[Symon]

What is the worst and most hurtful thing the counciller/shrink or whatever has said to you?

The first counciller I had kept saying at nearly every session
"Just do it"
And she wouldn't take "I can't" as an answer, she really hasn't a clue how difficult it is.
To hear this week in and week out was really hurtful as it was my first counciller and I thought that that was the only advice they could give.

Paul

 

[laura024]

Some bad ones:

"I think you're hiding something."

Today I was told, "SMILE, Laura!"
What if I don't feel like it?

 

[gozinsky]

Either "Snap out of it." or "Start stepping up." Pure genius. Why didn't I think of that? Quite insulting. Few even in the mental health profession seem to understand the total paralysis some of us experience when we attempt to face the feared situations. It's like Okay I can just go to the party or talk to the girl, but I'm just gonna end up sitting there feeling extraordinarily uncomfortable and like I'm dying or something and wishing more than anything that I could just be somewhere else and there's not gonna be a thing I can do about it so it's really gonna be a pointless waist of everyone's time and needless suffering for me, but yeah sure I guess I can just go do it. And for this I'm paying you as much for an hour as I make in a day. Great.

 

[tremelo]

i had a very condescending psychiatrist once tell me that my opinion on a certain matter was a "hackneyed cliche". he said it all nasally, too.

niiiiiiiiice. b/c i'm already *so* confident to begin with, i really relish that i now must pay to be insulted when i am accustom to getting it for free.

suffice it to say, we are no longer in contact.

 

[DeeperUnderstanding]

I had a therapist who said I was 'faking it', and that I really didn't have SA. Luckily, I found a different therapist.

 

[tremelo]

I had a therapist who said I was 'faking it', and that I really didn't have SA. Luckily, I found a different therapist.

are you kidding me? talk about unprofessional! geeze.

 

[MaidMarian]

I had one tell me I was stupid. Needless to say, I told her to cram it, and stopped seeing her.

 

[StevenGlansberg]

I find this really disheartening. As someone who's really interested in going into counseling despite having my own issues, I wonder how the hell people can say things like this. I understand that you need to challenge the patient's thoughts but to say to someone you're faking it or your opinion is a cliche...that's terrible. Where's the compassion?

 

[Prodigal Son]

I have never been insulted, just have been told things that are no help at all. "Just do it!" suggestions or *exposure therapy* you need to get out there and expose yourself haha, every session was like that.

 

[BeatingSAwithastick]

heh, I once got told "It's not about the anxiety, it's about having courage".

 

[Phobiker]

One tried just to talk me out of it. Not very effective.

 

[LALoner]

I sometimes think therapists get more out of this than the patients.

 

[serolf]

I've had a therapist be too lenient and sympathetic which made me kinda have self-pity and another that had that "just do it" and "snap out of it" attitude which didn't really help either. Good therapists are hard to come by.

 

[Scrub-Zero]

"why are you here? you look fine to me"

 

[kev]

"You're acting like a child. Snap out of it."

This came from a counselor I otherwise respected. To be honest, I think she was having a bad day. She was kind of right but it was hurtful. Nobody likes a command statement.

I've been fortunate enough to have some understanding counselors. But some of the comments I'm reading in this section are really annoying. If the counselor doesn't respect his patients, then how is he supposed to help? All the knowledge in the world doesn't replace a little bit of empathy.

 

[sanspants08]

"I do therapy, but don't consider myself qualified to do therapy for you." --psychiatrist :lol.

I had to laugh.

 

[LiveLaughLove]

Once, I told my psychiatrist I was proud of myself because I stood up against the principal.

She looked at me funny, and then proceeded to not congratulate me for speaking my mind (or speaking at all!), but tell me I pretty much approached the situation as a brat. :lol

 

[StevenGlansberg]

One tried just to talk me out of it. Not very effective.

What do you want them to do, cast a spell to rid you of your demons? It's a therapist, talking is their only weapon.

 

[bht96]

Some of the posts here do indicate some legitimately bad experiences with therapists. But, some of the comments don't seem so bad to me and actually make some sense. I am just not sure what some of you guys want your psychiatrist to do to help you. What are they supposed to do? Sit there and listen and then agree with you that you are f***ed up and there is nothing you can do about it but feel sorry for yourself. Seriously, what do you think a therapist can say or do to help you? The first step is to realize that we need to snap out of it (fine, we all realize that), and then work with the therapists on ways we can help our situation. The only way is to use some courage and face our fears constructively. Exposure is a system that you have to understand and be in the proper mindset for it to work anyway. A half-assed attempt at exposure without knowing how to go about it is useless.

 

[acceptance]

The principal of my high school said to me (I'll remember these words as long as I live) "none of the teachers like you, name ONE teacher that likes you!" Then I broke down and shortly after dropped out.