I have been seeing different therapists since 1991 and most of them have been total duds. But because I am from Canada and have full health coverage I guess I am lucky in that I am not losing money to useless therapists. We still have our problems with the system (waiting lists) but I often wonder about people South of the border who do not have medical coverage. Then I was talking to a German friend online today who told me they don't have Universal health care there either. So how difficult it is for you to find a good therapist where you are? What are some of the problems you encounter?



Cheers.

Well, it isnt easy. With me, my insurance has a list of pdocs and therapists that are covered under the plan. If you pick someone else, that is okay, but you will have to pay upfront and get some reimbursement later. I try to ask the girl who answers the phone if she thinks he is a good doctor. You would be surprised how many tell me what they think, tho some dont. There is a site online that you can go to to find out if your doctor is Board Certified and also if there have been any claims against them. That helps some. Would you believe the first time I saw a therapist, I got him out of the phone book. His office was in my town and he had a PHD and was head of the practice. Thats all I knew. I just gave it a whirl. Luckily, he turned out to be great. The only other thing is to try to find out from someone who is in therapy or seeing a psychiatrist to tell you how they like their doc.

Great post! I haven't been able to find a therapist that does much for me. My sister has one that she really likes but my insurance will not cover any of his fee. It's all or nothing. I tried to get them to cover the customary amount but no way.

It would be great to find a good one.

I am envious - my health plan only covers $500.00 per year since psychologists aren't covered by Canada's health care, just psychiatrists. Psychologists where I am are about $165-$175 per hour so $500 really isn't much, especially if you need/want weekly therapy.

In response to your question about "problems you encounter", I have a question which maybe follows this thread and is ok to post here?

I have a therapist right now that I think could maybe be the (only?) one I could eventually get to trusting completely. But I am worried she has too many patients and not enough time for me. I want to bring this up with her because I haven't seen her for almost 4 weeks due to her vacation/scheduling problems...and if she really doesn't have time for me, I am already into coping with withdrawal from her, and now would be a good time to sever ties if it really has to be this way. But am I stepping on her professional toes by asking her to look at whether she has enough time to see me and care about me? Isn't that like telling her how to do her job? I wrote down what I want to say but I feel like I am accusing her of not giving me enough attention (which sounds horrible and selfish in itself). But I really am worried about this....and if she doesn't have time, as devastated as I will be, I will be better off to end things now and cut my losses before I get even more dependent and attached to her when she can't give me the support I unfortunately need.

Tied to this is the fact that I told her something I completely regret and now I am having so much trouble telling her anything about anything else....so I am kind of back at the starting gate again as I lost my ability to trust (100% my fault - not because of her at all).

So I have this therapist (and I have seen a few others) that I think is the only one I have a hope of being honest with that I'm worried doesn't have time for me and that I have run into problems trusting. I want to discuss this but I am terrified that a) she will think *I* want to end things with her and/or b) that she'll agree and say yes, it would be better that I see someone else and c) that she'll be angry with me for what feels like accusing or criticizing her professionally which isn't my intent at all and think I am too demanding and selfish. What I really really want.... is for her to say it is ok, that I can compete with her other clients and am worthy of her time and that she *does* have time for me and we *can* rebuild my trust and that she is not going to give up on me and will be there for me no matter how long it takes....that she *does* care about me and wants to help me. But this is just my fantasy. I am going to raise an issue that will end up with me losing her...so I am better to keep quiet and accept whatever time she will give me, as long as I can afford it?? I would really like to know what thoughts anyone has about what I should do....please help me decide.... I always make decisions that make things worse and what if raising this issue is another bad decision in the making?

Know what I like about her (one thing) - she takes her shoes off during the session - I know it is silly for me to care but the way I feel is hey, this woman is barefoot - I can see her toessss - how can I be intimidated by someone whose toes I can see? I know it is stupid. But it matters to me and I don't want to lose her.

I can understand where you are coming from, you worried about asking a question that is really important to you, because you may not like the answer. I have done that too. Just querying what you mean by withdrawals from her? I had a really good counsellor, who I seemed to click with who finished with me last week because she was burnt out. I used to get withdrawals then I would start to get over it then she would contact me to see her. She also had holiday schedules and sometimes got called to work elsewhere. I see a counsellor through work and it is free. She has passed me on to another counsellor, I am a bit anxious about.

I just meant I haven't seen her for 3 1/2 weeks now ...for me it is like "withdrawal" because seeing her is very important to me (pretty much all I look towards from one week to the next) - I really really miss the contact but the more time that passes...the "easier" it gets... . But tomorrow morning is when I go....I think I have pretty much chickened out on giving her the letter. But I don't know what I'll be able to say about anything if I don't bring the letter (normally I write stuff because I have a hard time talking, but I couldn't write anything else the past 3 1/2 weeks). I'm sorry your counsellor decided to take a break - that must be so, so difficult for you. I hope the new one clicks with you...but your old counsellor knows you so hopefully she paired you up with someone she knows you would work well with.

I just meant I haven't seen her for 3 1/2 weeks now ...for me it is like "withdrawal" because seeing her is very important to me (pretty much all I look towards from one week to the next) - I really really miss the contact but the more time that passes...the "easier" it gets... .


I think I am very similar to you, as the visits I had were the one of the only things that kept me going and was also what I was looking forward to from one week to the next. I used to see her weekly. Also noticed too that the more time that passed the easier it gets as well. She once asked me what it was that kept me going, but I didn't mention seeing her, as it was too embarassing to admit to that.

I felt really sad when I knew she was leaving and bought her a present with a card to say thank you and wished her luck in whatever she decided to do.

i go to a community health care clinic, where i was assigned a therapist. lucky for me, she's a good one and we get along great. my treatment there is free (for now anyway), so i can't complain.

I think therapists as a whole are worthless but smart. What I mean by this is that they were very smart to pick a profession where they can make a s*** load of money knowing that all they really have to do is pretend to care about you for exactly 1 hour and then say: "Next!" (cha-ching!) They're laughing at us when we leave their office and then they go to Happy Hour with all their therapist friends and take turns making fun of our mental problems!

This post has been edited by USAstray: Jul 15 2008, 03:43 PM

I know that for some, therapists have really helped people. For me, I have had immense difficulty in finding someone that I can trust and actually work with to try and improve myself.
For the first time since I had therapy (since 1996) I found someone who I really trusted and felt like I was getting places with. Unfortunately, my psychiatrist was horrible and we ended up talking a lot about him... She actually was just contracted at the school for a year and is moving so I'm back to square one... :(

yeah they're not silly thats for sure!

genine

USAstray,

I concur! Many 'therapists' rely on a patient to Believe the psychs can help them. Its a human trait; what EVER we believe in, we give power to, and thereby create a self fulfilling event of 'therapy'. If you DON'T Believe (quasi religiously) they'll go into the 'do nothing and the patient will leave' maneuver. Focusing their business on self-healing people is profitable. Here in California, that's called 'savvy business'. So that leaves a large percentile of truly depressed people untreated while functional people with 'the blues' get all the meds and time they really don't need.
sucks to be us.
THX183