Posted by Dinah on March 19, 2007, at 21:16:44
In reply to Re: a newbie in love, posted by gazo on March 19, 2007, at 20:00:07
One therapist I worked with did hand out a disclosure statement at the beginning of therapy and did warn of attachment. But it certainly isn't universally done.
My therapist swears to me that the number of clients who get attached to him is very small, and that he wouldn't really have understood the client side except for hearing babble stories from me.
I guess that could possibly be true. That it may be a minority of clients who get intensely attached.
But for those minority, I halfway agree with you. It does seem like a relationship set up to mimic other types of relationships in our life, but with no possibility of following up on the promises. I say halfway, because I think if you can stick with a therapist long enough those issues can lessen. But the number of times when therapy terminates before that happy moment seems distressingly high.
My therapist's point of view is that yes, the therapy situation does mimic other relationships in our life, and does set up unrealistic desires, but that a careful therapist can minimize that with careful words and actions. I'm not altogether sure that's true. First of all, he claims to be careful with his words and actions yet I still got attached, and second, I've seen here all ranges of styles of therapists that people do get attached to.
On the other hand, therapy really can do wonderful things. I learned to control my OCD with CBT techniques. I've learned a lot about myself and my reactions. There are so many ways that therapy has helped me.
Maybe it's just one of those areas in life where the most benefit comes with the most risk. We take huge chances trusting our therapists and sometimes we get hurt, but other times the payoff is pretty darn good in terms of better emotional health. Which doesn't make those who are hurt hurt any less, and I'm really sorry that you've been hurt.
poster:Dinah
thread:742197
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20070309/msgs/742306.html