Poll of the Day > What are your thoughts on therapy?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Do you think it helps?
Have you ever been?
What about it has helped you if you have?

I am also interested in the responses to these questions.

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GunslingerGunsl posted...

Do you think it helps?
Have you ever been?
What about it has helped you if you have?

Yes
Yes
Having an unbiased third-party break down my thoughts or behaviors to help me address personal problems related to anxiety and self-esteem. I've been seeing the same therapist for a year and have gone through a satisfying amount of personal growth, learning to set better boundaries in my life and to assert myself with others.

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Of course it helps. It needs to be better promoted and more affordable.

No, I haven't ever been to therapy.

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Helps others, didn't help me.
Might as well hire a psychic.

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Very pro!

Never gone to it myself but wouldn't be opposed

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It helped me tremendously. It can't help you if you don't actually try to apply what you're learning.

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I am a big advocate of finding mental health supports to meet one's needs. There are many different methods of therapy delivery (motivational interviewing, CBT, play therapy to name a few), so it's important to identify what your specific needs are when searching for a professional and telling them what your issues are.

A healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand!

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Some background, I'm actually an MFT Trainee right now and was a substance abuse counselor for 4 years prior to starting my masters in clinical psychology. I'm just curious on PotD's general take.

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Some background, I'm actually an MFT Trainee right now and was a substance abuse counselor for 4 years prior to starting my masters in clinical psychology. I'm just curious on PotD's general take.

Oh awesome! I have an MSW, but chose to go the policy route instead of clinical practice.

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Jen and RC, do you happen to know what theoretical approach your therapist worked in?

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Jen and RC, do you happen to know what theoretical approach your therapist worked in?

Relational/interpersonal framework

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RCtheWSBC posted...

Relational/interpersonal framework

Thanks for sharing with me. :)

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Jen and RC, do you happen to know what theoretical approach your therapist worked in?

I did CBT and DBT

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Yes, it has helped me. It works for many but not all.

the best combo is therapy + meds

RCtheWSBC posted...

I am a big advocate of finding mental health supports to meet one's needs. There are many different methods of therapy delivery (motivational interviewing, CBT, play therapy to name a few), so it's important to identify what your specific needs are when searching for a professional and telling them what your issues are.

A healthy mind and a healthy body go hand in hand!

agreed here.

Jen0125 posted...

It helped me tremendously. It can't help you if you don't actually try to apply what you're learning.

and agreed here

I was actually able to go off my anti depressants because of how successful my therapy was.

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Good to hear some positive feedback. I'm glad it was helpful for you guys. Thank you again for sharing your experiences!

I was really depressed, and occasionally suicidal before I talked to a therapist for a few months. I still have bad days, depression wise, but for years I have been able to think myself out of those thoughts and overall be happy so I would say it helps

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Muscles posted...

I was really depressed, and occasionally suicidal before I talked to a therapist for a few months. I still have bad days, depression wise, but for years I have been able to think myself out of those thoughts and overall be happy so I would say it helps

That must be difficult. Glad that you've been able to find something that helps.

As someone who went to a lot of family/childhood therapy sessions, and recently went to a psychiatrist for the first time in my life, fuck therapy.

The psychiatrist visit was the best and most professional doctors visit I've had in my life, and I'm finally on medication that let's me understand what normal is supposed to feel like, and being happy without needing a reason is something I never even thought I was missing until now.

Therapy, on the flip side, never solved anything, and just led to years and years of more conflict between my family.

Therapy is a great thing I'm sure as an adult that wants to improve their situation, but my only experience of it was as a child, and all a kid is going to do is lie and tell people what they want to to hear and solve literally nothing.

ReggieTheReckless posted...

As someone who went to a lot of family/childhood therapy sessions, and recently went to a psychiatrist for the first time in my life, fuck therapy.

The psychiatrist visit was the best and most professional doctors visit I've had in my life, and I'm finally on medication that let's me understand what normal is supposed to feel like, and being happy without needing a reason is something I never even thought I was missing until now.

Therapy, on the flip side, never solved anything, and just led to years and years of more conflict between my family.

Therapy is a great thing I'm sure as an adult that wants to improve their situation, but my only experience of it was as a child, and all a kid is going to do is lie and tell people what they want to to hear and solve literally nothing.

I'm sorry to hear about your negative experience with therapy. It must feel horrible as a child when you don't feel like a therapist ever really understands what's really going on with you. Good to know psychiatry has helped you. Sometimes medication is necessary, especially when there might be a chemical imbalance as part of the pproblem. Gotta do what works.

I had a terrible therapist as a child that used to tell my parents everything that happened in our sessions and it just made life much worse for me.

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Jen0125 posted...

I had a terrible therapist as a child that used to tell my parents everything that happened in our sessions and it just made life much worse for me.

