[Ididitmyway]

I saw this article in the Business Insider today of all media outlets:

The biggest problem with therapy, according to a psychotherapist - Business Insider

It highlights one of many issues with therapy I've been aware of for a long time. I don't see the issue in the same exact way as the therapist in the article, but I certainly see his point. I just think things related to mental health are much more complex and muddy then how they are described in the article and, therefore, the solutions can't be easily found, but it's refreshing to see the criticism of psychotherapy appearing in the mainstream media sources targeted at the lay public.

[ArtleyWilkins]

I'm with you. Mixed bag. I don't disagree with him for a large portion of therapy patients. I do believe a large portion of therapy clients are short-term, easily resolvable issue type of clients. And I agree that most these should be in and out of therapy fairly quickly.

However, I was someone whose therapy went on for a decade, but I wouldn't describe my therapy like this writer did, as letting clients run on for entire sessions about their problems without working toward achievable goals. I also wouldn't necessarily say I had severe psychological disorders (he doesn't define what qualifies for this exception in his book), at least not that kept me from working, etc. I was seriously depressed and dealing with PTSD, but I doubt I would have been considered as someone with "severe psychological disorders" considering how high functioning I managed to be despite many hospitalizations, etc. It's just not that black and white.

His ideas have some merit, but (ironically) seem to engage in black and white thinking a bit.

My personal experience was that even with a very goal-oriented therapist, complications made reaching those goals a rather long-term prospect. I do think had my life not been so entirely complicated by other issues, I probably could have reached my goals much faster, but sometimes life happens.

The fact that he's pushing the ideas in his book also shed a bit of questioning on his ideas. He has a "pill" to sell in the form of his book. It is what it is.

[susannahsays]

I think his perspective is rather simplistic. He appears to discount chronic mental illness as a cause for attending therapy. While I do not think he is lying about what he says are the most common reasons people seek therapy, I don't think issues such as job satisfaction and relationship issues are always as simple as they appear. I think they can sometimes be manifestations of bigger issues. I also don't think it is unusual for people to find more things they want to work on after resolving the issue that brought them to therapy.

I guess I feel a bit irritated that this asshole wants to boot people out of therapy when they might not be ready. For all we know, the clients he sees - for such a short period - simply find another therapist after terminating with him. This wouldn't be very surprising since he sounds rather pushy and demanding. I can see how many passive clients, or those seeking therapy for the first time, would allow their needs to be subverted to his will. He also sounds rather judgemental, so it wouldn't be surprising if his clients lie about making changes, are relieved to be discharged, and either find another therapist or give up on therapy.

Sure, could many therapists do better about focusing their clients and making sure sessions are productive? Probably. However, I don't think his way of doing things is any better. He sounds more like a life coach than a therapist. And if he sees his purpose as giving opinions and advice, I think he's considerably overpaid, particularly in the internet age.

Finally, I think his position is a bit condescending. He assumes he knows how his clients need to be treated, and he thinks it's his duty to "push" them to achieve their goals. I don't feel it's his place to do that. He seems rather paternalistic and authoritarian. He also seems to operate either from a place of little of no empathy, or a place of privilege in relation to life struggles or mental wellness.

[SlumberKitty]

The T in the article and T3 who I saw for four sessions this summer would get along famously! I'm glad I got away when I did! Kit

[nottrustin]

I agree in situations like the ones he describes, therapy should be short term. Unfortunately, not everybody's case works that way. There have been many days in 11 years that I did just vent and talk. However even that was beneficial to me and my T. Often the things I vented about when we dug deeper went back to my core distorted beliefs.

For me it also takes a long time to trust. I can only do things
In small doses. Almost like I put I toe in the water for a bit. And swish it around for a bit. Then after a while I put all my toes in the water and stay there filte a while.

Both Ts have found if they push to much to fast I shut down. I stop trusting. Endr T and I have spent almost the last seven months dealing with Ts death. We don't discuss it every session but sometimes I get triggered. Emdr T and I agree we had to take a huge step back. T was a significant part of my Emdr treatment plan. So we had to back up and we are trying to figure out when and how to proceed with the Emdr.

