This Is My Story (Harmed By Psychotherapy)

What a powerful story! I'm glad that you've found healing despite all the harm inflicted.

For me the therapists who preach "evidence-based practice" are an interesting species. It almost feels that it must be a closed circle of people who are unable to understand some very basic things about psychotherapy, like for instance the idea that you cannot prescribe psychotherapy in a similar manner as you can prescribe specific antibiotics in case of a specific bacteria is just nonsense and it will never going to work that way. And also that all the evidence is based on what you measure and if you measure nonsense then your evidence is about nonsense. Also the idea that it is possible to cure pain and suffering by teaching skills. I'm not against skills and in specific situations specific skills can be very appropriate but it seems like for many therapist, especially those practicing evidence-based treatment, the therapy is somehow equal to teaching skills and this kind of understanding is beyond me. Is it so that those people have not experienced suffering themselves or, more probably, they have but they are not in touch with their own pain and suffering. I think you were spot on in writing that the therapist couldn't listen to you because she just couldn't tolerate your pain and what you had to say. She could have learned a lot with you - and help you and herself. But she didn't and I'm glad you were able to move on.

Beautiful words — thank you. The evidence-based practice certainly felt very dismissive of my own uniqueness and complexity. It seems to me that these practices and manualized treatments are essentially a cop-out... I suppose it is easier for some to follow instructions from a manual than to take the time to deeply get to a know a client and their story and tailor therapy accordingly. I once saw a quote that said something along the lines of “I am more interested in your story than your diagnosis.” Now, this is what I look for in a therapist... someone who can see past a diagnosis and who cares more about me as a holistic being.