Since when are SDMB posters qualified therapists?

[Satan]

This flame goes out to all of the people - you know who you are - who use this board as a plea for professional help.

You know who you are, and this goes out to you... WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU THINKING?!?!?

I have problems in my life, and I get by with a little help from people I trust. If they were worse than that, I would seek professional help.

Do you honestly want psychiatric advice from people named iamthecowgodmoo, Satan, Dirty Devil, furt, and zoony? People who do not know you, never met you, and may not even like you very much?

Stop the maddening posts about how you were beaten by a former spouse, your kid is acting up, your dog died, whatever...

I'm sorry for your plight, but take a prozac and take the conversation to someone who is qualified to help.

------------------
Yer pal,
Satan

[kellibelli]

I agree with Satan...hey you losers, stop talking about your personal life!

We should all talk about how we like to get fucked up the ass!

Give 'em hell Satan.

[Mr Thin Skin]

Satan,

You’re troubled too I can tell. You post this at 2:00 A.M. and expect no one to notice? Do you feel your newfound popularity prevents you from sharing your feeling with us? Perhaps, since we all know what you look like, whom you’re dating, where you work, etc. you are constrained in your answers. Or perhaps, since persons you know read this, and know who you are, you’re afraid they will come down on you with look-at-the-kettle-calling-the-pot-black type comments. You can create another screen name and use that for more sensitive topics. Just don’t tell anyone who you are.

[kellibelli]

Snicker...if we get a request from 'lucifer' for advice...we wont think it is you satan...[sarcasm]really[/sarcasm]


I too sense a disturbance in the dark side of the force...what is on your mind Satan...?

[C K Dexter Haven]

There are times that a person with a problem wants to talk to others, but hasn't got anyone around to talk to. There is something theraputic in "talking" (online) to total strangers -- it's a way of unloading without bothering those near and dear to you.

That having been said, I agree that it's ridiculous to expect any significant response other than "I hear you and empathize" or "See a professional."

[SkeptiJess]

Speaking as someone who has recently done this (MPSIMS, terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad night), Satan, I think your criticism is misplaced. I'm sure that most people aren't so much seeking advice as getting the trauma off of their chests. That was my case, certainly. I needed to vent, so I posted. Obviously, this board is not a substitute for professional help (in fact, my daughter has her psych followup this afternoon -- an appointment that was made BEFORE I wrote my post) and I'm sure most people don't use it as such.

------------------
Jess
Full of 'satiable curtiosity

[kellibelli]

Jess, Dont you worry.
We know you werent looking for a therapist, and anytime you need to vent...we are here to listen.
You see, that is what friends are for.
I dont care if I never meet you guys in person, when my kids ask what I am doing when I am posting, I tell them "Mommy is talking to her friends, they live far away."

It is often much easier to unload here, where the teeming millions can choose to read/not read, respond/not respond, than to burden the captive audience of out flesh&blood family and friends, because then they are pressured to come up with a response.

When Jess posted, I could have not replied if the subject made me uncomfortable, but if she was sitting on my couch, telling me about her daughter...how could I choose to not respond then?

This is the very reason I believe most of us are 'regulars', it is a sense of community & friendship that stretches past the boundaries of distance.
On the board, we are free to be exactly who we are, and I feel like I know some of you very well, and I would miss you if you were gone.Hell, if that doesnt define friendship I want to see you define it better.

------------------
kisses,
Kelli

[kellibelli]

Maybe he needs therapy...

[Mr Thin Skin]

Ever notices that by just adding a space "therapist" becomes "the rapist"?

[kellibelli]

Y'know, I was gonna let that slip by with just a short remark...but fuck that!It is the Pit afterall....

quote:Kellibelli you are the worst offender.

OH? [/]I[/i] am, am I?...well, let me get my immature anal sex-obsessed lover and all her junior high friends together and see if we cant clog the board with declarations of love and devotion to each other.

