Posted by Dinah on May 9, 2004, at 17:46:55
In reply to Re: On the other hand... would this bother you?, posted by spoc on May 9, 2004, at 13:44:25
I wouldn't have lasted nearly as long as you did. But, you know, his approach doesn't sound much like classic psychoanalysis at all. It was very judgemental. In fact he seems an awful like biofeedback guy (a psychologist I saw *very* briefly for biofeedback). And he was CBT. But he started out by making rude assumptions about my therapist and then by the next session about me.
You did better than I did. I lasted three sessions.
I don't know. I suspect the idea that this sort of therapist has is to be provocative. To initiate change by causing anger. And they've only got that one tool. All they've got is a hammer. Be provocative, get them angry, and cause them to look at their lives. They lack flexibility. So clients like you and I and most of the known civilized world are not likely to respond to their provocation kindly. They probably have immense turnover, but see it as proving their assumption that most people really don't want to change.
When in reality, a good therapist has a lot of tools at his or her disposal. A good therapist knows when and with whom provocation will yield good results. And uses it sparingly and only when it will yield good results. Even a supportive therapy can slowly and gently lead a client to change. And there are therapies in between.
I wouldn't give up on therapy yet. You just got a bad therapist. No flexibility.
poster:Dinah
thread:343053
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040503/msgs/345156.html