No One Turning To A Professional Should Become A Victim Of Therapy Abuse

By Iva Cannon


As is true in any of the helping professions, there are good providers, bad providers and those that are downright damaging. It is a sad situation when the very person whom you turn to for help, is capable of therapy abuse. Fortunately, some of his actions may alert you to the fact that you should seek another therapist.

During the first office visit many can sense whether everything is as it should be. Those feelings that tell you something is off should always be trusted. If you continue to go to sessions, ignoring those warnings you may end up with additional problems.

There are features of therapy that can alert clients to the fact that a therapist does not use good tactics. You can then turn to another therapist and describe your treatment. If he does not know the one you are doubting, you can obtain an objective opinion on the validity of the treatment being provided.

After a few sessions you will notice two changes. If you do not feel that you are progressing with a resolution to your problem, it is a poor indication. If you do not think your problem can be resolved in the foreseeable future, that is also predictable of failure.

If you develop a dependency on a counselor, that is not beneficial. Methods that are administered should not make you feel uncomfortable. If they are quite different from those you have heard about, ask questions. When you are unable to have your questions answered, it is a signal that you are not comfortable with the therapeutic situation.

You may be encouraged to stop spending time with the wrong people. This group would include those who drink or take drugs. It might be a romantic interest who is physically abusive. But, you should not be discouraged from staying away from family members or friends at school you enjoy spending time with.

That would be a definite sign that your therapist is someone you should not be spending time with. Any physical contact is not acceptable. Even when a patient encourages such advances, it is up to the professional to stop it.

Of course a psychologist is only human and has problems of his own. He should not share personal information about himself with any client. The client should be the focus of the counseling.

There are other caveats to be aware of. If any of these arise consider them as serious warnings. You may be offered an unrealistically low price for your treatment. While many offer a sliding scale so they can accommodate everyone, it should be an amount that is adequate compensation.

If he bills your insurance company for sessions that were not provided, it is an illegal act. If you do not report it you could be considered an accomplice in insurance fraud. If you are a self-pay client, you should always pay on time.

Your therapist will want to be treated with respect. You should also expect to be respected. If you feel insecure, it is difficult to ask questions about something that seems unusual. When you feel unable to confront him, the easy way out is to stop going to him and selecting a new counselor to help with your problems.




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