I guess that would be a more appropriate use of electricity than big bad grown up topics like suicide, cancer, parenting, relationships, all that complicated stuff that the grown ups like...its way easier just to put people down for talking about important stuff, and then we will be really cool and we will be in love 4-ever!

Maybe this board should have a section for fluff, and a section for people like me who want to discuss real issues.
Do you think I am the only one who ever struggled with their ex?
Is Jess the only one who ever had to deal with suicide?
Even Diane has gotten support from board members about her son's operation (best of luck BTW I hope it all goes well, I know NOTHING at all about it, so all I can do is keep my fingers crossed for him.)
There!
See, and I dont even like Diane, but I can still offer her support as a mother to a mother, we all have experiences that we draw on to share and support each other.

As annoying as I find you Satan, if you posted a problem or situation that I could help you with, I would.

So bite me.

[BunnyGirl]

I rarely post in the Pit but had to post for this one.

It's one thing if someone's saying, "Poor lonesome me! I'm such a loser. My dog died, my ex-con mother just got run over by a train. Give me pity!"

It's completely another thing when Kelli specifically asks for ways to help her present the idea of a relationship for her kids with their grandparents. Sometimes even the best therapy, self-help books, primal scream therapy, whatever, aren't enough. You need to discuss it, talk it out with real live people. Get their ideas. They may come at it form an angle you may not have thought of, especially being in the middle of a highly-emotional situation.

::Warning: Generalization Approaching::

Women are verbal emotional creatures. We need to talk about things. We typically do not think in a linear fashion like guys do. Everything is everything...all is interrelated.

I have problems in my life, and I get by with a little help from people I trust. If they were worse than that, I would seek professional help.

I think that's exactly what quite a few people are doing here. Getting help/advice from people they trust. What I have noticed is a lot of people saying,"Since I got on my medication and started seeing my therapist,...." It seems they are already getting professional help but like most people, they like to air things out a little by discussing it with someone.

Stop the maddening posts about how you were beaten by a former spouse, your kid is acting up, your dog died, whatever...

How 'bout staying out MPSIMS if this ticks you off so much? Your definition of whining or complaining is pretty damn harsh.

[kellibelli]

Wow, that is as mad as I have ever see you...

Bunny, you are really beautiful when you are mad!

------------------
kisses,
Kelli

[Persephone]

Professional help is great. But a professional is just one person, and sometimes only has one idea about how to solve a problem. Posting here, and asking for help from a whole lot of people gets a whole lot of ideas. No, most of us aren't qualified professional therapists. But we're all human, and lots of us have gone through similar experiences as others. Talking to someone who's been through it helps tremendously.

[Diane]

Speaking generically to avoid a spaz-out, I'll stick with the gray area between both sides.

On one hand, it is good to bounce things off one another if for nothing more than moral support or to gather the experience of someone who has gone through the same thing. Even the comfort of knowing that someone else experienced and survived a problem you are having helps us to deal. Zette (the sweetheart) gave me a lot of information and support through e-mail during the stressful week waiting for the results of my son's x-rays. Her experience made my head a little clearer and I am indebted to her.

However, I have to agree to an extent with Satan in that a message board is no replacement for professional help or personal contacts. (Shit Kel, forget the anal sex, let's discuss guys who don't like taste/smell of their girlfriend, should we?)

It's one thing to ask for advice or experiences and yeah, friendships are made online, hell, I understand Jess's need to post about her daughter, but don't lose sight that this is a message board.

We can all :::kiss::: and :::hug::: and send faces, but the truth is, is that there are 2000+ members of this board and I can guaranty that although we can all sympathize with one another, offer support, even experience great friendships, 99% of these people (with the exception of friendships that have gone beyond posting to a board) don't give a rats ass about the daily lives of others on a message board. With few exception, most of us wouldn’t know each other from Adam666 if we met on the street.

There comes a point in time (hell, even in REAL LIFE) that you cross that fine line between sympathy and just being pathetic. AGAIN - not pointing in anyone’s direction, less I get accused of being a big meanie (I consider myself a realist, not a meanie), but after the first 10 or 20 posts about how picked on you are, how rough your life is, how unfair the world has treated you, everything starts to sounds the same (poor, poor, pitiful me).