Geez. That's exactly what they teach us NOT to do. How can you establish trust with a child if you go tell their parents everything? Honestly I'm not surprised though. It amazes me the behaviors I've seen in many MFT Trainees or associates. When I was a SUD counselor, before I even started in my masters, I remember having to tell multiple counselors, some who were training as MFTs, that it was inappropriate to do a client intake while there was more than one client sitting in the same office. How is that not common sense? Who wants to answer questions about sexual trauma while someone else you don't know is sitting 5 feet away from you...

I think every adult could benefit from therapy. Having an appointment with a therapist could be like an annual check up with your PCP. If you need more, you need more no problem.

Having an hour appointment once a year where you talk with someone about the challenges in your life I think would benefit a lot of people.

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GunslingerGunsl posted...

Geez. That's exactly what they teach us NOT to do. How can you establish trust with a child if you go tell their parents everything? Honestly I'm not surprised though. It amazes me the behaviors I've seen in many MFT Trainees or associates. When I was a SUD counselor, before I even started in my masters, I remember having to tell multiple counselors, some who were training as MFTs, that it was inappropriate to do a client intake while there was more than one client sitting in the same office. How is that not common sense? Who wants to answer questions about sexual trauma while someone else you don't know is sitting 5 feet away from you...

She also diagnosed me as bipolar at 13 and I found out as an adult I am not bipolar. She put me on like 3 medications that caused me to want to sleep all day and I almost failed 8th grade.

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Jen0125 posted...

She also diagnosed me as bipolar at 13 and I found out as an adult I am not bipolar. She put me on like 3 medications that caused me to want to sleep all day and I almost failed 8th grade.

That's another red flag. Diagnosing a teen with Bipolar Disorder should RARELY ever be done. Mood changes should be expected in teens. You always want to consider what else might be going on with a child before slapping a label as serious as Bipolar Disorder on. Giving you medication was obviously a bad call based on your experiences.

Therapy is extremely effective. The reasons why are more debatable - is it just a case of having someone who listens when you talk serving a valuable psychological need to vent, or a therapist offering a differing perspective and advice that helps you understand yourself in ways you otherwise wouldn't? Is it deliberately breaking down psychological blocks, or otherwise trying to reconstruct who you are on a basic level to fix problems you've had for years?

Different therapists tend to approach the process in different ways, and different patients tend to benefit from it in different ways. But it's very true that therapy in general can be extremely helpful, even if you don't think it will.
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I believe it can help some. Did not help me however.

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ParanoidObsessive posted...

Therapy is extremely effective. The reasons why are more debatable - is it just a case of having someone who listens when you talk serving a valuable psychological need to vent, or a therapist offering a differing perspective and advice that helps you understand yourself in ways you otherwise wouldn't? Is it deliberately breaking down psychological blocks, or otherwise trying to reconstruct who you are on a basic level to fix problems you've had for years?

Different therapists tend to approach the process in different ways, and different patients tend to benefit from it in different ways. But it's very true that therapy in general can be extremely helpful, even if you don't think it will.

It is definitely a combination of different therapeutic and client factors. What studies have found is that the therapeutic relationship tends to play a larger role than the therapist's specific theoretical approach. This makes so much sense to me. Good relationships in general have the ability to provide various healing experiences that people carry into their futures. Therapists are trained to help provide corrective emotional experiences which help clients to gain insight, safety, and the courage to try healthy new interactional patterns with other people outside of the therapy room. I think it also helps to explore life's meaning, one's responsibility and gain a greater sense of agency in one's life.

GunslingerGunsl posted...

Do you think it helps?
Have you ever been?
What about it has helped you if you have?

CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) helped me a little by giving me knowledge about mindfuless. Most of the information I however found myself online. Binaural Beats help me relax but the biggest thing that has helped me is going on walks and I didn't need therapy or some doctor to suggest that. Overall I'd say it's worth a shot like any sort of help with mental health issues.

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I desperately wish I could have got therapy when I was younger, I feel like I lost years of my life to a traumatic relationship.

I've never been to therapy myself, but it stands to reason it helps. Sometimes you just need to work things out with another human being. Depending on how deep the problem is, it might require more professional help.

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Not every therapist works for every person. It took quite a few to find one that worked for me. Now my wife and I see the same therapist separately and for couples sessions. Worth every penny

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The problem with therapists is that theyre people and I am scared of talking to people so I play video games instead.

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Yes
Yes
Coping mechanisms for when things get really bad. Basically training me how to weather the downs of bipolar depression so that I still had a functioning life when I came out the other end.
It is also nice to have someone to talk to that you know will listen because they are paid to do so.

But there are definitely bad therapists, and ineffective therapists. It can take a long time to find a good one.

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I've had it a few times in my life. The first time didn't help at all because I was trying to figure myself out, and that was more difficult than it needed to be when I was in my upper teens. The second time was in my mid 20s when I sought after hormone treatments, and my goodness that was so much better. It felt like the right questions were finally being asked.

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