I really need to be seeing one. I have tried a couple, but as far as I was concerned, we never really clicked. I really don’t respond well to bland.
I believe in the value of CBT, but I want to move beyond that and understand WHY I do/think/feel these things. I understand how to use CBT to combat cognitive distortions. I want to know what the distortions are rooted in.
One positive counseling experience I had was with someone who challenged me, who would essentially say “Bullshit!” in response to something I said. I want to come away from a counseling session feeling energized and ready to fight my demons.
How do I go about finding someone I will click with? Is there a particular approach/philosophy I should look for? I thought a Gestalt therapist might be a good match for me, but the one I found was…bland. I liked where she was trying to take me, though.
I hate the thought of going through the intake process over and over and over until I find someone. Does anyone have suggestions about how to narrow my choices?
If you can, see if you can get a recommendation from this counselor.
My primary care physician was able to recommend a psychiatrist for me, who he knew and trusted. My PCP and I both agreed that my medication needed to be adjusted, and the shrink that he recommended had been in internal medicine for a while, so the shrink knew how diabetics commonly reacted to many antidepressants.
Therapists do vary so much, in their approach and their competence. The best one I ever met (he’s a little bit famous and did wonders with me) told me straight-out that EXPERIENCE is the key factor. He swore that studies have shown it, that therapists who’ve been practicing for a long while (regardless of degree or approach) have a much higher efficacy rating. That’s consistent with what I’ve experienced.
Along with choosing the right person (and I’ll admit, it can be a crapshoot), there is also the option of asking someone to work a certain way with you. What I mean is, you could ask someone to explore the why with you, even if they usually don’t do that. Some therapists wouldn’t be interested/able/whatever, but others would.