After a while it gets, even to those who care.


------------------
>^,,^<
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[Diane]

Speaking generically to avoid a spaz-out, I'll stick with the gray area between both sides.

On one hand, it is good to bounce things off one another if for nothing more than moral support or to gather the experience of someone who has gone through the same thing. Even the comfort of knowing that someone else experienced and survived a problem you are having helps us to deal. Zette (the sweetheart) gave me a lot of information and support through e-mail during the stressful week waiting for the results of my son's x-rays. Her experience made my head a little clearer and I am indebted to her.

However, I have to agree to an extent with Satan in that a message board is no replacement for professional help or personal contacts. (Shit Kel, forget the anal sex, let's discuss guys who don't like taste/smell of their girlfriend, should we?)

It's one thing to ask for advice or experiences and yeah, friendships are made online, hell, I understand Jess's need to post about her daughter, but don't lose sight that this is a message board.

We can all :::kiss::: and :::hug::: and send faces, but the truth is, is that there are 2000+ members of this board and I can guaranty that although we can all sympathize with one another, offer support, even experience great friendships, 99% of these people (with the exception of friendships that have gone beyond posting to a board) don't give a rats ass about the daily lives of others on a message board. With few exception, most of us wouldn’t know each other from Adam666 if we met on the street.

There comes a point in time (hell, even in REAL LIFE) that you cross that fine line between sympathy and just being pathetic. AGAIN - not pointing in anyone’s direction, less I get accused of being a big meanie (I consider myself a realist, not a meanie), but after the first 10 or 20 posts about how picked on you are, how rough your life is, how unfair the world has treated you, everything starts to sounds the same (poor, poor, pitiful me).

After a while it gets old, even to those who care.


------------------
>^,,^<
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[kellibelli]

wh wh what?

Shit Kel, forget the anal sex, let's discuss guys who don't like taste/smell of their girlfriend, should we?)

Are you implying I think you stink?
I thought we had agreed not to tell anyone!



***closed captioning for the humor impaired***
The previous was meant as a joke and in no way is meant to seriously imply that either Diane or myself is a lesbian...not that I have anything against lesbians mind you!

[Diane]

Are you implying I think you stink?
I thought we had agreed not to tell anyone!

I knew this was gonna go over your head. . . .

:::sigh:::

I was only bringing to your attention the irony of your statement about the anal sex when you yourself post that your boyfriend won't go down on you.

Me stink? I can't keep my guy outa my crotch.

However, back to your problem. I hear soap works wonders.


------------------
>^,,^<
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[kellibelli]

meow...(nice flame BTW)

If you read the rest of that thread, you will discover I found out why:
apparently he went down on his last girlfriend, and got a mouthful of her last date...that would put me off oral snacking too.

I think Drainbead was plagued by a similar problem...guy who didnt go down I mean. It is not that uncommon, lots of guys have hang ups about kissing the pisser.

As for you and your guy...
*sigh*, I wish I had that problem.
I really do.
Really.
You can't imagine how BADLY I wish I had that problem.
Damn.

[Diane]

You know I love ya Kel - really

Have you suggested cherry popsicles? Seriously.


------------------
>^,,^<
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[kellibelli]

POPSICLES!! *sob* stop it!!
I miss that so bad it is nearly driving me mad!

Honestly though, if he doesnt get over this soon, I will have to go elsewhere..

How did you make out with your little boy?Will he have to have the operation?...that would scare the hell outta me.

------------------
kisses,
Kelli

[BoBettie]

Wow, this thread took an unexpected and strange turn!! lol!
This is a general post- not meant for anyone in particular

Diane raises an excellent point- (and she revealed my secret life as a sweetheart- now the word is out!) Sometimes you can get a lot of good info or advice from what someone else has experienced- there's nothing wrong with that for Gods sake! Diane also didn't ask for my advice or complain, she posted in a thread and mentioned that her son might need back surgery- I e-mailed her privately (which to me seems like the best way to do these things) and we discussed it from there. In private...

