First Time A Therapist Didn't Work Out.

[AngelaS267]

Hello Everyone! How was your day? Mine was really good

So I had a conversation with my therapist today letting her know that after next week, I didn't want to continue any sessions. She understood and that was a huge relief. I have never had a therapist before that didn't work out for me, and I've had 4 altogether! I feel bad about complaining about this, because I know there are some people with true horror stories with therapists. But I thought I'd just share a little.

First off, She wasn't a bad person. She's super sweet. But she wasn't understanding what I was getting at when talking about communication barriers, and her dialogue wasn't in depth enough for me. It felt very surface level. Like she needed my experience to match with whatever she learned at school.

Me and her were too close in age (I'm 24), so it felt like I was venting to a peer, which made me slightly hesitant. This isn't a bad thing of course, but I am used to older people counseling me.

I feel like I had to give her some unfortunate scenario's to help her counsel me! She seemed very lost if I didn't have something crazy happen to me that week.

Most of her advice follows this exact model: "Yea... So I definitely think that um... Its important to be mindful of our thought patterns." She doesn't speak very clear, which makes it hard for me to follow what her point is sometimes. I think because I've had so much therapy in the past that what she was saying just felt very familiar to me so it doesn't feel like help.

Aaaand all in all, I think I have gotten everything I can from talk therapy for my traumatic childhood. I have worked through it 1000x and I think I can confidently say now that I have accepted that it happened to me, and I've grown from that place. I want to fully focus on getting tested and working on learning myself outside of the trauma. I feel so happy to have had that revelation.

Sorry this post is me being a complainer. I'd love to hear all of your experiences with therapy. Good, bad, and just god awful. Cheers~

 

[Graphin]

Based on what I know it's a bad idea to assume that it will work out well with a single therapist regardless of how nice, expensive they are or what qualification labels they have.

 

[Thinx]

I doubt if I will go to therapy again. I only went recently because it was mandated for a training I was doing. The second person I went to after the majestic yet insecure lady, was fine. Friendly, positive and accepting. Self aware. But I didn't have much soul searching to do, I am somewhat interested in exploring my autism and it's effects, but that's all now really.

I am not anxious or depressed, I have been on and off, but not for a good many years in a way that would require therapy, and especially since I understood about autism after training in family therapy threw it in my path, I realised ordinary counselling or therapy wasn't going to offer me anything anymore.

However, as a younger person I gained a lot from therapy and counselling, working on all the issues that were not specifically related to autism, but were not doubt complicated by it, had I known. I made slow but good progress, yet with a core of, something, that I couldn't work out, that tripped me up... autism.

If any therapist I worked with ever noticed it they didn't say. I think one may have, looking back. And really, after noticing autistic traits or Aspergers, I couldn't find much that was helpful, although I realised some kind of active, creative therapy may be, but it's hard to find in the form that would be helpful.

And I don't mean CBT btw. In case anyone wants me to read a blog or guidelines about how in just a day I can change my whole outlook on life and become completely able to understand others. I understand others, the issue is finding others who understand me and/or autism.

I did an interesting workshop where we worked to music, moving around in our own space and working on an issue, which as usual had to to be an emotional, and was meant to be anger, but I worked on my fear, it was supportive yet not intrusive to do it in that way. I progressed.

And I also found 5 rhythms dance therapy promising, but I couldn't find a way of doing it apart from at that one annual workshop where I knew everyone. There's definitely a gap in the market. Even at that venue I was forever backing away from physical contact and hugs, because we all want those don't we? Not.

 

[Crossbreed]

@AngelaS267 , when it comes to autism counseling, a lot of providers [think that they] are competent in ASD2 or 3. They don't know what to do with ASD1s (who frequently have no cognitive deficits).*

If you are in the USA, check THIS BLOG POST for autism-competent counselors.

*Vocational Rehab Specialists are at a similar loss.

 

[AngelaS267]

I understand others, the issue is finding others who understand me and/or autism.

This ^ This is so darn true. I really just want to be understood. I totally feel like I've gotten all I can from therapy. I too am only interested in learning about my autism moving forward.