Is This Normal?
Posted: Thu Jul 16, 2015 11:02 am
I haven't been around for awhile but I thought you guys might have some good insights on this. So I just saw a therapist for the first time because of some issues with postpartum depression and anxiety. And it wasn't really what I was hoping for. What I wanted was someone who would listen to how I was feeling and help me understand it better or something. But a few times when I brought up things she seemed dismissive - at least to me.
For example, I mentioned that my last baby was not planned, which I think has been part of my issue. And the therapist's response was how I had good spacing between my kids. She was all, "really, thatonemom, that is perfect spacing between kids." That's a lot of assumptions right there, like that I was planning to have another kid at all, or that I agreed with her idea of what "good spacing" is. But she seemed to have the attitude of "that's not really a problem so let's move on." She had that kind of approach a couple other times. I told her I had been nervous about coming and at the end all she said was "see, that wasn't scary at all!" Well, I'm glad she felt that way. It was scary for me.
Sorry to rant. The point is I wasn't very satisfied with the experience and don't want to see her again. But here are my questions:
Is that how therapy normally goes? I get that therapy helps challenge ideas that are harmful, but does it normally feel so dismissive?
I've heard you should give therapists three visits before you decide to part ways. Is that good advice? Has anyone seen someone they didn't think would be a fit but after time it got better?
For example, I mentioned that my last baby was not planned, which I think has been part of my issue. And the therapist's response was how I had good spacing between my kids. She was all, "really, thatonemom, that is perfect spacing between kids." That's a lot of assumptions right there, like that I was planning to have another kid at all, or that I agreed with her idea of what "good spacing" is. But she seemed to have the attitude of "that's not really a problem so let's move on." She had that kind of approach a couple other times. I told her I had been nervous about coming and at the end all she said was "see, that wasn't scary at all!" Well, I'm glad she felt that way. It was scary for me.
Sorry to rant. The point is I wasn't very satisfied with the experience and don't want to see her again. But here are my questions:
Is that how therapy normally goes? I get that therapy helps challenge ideas that are harmful, but does it normally feel so dismissive?
I've heard you should give therapists three visits before you decide to part ways. Is that good advice? Has anyone seen someone they didn't think would be a fit but after time it got better?