I don't have a problem with Kelli's posts because they are normally marked as exactly what they are- if it's a pissed off flame about her ex, that's what it says. If it's a post about her mom, that's also what it says. I personally have never interpreted her posts as whiny- just a lot of crap going on right now it sounds like. So basically, I guess my point is this:

If you aren't interested, just save yourself the heartache it obviously causes you and don't read it. Easy enough for everyone? I think so.

This is a message board, but it has a place called "Mundane Pointless Stuff I Must Share". I think there is room for personal dillema as well as the fifth "Best Movie" threads. Read the ones you like, skip the ones you don't and quit your friggin' bichin' already!

------------------
It was dark all around.
There was frost in the ground
When the tigers broke free-

[Diane]

Thanks Kel -

My "little boy" is actually 6'4" and almost 18 years old, but yeah, he is still my little boy.

The x-rays show that he has stopped growing (FINALLY) and that the curve has not progressed past the point that would require surgery. He'll be doing a lot of exercises, but at least won't go under the knife thank God.

Hey - we are talking nice!?!?! What's up with that?


------------------
>^,,^<
KITTEN

Coarse and violent nudity. Occasional language.

[kellibelli]

Yeah, what the hell are we doing...

Is this better?

You have a kid THAT old, wow, you are ancient!

I bet we both feel better now!

I amoutta here for a while, this ties up my phone, and I need to tell my guy to pick up popsicles on his way over..see ya!

ps, thanks zette

[Satan]

kellibelli:

As I expected, me thinks thou protesteth too much.

I never mamed you specifically in my post, yet you replied how many times initially?

And after I called you on it - Oh boy did the feces take flight!

So I'll just take this as a confession of guilt with no remorse and leave it at that.

But thank you again for playing, waste of oxygen!

------------------
Yer pal,
Satan

[kellibelli]

oh, since I wansnt mamed specifically, I am so relieved!
Isnt it supposed to be maimed?

Oh, and duck, some of those feces are directed at your head...(she smiled sweetly)

and I have enjoyed playing, thank YOU,
you horse's ass ...


------------------
kisses,
Kelli

[pricciar]

Satan,
kelli is Guilty of what?
nothing.

She responded to your post, because she disagreed. Plenty of people responded disagreeing.
Noone agreed with your entire statement.
You respond to Kelli's disagreement, by saying she disagrees because she is the guilty party. Of course, that doesn't say why everyone else disagrees. You are too busy burying kelli because she has had problems she wanted to talk about.

In addition, how many times did she respond to your OP? once.. after that she was responding to other people's comments.

Noone is using this board to replace their therapist. People occasionaly use this board to discuss the things that bug them, as they sometimes use the board to discuss things that make them estatic.

I echo what other people have said, if the thread looks like it might be someone's problem, which you don't want to dirty your monitor with, just go to the next thread.

pat

[Girl Next Door]

HELL FREEZES OVER!!!

It must have, Kellibelli and Diane are being NICE to each other!!!

[kellibelli]

THATS IT!!

That explains why Satan is so bitchy...
He is cold!

thanks pat

Diane and I are both adults (even though she is way older) and we are capable of being nice. I actuall think she is pretty cool most of the time, but dont tell her, 'kay?

[ChrisCTP]

"Since when are SDMB posters qualified therapists?"

Since the SDMB poster seeking therapy qualified them. Geez, suddenly, everyone has a title. It's not enough to have personal experience, now you have to have professional credentials.

Have you never sought some sort of "therapy" or "counsel" from your friends or family members?

If your best friend knows a great deal about real estate, but is not actually a licensed, certifed real estate agent, do you refrain from asking him his opinion when you're gathering information to educate yourself about buying a house?

