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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 7 of 7. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by arora on September 8, 2007, at 4:40:50
Ok, since TherapyGirl said she loved embarrassing stories... this is mine. :-0 It's a bit long-winded, so bear with me....
I have a friend who would like to become a therapist. About 2 years ago he did an introductory course, (which was certified) in Person-Centered based therapy... it was quite in-depth, and two terms long. He decided Person-Centered wasn't quite the technique he wanted to practice, but the course he did actually want was full- so he did ANOTHER intro course... (this one was Gestalt, or something like that. Again, he completed the course.
Then, full of confidence he applied once more for the course he wanted, (at an institute I'll call "Psychodynamics-R-Us") only to be told he couldn't be accepted unless he did ANOTHER basic intro course. Theirs. (Despite the fact that theirs wasn't certified- was even more basic than the two he'd already done, and covered pretty much the same material. But was more expensive).
He was, as you can imagine VERY upset- and he rang and told me this not long before I was scheduled to see my T, and I went to the session absolutely fuming at how he had been treated. I was already becoming disillusioned with therapy anyway, (my T and I did NOT click at all) so I had a bit of a rant about how this greedy, self-serving, controlling, (I think I might have used that time-honored psychodynamic phrase "anally retentive") institute did not recognise nor respect any other therapeutic technique other than their own.
My T said nothing.
I told all this later to my friend, (he was always curious as to how my sessions went) and he nearly collapsed he was laughing so hard... because that's where my T had trained! ! ! .... and hadn't the name of the agency she worked for, (which I'll call "Therapists-R-Us") given me a LITTLE bit of a clue?!
er- no. I had somehow missed that rather important detail.
All I could think was how I had slagged off the place she had got her degree BIG time (for a good 10-15 minutes!) and she never even batted an eye. (My memory isn't great, but I am sure I said they were control freaks- ROFL!!)
I would just love to see her notes on me..... :-D
arora
Posted by Wittgenstein on September 8, 2007, at 5:47:34
In reply to Embarrassing T Story, posted by arora on September 8, 2007, at 4:40:50
Oopsssy!! Ouch! Who knows what she wrote in her notes!! I'm glad you got out of there, and perhaps it needed to be said!
My first experience with a therapist in the Netherlands was this very strange woman (who I saw twice at the free mental health service). She definitely had an inferiority complex as whenever I questioned anything she said, she became all defensive and stuttered (she didn't speak much English either which was a bit of a problem as my Dutch was much worse at that point). Anyway, on the second appointment I said I didn't think her suggested approach (EMDR) would be the best thing for me and said I was going to take up therapy with *my current therapist* instead - my diagnosis is severe depression and social anxiety.
She knew of him and went on about how I didn't have sufficient ego strength for that kind of therapy. We ended up getting into an argument about the difference between analysis and psychodynamic psychotherapy, which she claimed were one and the same - whereas I insisted that that isn't the case - in the end I told her to look it up and gave her a web-address! This is after she'd told me on the first meeting that my mother has BPD and my father is autistic (having met neither of them). I don't like to think where she did her training!
Witti
Posted by Honore on September 8, 2007, at 12:24:57
In reply to Embarrassing T Story, posted by arora on September 8, 2007, at 4:40:50
That is *the* funniest story, arora. It made me laugh-- to think how your T must have been squirming when you were ranting on about her institute.
She probably went to her T and started ranting either about the institute (because she agreed with you) or you (because she was defensive about her training) or how being a T is too hard and it's not fair, etc. The thought is just very amusing.
I take it your rant didn't hurt your relationship with your T--since it was not so good anyway.. Are you seeing another T now?
Honore
Posted by TherapyGirl on September 8, 2007, at 21:09:20
In reply to Embarrassing T Story, posted by arora on September 8, 2007, at 4:40:50
That is funny, Arora. Thanks for sharing it.
I, too, have had more than my share of those moments. Something about being outspoken about my strong opinions on things.
On several occasions after I've spouted off about something in therapy, I'll look at my T and say, "You didn't go there to school," or "You didn't vote for that candidate, did you?" LOL
Posted by arora on September 9, 2007, at 9:00:29
In reply to Re: Embarrassing T Story, posted by Honore on September 8, 2007, at 12:24:57
Honore-
No, I'm between T's at the moment. I think it's only fair I try to limit the number of therapists I traumatise; it's not fair to other clients. :-Darora
Posted by Poet on September 9, 2007, at 12:01:45
In reply to Embarrassing T Story, posted by arora on September 8, 2007, at 4:40:50
Hi Arora,
If I were you I'd check out my next therapist's education before making an appointment. "Did you attend Psychodynamics-R-US?" "Yes, I graduated (click) hello? Arora are you still there?"
Poet
Posted by arora on September 9, 2007, at 13:11:58
In reply to Re: Embarrassing T Story » arora, posted by Poet on September 9, 2007, at 12:01:45
This is the end of the thread.
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