For context, I (23M) live in the United States. In Ohio. A bit concerned about privacy because of the whole Nazi problem and the fact that I live in an abusive household.
I’ve been working on myself a lot recently and realized that I can’t do this alone anymore (or rely on Internet strangers to talk about my issues). I feel like I finally have the strength to ask for help in the real world. I’ve just never done this before. What’s it like? Is it warm and fuzzy, or cold and analytical? (Does it feel like someone is providing care and comfort, or is it more like an emotionally detached scientist meticulously studying you and scribbling down notes while mumbling “Hmm, I see, I see” while you yap at them?) Do you start to see results right away, or are things slow at first? How much stuff is recorded in a database that other systems can look up?
I think your first point isn’t an issue with a really good therapist, but I’ve had therapists who needed that level of detail from me. With my current one, I told him the symptoms I have that I want to go away and he’s been tackling it from all sides so we can find the issues together (and it’s working well). I do agree with your second point, but many therapists advertise the things they specialize in like anxiety, identity issues, sexual issues, etc. I went based off this and found who I needed without much issue.
Glad it’s working for you! I’m seeing two therapists concurrently right now (“cheating” on my old therapist with a side hustle lmao) until the end of the year because I’ve met my deductible. Then I’m gonna figure out who I want to drop.
I have appreciated my old therapist for getting me through a crisis, but I’ve just stagnated and don’t feel like I’m getting enough direction and guidance and specific things to help me. Her therapy style is more “big picture” and generalized if that makes sense, without giving me a lot of specific techniques to help me.
My work has threatened to fire me if I can’t get my shit together so I really want to make more progress.
The new one wants me to work through an extensive DBT workbook over time that gives very specific techniques to use. Then each session we kind of talk about my week and go over what I think worked and didn’t work in the book. Her input is not overly substantial, but I do like how the book can give me more direct techniques and potentially more progress idk.
So I’m considering dropping my old therapist but I feel some type of way about it.
Idk sorry you probably don’t care about me blabbering on lol.
That does make sense, I’ve had a therapist who only helped in “big picture” ways as well. The workbook sounds promising though! I hope that goes well for you.
No worries, I do it too sometimes! If it’s any consolation, your comment was interesting and didn’t come off as rambling. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!