Therapy

Duke · 02-13-2005, 07:04 PM

Have you ever seen a therapist or would you ever consider seeing one?

I've often thought of just seeing one because I'm curious.

darkangelism · 02-13-2005, 07:15 PM

i am seeing one currently...well not this exact moment,lol, but once a week, i am also in group therpy. It has helped me, but nothing substantial yet.

Stone · 02-13-2005, 07:17 PM

I saw one once, I felt better but never went back because it was expensive.

Star · 02-14-2005, 05:58 AM

I seen one about 13 years ago. It helped me big time to lay my past to rest. It helped my put everything in perspective. It was a very good thing for me.

You have to make sure the therapist is a good one otherwise it won't do you any good. There are a lot of not so good ones out there that will only pull out their prescription pad without listening and trying to work out the problems. I had one like that before I found the one who actually helped me.

Merika · 02-14-2005, 07:41 AM

I have Meanon and Dr. Icehouse. LOL!

Seriously, I doubt I would spend the money on it for myself...regardless on if I needed it or not. Due to Sn00py's situation, we are supposed to be seeing a family counselling guy....but the appointments haven't been set up by the state yet.

I DO think in many cases it's a good idea. It helps get issues out on the table that people otherwise internalize.

Duke · 02-14-2005, 07:28 PM

I guess I'm just curious what a professional could tell me about myself.

Star · 02-14-2005, 09:40 PM

you'd be surprised what they do tell you about yourself. I was surprised!

Merika · 02-14-2005, 09:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Duke

I guess I'm just curious what a professional could tell me about myself.

Well...if you decide to see one and we never see you post again....we'll know he sent you far far away. LOL!

Seriously, why don't you check around to see if anyone you know ever saw someone they were impressed with, as Star stated...not all are good ones, and give it a try? One session can't cost that much.

Star · 02-14-2005, 10:01 PM

i don't know what the health coverage is in BC but here, it's covered. i didn't pay a cent to see him. ask your doctor to refer you and it should be cost free.

Duke · 02-14-2005, 10:23 PM

I almost wonder if I would get sent away lol.

OK, lets assume I actually do it, what do I say?

Star · 02-14-2005, 10:27 PM

you start by telling him that you'd like to resolce some issues that you have and it'll take off from there. they're very good at getting you to talk about things and helping you put things in perspective.

In one session, I let go of all the guilt i had and left feeling proud of myself for not ending up being a statistic. He was a very good one!

Duke · 02-14-2005, 10:35 PM

What in Gods name is resolce?

Star · 02-14-2005, 10:38 PM

sorry...typo: resolve :oops:

Duke · 02-14-2005, 10:54 PM

Ahhh, now I'm set.

Meanon · 02-15-2005, 06:48 PM

Quote:

I have Meanon and Dr. Icehouse. LOL!

My friends are my unofficial therapists too. I'd be lost without them.

I've done some informal therapy, Duke. I'm not fully trained. I'm looking for a placement to start in September. I'm seeing a counsellor at the moment with my husband. It's not the sort you'd receive but it's interesting being on the other side, so to speak. I'm getting what I wanted out of it but even the counsellor has described it as rough.

Therapy is useful if you have had bad experiences that you are having difficulty overcoming or if you have a specific problem. Apart from that, many find it useful in helping them deal with general discontent, to explore their hopes for themselves and how to realise them. Friends of the right type (objective, empathic, supportive, challenging) can do the job just as well but not everyone has friends like that and some people find it easier to talk to a stranger about the very personal.

The most important thing is finding someone you click with, who you can relate to. Shop around. There are different schools of therapy, all based on different principles. All have better success rates than doing nothing but so do a lot of other activities. It doesn't always work. CBT has a higher success rate than most.

I was reading about therapy today. The types of problems people present with very much depend on the times they live in. In Freud's day it was about sexual inhibition. In the 50s about identity. Now most people who see a therapist feel a kind of despair about the pointlessness of their lives, or about the impossibility about sexual relationships. Or, they feel a generalised phobia, an anxiety about ordinary things.

This is very much linked to the pressures of modern day living. Pointless complexity, competitive market driven cultures, superficial unsatisfying models of a better life. People discover that what they think they want does not in fact make them happy. They get dissatified with themselves and their inability to be contented. Therapy gives time and space to explore what makes us happy, what is possible and what is practical.