If your mother knows how to take care of a sick child because of her experiences taking care of you, yet she's not actually a pediatrician, do you refrain from asking her how to help Junior get over his cold?

We provide a good sounding board for one another. In addition to wanting feedback from someone who's "been through it", it's also nice to have UNBIASED opinions - advice, tips, anecdotes from people who aren't necessarily going to side with us or walk on eggshells to preserve our feelings.

I know that when I'm pissed at my husband, I'll talk to my friends about it. I also know that they'll side with me, each and every time. That's all well and good, but sometimes (very occasionally) I am the one being a dork, not him. Since it obviously doesn't fly when I hear it from him, it's easier taking my lumps from a group of people into whose faces I don't have to look, sheepishly.

It's a nice combination of reality and impersonality. Knowing that these people don't really give a shit about my personal problems once they're done offering their two cents is actually rather comforting ... as far as our common problems go, I know they'll offer whatever support or advice they have, and then move on.

When dealing with friends, the subject just won't go away. When dealing with a therapist, they won't let it go away until your hour is up. Then when you go back, they'll ask, "Did you try what I suggested last week?" If the answer is no, they want to go into your feelings of rebellion, or your feelings of insecurity, or whatever.

I decide I want to take five minutes and bitch about something, I'm gonna do it. Some people with sympathise, others will tell me I'm being a selfish wench. I can take their advice or leave it, but at least I came away with a few new points of view.

AND I didn't have to shell out $100.

------------------
Veni, Vidi, Visa ... I came, I saw, I bought.

[Diane]

You have a kid THAT old, wow, you are ancient!

I gave birth to him when I was 9.

[zoony]

...ahem...

As I was inexplicably named in the OP, I just thought that I might point out that, acutally I am a qualified therapist.

An athletic therapist mind you, but hey...shoud any of you get sore backs from ducking the fecal fusilade - like the man said - you know my name, look up the number.

Z

------------------
"Always forgive your enemies, but never forget their names."
- John F. Kennedy

[kellibelli]

Di...I laughed so hard, it made my 4 year old laugh....still chuckling..

[andros]

"Maybe this board should have a section for fluff, and a section for people like me who want to discuss real issues."

Hmmm. Call me goofy, but I thought this big wad of message boards was intended to be about TSD and Unca' Cecil. I kind of expected the discussions contained herein to be somewhat centered around the column, rather than IRC-like chat.

He's rude and has his head up his ass sometimes, but I reckon I'll have to go with Satan on this one. It can't be too tough to stick to Straight Dope-related material, can it?

------------------
There's always a bigger fish.

[Dirty Devil]

I was also inexplicably named in the OP. And I'm so grateful that somebody knows who I am. I get so lonely out here. It seems that nobody cares about what I'm going through. I mean, my wife is running a whore house out of our garage. My daughter is currently cooking up methamphetamine in her room (and shes only 4). My mom is about to stand trial for holding up a Super K-Mart with a 15-foot anaconda. And I'm gonna' get fired for the banana pudding/inflatable doll incident at last summer's company picknick. I'm really depressed and I don't know where to turn. Can someone please tell me what to do?

Oh, Satan, this isn't what you wanted, is it? Sorry about that.

[kellibelli]

Andros,
that sounded more conceited than I meant it to, you are right of course, but there are many threads that have nothing to to with TSD, some serious, some not.

For example, Jess' thread about her daughter, not related at all to TSD, but not fluff either.

The threads about fav. movies, songs, etc,fun but fluff, and not related to TSD.

If the threads here were restricted to just TSD, there would be no MPSIMS, Pit, Great debates,it would just be people asking questions, and commenting on columns...wait! there are forums for comments on columns,and one for comments on mailbag answers.

If you look at the list of forums, you can find them there.

On a board called Mundane Personal Stuff I Must Share, I think it is pretty safe to think it will be about mundane personal stuff, by people who like to share....maybe I am misinterpreting the MPSIMS...dunno.

[andros]

Well, yes, Kelli. You're right. That's it's name. And what a weak attempt at condescension that was.

