What you can’t expect from your therapist

	Tweet

A therapist is there to offer a supportive, safe environment in which you can deal with your problems. But there are certain limits to what you can expect from your therapist.

• Don’t expect your therapist to have a magic wand. You’ve established patterns over a number of years and these can’t be unravelled in one or two sessions.
• You cannot expect your therapist to waive her fees when you are cash strapped. It is your responsibility to ensure that your account is settled either by yourself or by your medical aid. You may, however, raise the issue with your therapist and see if you could come to some arrangement to settle your bill. If you ignore the problem, your therapist is bound to feel resentful and this will jeapardise your therapeutic relationship.
• Although you might feel that your therapist has become your friend, your therapeutic relationship should only exist during therapy. A therapist cannot be on call at all times and should not cross boundaries by forming friendships with you outside of therapy. If a friendship does develop, it will be your therapist’s responsibility to refer you to someone else.
• Your therapist cannot “fight your battles for you”. Only in certain cases (and only with your consent) will other people such as your employer or spouse be contacted by your therapist.

RELATED STORIES:
Effects of Mood and Anxiety Disorders: Future Directions for Research   Generalized Anxiety Disorder   Hypothalamic- Pituitary- Adrenocortical and Sympathomedullary Hyperactivity   Plain Talk About…Dealing With the Angry Child   Third National Incidence Study of Child Abuse and Neglect   The Invisible Disease: Depression   Other antidepressants   ADHD: What Parents Should Know   Depression Glossary   Depression: Electroconvulsive Therapy   Blues missed in moms-to-be   Causes of depression   Prevention of depression   Bipolar Disorder: Introduction, Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment   Psychological Theories in Psychiatry

Comments

[ + Post Your Own ]

Now you're in the public comment zone. What follows is not Armenian Medical Network's stuff; it comes from other people and we don't vouch for it. A reminder: By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.

There are no comments for this entry yet. [ + Comment here + ]