Spira Posted January 6, 2005 Posted January 6, 2005 Hi everyone. I start my first therapy session today. I am not so enthusastic about doing this, but some things happened in the past few days & I have been self-destructive, so my doctor & friends encouraged me to go. While I don't totally disagree that I could benefit from this, it really seems like by going to therapy to talk about things, I'm just going to re-open old wounds & drag myself through all the sh*t that I am prepared to leave behind (or already have left behind). Somehow it doesn't seem beneficial to me to live in constant analysis of everything I do, say, feel, etc. Anyway, what should I expect from therapy? And, for those who have been in therapy, how has it helped you? Do you believe that you would have done just as well without it?
blind_otter Posted January 6, 2005 Posted January 6, 2005 Go in with a written list of things you want to address. Therapy is not successful unless the patient has clear goals that they want to accomplish. Think about where you are, where you want to be, and what you think you need to get there. Ask input on the therapist's opinion on your tactics - this is what you work on, learning healthy coping mechanisms and more effective tactics at approaching life stressors. Make sure to ask about their personal philosophy, what they define as "therapeutic success," and what *their* professional goals are in terms of a therapeutic relationship. I've been in and out of therapy for 7 years for some pretty serious sh*t. I don't think I would be alive today if I hadn't been. But therapy is not a magic cure all, or a panacea. 90% of the work and effort comes from the client - the therapist is more of a guide. Good luck, congrats on taking control of your mental health. That in and of itself indicates you will have some measure of success in your endeavors. And if you don't feel comfortable with the practitioner, don't hesitate to ask them for a referral to someone more suited to your needs.
jellybean Posted January 6, 2005 Posted January 6, 2005 Originally posted by Spira it really seems like by going to therapy to talk about things, I'm just going to re-open old wounds & drag myself through all the sh*t that I am prepared to leave behind (or already have left behind). But maybe you haven't left it all behind, and it's effecting you in your present life...this may be a good way to find out. Good luck
Author Spira Posted January 6, 2005 Author Posted January 6, 2005 While it seems comforting to be able to sort myself out with a therapist as my guide, I'm not sure I'm willing to make major (or possibly even minor) life changes at the advice of my therapist. My goal is to simply find out what it is that is motivating myself to engage in self-destructive behavior, I think. I'm not asking for a cure. I just want to know. Jelly, you may be right that I have not entirely left everything behind, and I am confused about things going on in the present as well. Maybe I'm just the type of person that likes to leave things be & not stir things up. Which can also be self-destructive, because I suppose to *really* move on, you need to deal with it rather than just ignore it...
blind_otter Posted January 6, 2005 Posted January 6, 2005 Originally posted by Spira While it seems comforting to be able to sort myself out with a therapist as my guide, I'm not sure I'm willing to make major (or possibly even minor) life changes at the advice of my therapist. My goal is to simply find out what it is that is motivating myself to engage in self-destructive behavior, I think. I'm not asking for a cure. I just want to know. Then make that clear at the get-go, with the therapist. If you don't need help then why not rely on the free services of friends to help you hone your insight (or lack thereof) into your choices and behaviors? For me, as a practitioner. I hope you are approaching with at least an open mind to suggestions. It is confusing, though...why pay for therapy if you don't want to change?
LucreziaBorgia Posted January 6, 2005 Posted January 6, 2005 Originally posted by Spira And, for those who have been in therapy, how has it helped you? Do you believe that you would have done just as well without it? It helped to put what I was feeling in perspective and somehow just knowing that there was a name for what I was going through made it easier to cope with and eventually get under control. There's some old story somewhere out there where naming your demons lets you claim and destroy them. Therapy is a good way of identifying the demons and rooting them out. Did it help? At the time I surely didn't see that it was helping, but looking back over the past ten years I can see that it wasn't the therapy/hospitalization that helped me: it was the coping mechanisms I took away from therapy/hospitalizations that helped me. I see far too many people who mistake therapy as the cure rather than part of the process of being cured. I would not have done as well without it. I expect I would have found myself repeating my mistakes and continually being circled by those demons that I couldn't put a name on. My life would have continued toward the black hole it was headed for - and trust me, I tended then to take people right on down with me. Lucky for me and those who know me, that I was able to reverse the spiral and work my way back up it. Its a long path. The first few times might seem like a waste of time, but your therapist will have to take time to get to know you and begin to formulate a plan of action. Personally, looking back I can remember mostly from the first day or so doing the Rorschach test and the MMPI. At that time for some reason it was terrifying - now, it would be trip to go back and see how my results are different. Be patient, and keep with it - sometimes the benefits will sneak up on you when you least expect it to.
Author Spira Posted January 6, 2005 Author Posted January 6, 2005 BTW, is there a difference between a therapist and a psychologist? I know psychatrists perscribe medication, but psychologists?
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