Personally, I don't feel that MPSIMS should exist. But then, I avoid it. My goal is to try to emulate the Master--whose column, last I checked, is NOT named "Dear Cecil."

-andros-

------------------
There's always a bigger fish.

[Lynn Bodoni]

{"Maybe this board should have a section for fluff, and a section for people like me who want to discuss real issues."
Hmmm. Call me goofy, but I thought this big wad of message boards was intended to be about TSD and Unca' Cecil. I kind of expected the discussions contained herein to be somewhat centered around the column, rather than IRC-like chat.}

This is why we divided the forums. General Questions, Comments about Cecil's Column, and Mailbag Comments are all centered around The Straight Dope. I'm not sure where the Great Debates forum would fit.

HOWEVER, we started on AOL, and built up a community of weirdos-errrr, interesting folks. This is why there's a lot of "fluff" postings. MPSIMS was INTENDED to be pure fluff, sort of like cotton candy, there's no substance but it's pretty and tastes good. It's a part of our community and tradition now.

My suggestion to everyone is to read the threads/forums they like, and ignore the ones they DON'T like. If you don't want to read flames, stay out of the pit. You don't want to read fluff? Stay out of MPSIMS. Cecil will still love you even if you don't read every post in the MPSIMS forum.

Lynn/SDStaff Lynn
For the Straight Dope

[andros]

Thanks, Lynn. And that's why I avoid MPSIMS like the plague.

But I just thought I'd jump into the Pit to burn off a little frustration at the folks who post "fluff" in the middle of the "non-fluff" boards. To add just a bit more flame, and clarify my position on the Comments message board:

I DON'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS if you're a paranoid schizophrenic, or a double amputee, or if WalMart doesn't have stretch pants on sale. I DON'T CARE if your husband/wife/s.o. beats you or if the government is late with your welfare check . . .

Unless it's valid to the discussion and lends some support to an argument. And even then, christ, don't whine about it.

/rant

-andros-

------------------
There's always a bigger fish.

[kellibelli]

Andros,
That wasnt actually supposed to be condescending, I thought you made a point and I tried to respond politely to it.I apologise if it sounded condescending.

When I first started lurking here, I thought MPSIMS was a word.

**for more on this phenomenon,see "How stupid am I..Shut up Satan!"in MPSIMS.**

Lynn, I agree.

Now that I have agreed with Lynn, and made nice with Diane, I am signing off to go boil my eyes.

Thank you and have a (twitch) nice day.

[Dirty Devil]

Andros - For someone who only registered last Wednesday, why don't you shut the hell up! If you don't like the MPSIMS, stay the hell out of the forum. Nobody is forcing you to read anything. You say that you don't give a rat's ass about what these people think? Hey, guess what? They probably don't give a rat's ass about what you think, either. God knows, I don't.

[tracer]

kellibelli wrote:

apparently he went down on his last girlfriend, and got a mouthful of her last date...that would put me off oral snacking too.

You could tell him you haven't dated any other guys for at least the last 8 hours.

Personally, I can't imagine something even of that magnitude would put me off "oral snacking". I really enjoy performing cunnilingus when I get the opportunity, and right now it's one of the things I really miss.

------------------
I'm not flying fast, just orbiting low.

[kellibelli]

Wanna go steady?

[andros]

Kelli: no offense meant and none taken. My apologies, and I'm glad you have asbestos pj's on.

Devil: Mmmm . . . thought that'd get the ol' BBQ fired up. Let's see.

"Andros - For someone who only registered last Wednesday, why don't you shut the hell up!"

oooh, you're cool. You can find out how long ago I registered under this name. I'm so proud of you.

"If you don't like the MPSIMS, stay the hell out of the forum. Nobody is forcing you to read anything."

I think I made that point already. I DON'T go into MPSIMS. As I said, I don't think it is appropriate for the Straight Dope website. As near as I can tell (and I've been reading Cecil for a while) the SD is about eliminating ignorance, not personal politics or solving Springer-esque problems.

