behavior as a result. It's the change in attitude and behavior that has made a difference in my life. So what happens in therapy doesn't always seem like much but it can lead to me doing something differently outside of therapy.

I'd say fight back--make your changes on your own. Take bettering your life in your own hands.

I prefer to pay people who competently offer a service but who can also be supportive, empathetic, or motivating, such as a massage therapist or fitness trainer.

Or for free-a mentor.

[Fernwehxx]

Sorry you feel this way. It may depend ob the issue, the T, or all kinds of things. I'd say, for me, therapy has saved my life, and I have no idea where I'd be without it...

[healinginprogress]

I'm sorry that you've had a rough time with therapy and that it has not only been not helpful, but seems somewhat destructive to you.

Therapy has been a wonderful thing for me but it took many years and many therapists until I found the combination that worked for me.

I hope that you're able to find inner peace either through a different Therapist/approach or other means.

[atisketatasket]

I think describing therapy as "a monologue with speech support" is a pretty brilliant description.

I don't come to the same conclusions you do, but I find the value in therapy in talking to someone then going out and acting for myself, whether or not the therapist has actually done anything concrete to help.

[maybeblue]

I'm sorry that your experiences haven't been that great in therapy. There really are different kinds of therapists though. Some of them are pretty quiet and let you do all the talking. But others are very active. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I have probably seen 10 different therapists over the last 20 years. I used to want them to be more active, but now I mostly want them to shut up and only give me advice when I ask for it.

[mcl6136]

Originally Posted by maybeblue

I'm sorry that your experiences haven't been that great in therapy. There really are different kinds of therapists though. Some of them are pretty quiet and let you do all the talking. But others are very active. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it, but I have probably seen 10 different therapists over the last 20 years. I used to want them to be more active, but now I mostly want them to shut up and only give me advice when I ask for it.

Yeah, I've seen a bunch of them too. Some good, many bad and a few totally life changing.

I'm single though and sometimes I think I'm using the T to replace the kind of intimate narrative sharing that people do with their significant others. Sigh.

I also want my T to mostly shut up, especially in light of the clueless behavior of the last couple of weeks. I need the time and the space to talk things out, and I'm willing to pay for it. Where's the harm in that?