[Elio]

To be honest, he sounded more like a personal coach than a therapist and yeah, lots of people only need a personal coach. I don't think someone like that would have helped me much when I was walking in and out of my T's office with the thoughts of suicide. It took 4 + months before I would say I was safe enough from that ledge and another 6 or so before I could talk about "tough stuff" without fully dissociating. Granted maybe he would have sent me to IP rather than work with me like my T did.

[starfishing]

This guy seems like a shallow snake-oil salesman to me. The pushy advice-giving sessions he's peddling sound presumptuous to me, and definitely aren't what I want or need out of therapy, though perhaps his style works for some. But while I agree with him that many therapists are ineffective, the way he acts like there are only two options--his way, vs. aimless endless venting sessions--is just plain silly and inaccurate.

[zoiecat]

LOL. I think this guy and my T are twins. They even have the same first name.

While my T is not against long term therapy for people with major mental issues, he will NOT ever allow me to just vent for more than 10-15 minutes tops. Everything has to be goal centered. If I have not made any progress after 1 year he will refer me.

He believes it is unethical for a T to not constantly push a client toward goals and progress.

I see his point but it really gets on my nerves sometimes. He says clients that are allowed to just vent and use their T as a crutch to get through life do not get better.

I don't think he practices therapy therapeutically at all-how would anyone even call this therapy?

While very unappealing to me personally, he doesn't target mental health-he is goal oriented for anyone that wants to overcome a challenge. These types don't worry me at all because he is upfront in what he does-who would ever consult with him for trauma? I can't imagine that anyone would refer any type of clinical population to him either. I just don't see how this used car salesman mentally compares to what is know as therapy. As others pointed out, he is more of a life/motivational coach.

Was curious about his being flooded by "hate mail" from other therapists, checked out his website and noticed he doesn't even list his qualifications or education. Psychotherapist and Author Jonathan Alpert

How I interpreted his message was that many people do not need what we think of as psychotherapy and instead might be better off with motivational techniques; but he is comparing apples to oranges-completely different clientele. Nothing wrong with offering the service to those who are interested, but I don't think it should be called therapy and don't understand how it could be compared with psychotherapy.

[susannahsays]

He worries me because he is a therapist, who most people would assume to be an authority on the topic, and he's spouting garbage for public consumption. He's suggesting that other therapists operate as he does.

[Ididitmyway]

Just looked at his website. That's right, he doesn't list his credentials anywhere, and yet he calls himself a therapist. He clearly works as a motivational coach, which is fine if he presents himself as such, but he calls himself a "therapist".

I would love to see the topic about therapy length and what justifies the long-term therapy raised in the mainstream media, because, I believe, it's a worthy topic to discuss, but I want someone with the actual mental health credentials to talk about it. Actually, it'd be best if a therapy client started a public discussion on this topic. The consumers of the service are in the best position to judge if the service is working well or not, and my feeling is that there is going to be a great diversity of opinions on that.

[atisketatasket]

He has a Psychology Today page:

Years in Practice: 21 Years
Year Graduated: 1997

No school listed. Licensed in PA as an LPC but also practices in DC and NYC and via Skype.

[sarahsweets]

Are they saying that this guy originally had an article published in the NYT? I do not know if anyone else has noticed this but over the years it seems like the NYT has had articles that focus a lot on dispelling what they see as 'myths' regarding mental health treatment, psychiatric meds, adhd meds and other disorders. I can't think of a specific writer now but I know that they have done plenty of stories on the 'horrors' of stimulant medication making it seem like people with adhd are just glorified meth heads looking for a fix, so its no surprise that they would profile some guy who declares himself an expert and then wonders why he gets hate mail.

[Taylor27]

I think this guy is totally out to lunch. Allot of people who go to therapy are in it for a long time some issues do not get resolved in a short time. When i started my therapy 17 years ago both me and the t thought i would be done in 6 months at the time my issues did not seem severe until i started to open up. 17 years later im still plugging away at what brought me to therapy and i see no end in sight for a couple years at least. Also i don't think venting is wrong i was taught to hold every thing in. This guy would be good friends with my last addiction counsellor and a ex friend who is a pastor counsellor.