But that's my opinion, and I didn't make you read it.

"You say that you don't give a rat's ass about what these people think? Hey, guess what? They probably don't give a rat's ass about what you think, either."

Works for me. What's the problem? They get to whine, I get to vent. I don't care much what other people think of me either.

"God knows, I don't."

Oh, damn. And here I was pining away for you.
Look, Devil . . . if what I say didn't bother you, why'd you respond? And so very vitriolically? Not that I mind. After all, this is a flame pit. But I wonder if there's a reason my posts got under your skin so badly?

------------------
There's always a bigger fish.

[Lynn Bodoni]

{Now that I have agreed with Lynn, and made nice with Diane, I am signing off to go boil my eyes.}Kellibelli

Cripes. I think the Pit just froze over. Satan? Are you experiencing an unexpected cool spell?

[Prairie Rose]

Go bite a rock, Satan! I know damn well that these people aren't professional therapists, and I'll still ask them advise about my new son whenever I damn well please! Just ignore the thread for Christsake!

The advise of people like ChrisCTP and Kellibelli has been more precious than gold to me- they know better than the "experts"! A little moral support never hurts, either.

Prairie Rose

------------------
If you're not part of the solution you're just scumming up the bottom of the beaker.

[moriah]

<body>
<dl>[list=1][*]How do you know I'm not a therapist?&nbsp; (Besides the fact I'm not collecting any fees for any of the advice I give?)
[*]According to those in the psych biz, therapy couldn't happen here on the board even if you wanted it to. Therapy is treatment for a diagnosed mental illness. A few posts back and forth could not establish a diagnosis, nor establish any means of therapy.
[*]Talking about problems and getting advice about problems (i.e., counseling)
can certainly happen here on the board. In many states, you don't need no stinking credentials to be a counselor (though the courts will certainly hold you to the ethical standards of a counselor-client relationship
if you make yourself out to be one).&nbsp; Venting, or discussing problems, even when there is no solution proferred or found, can itself be helpful
for coping with the problem.
[*]If you need therapy, get it. You know when you need it.&nbsp; Let your venting here give you the courage to seek the therapy you need and not be a replacement for the therapy.
[*]Don't read the vents if you don't want to read vents.
[*]And finally, Satan, consider this: The venting that people do makes us feel superior.&nbsp; And when they are given terribly bad advice for their problems, then we get to flame those idiots. [/list=1]
</dl>


<font face="Wingdings"><font size=+4>A</font></font>
</body>

[BoBettie]

Kelli-
I almost busted a gut over your first post in this thread...great flame!!
Anyhoo, on to the question at hand. First, if you don't like those posts, why read them? One was called ", terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad night". Hmmmm..sounds like someone is having a problem they want to talk about. So stay out of the post if you don't like reading them. Some of us don't mind at all and can give the person some insight. No, we're not qualified therapists. These people don't need therapy from us. It's called a "shoulder to cry on" or "having an ear to lend". Sometimes in a crisis it's nice to hear about if your issue has been dealt with by others and how. Sometimes it feels good to vent (see my post from a few days ago called "rant")
I say keep posting whatever you want. I'm glad to be able to help by sharing my own knowledge and experiences with someone who needs it. There is room for these issues here...don't read 'em if you don't like 'em.

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It was dark all around.
There was frost in the ground
When the tigers broke free-

[kellibelli]

Bless you Zette, I was afraid it was too subtle, and I have NEVER been any good at subtle.

[Satan]

Kellibelli:

Seeing as you are the worst offender, I knew you would take this thread to heart.

Now feel free to keep posting about how your dead-beat ex is jilting you out of child support or whatever horrors your kids are doing.

Whatever makes you feel better... Of course, it ain't gonna help you actually get better, but then you'd have no reason to exist if it wasn't for these traumas.

[Mr Thin Skin]

Kelli,

Satan does not understand self-deprecating humor. Never has, never will. It's a malady that inflicts the in crowd.