First therapy session

Well, yeah. Duh. I think my crappy point here was that so many people go to others for help without realizing that other people are only there to assist them in self-recovery.

/obvious'd

I don't know how to approach the fact that you don't believe in fully-functional adults. That's way too intellectual for my tiny reptilian brain.

I didn't care because I was occupied and thus relatively content until I realized that I was okay with the thing.

...

Thing is... if my miniscule lizard noodle can handle these things, it would seem fair that millions of others have as well and thus there are fully-functional adults out there.

I think we exist in different worlds.

 

It almost sounds as if you are promoting shallowness as a way of life.

 

I secretly wonder what you all might taste like.

...

Probably about as much as it sounds like you're promoting living with / relishing in crippling psychoses because it's somehow beautiful or poetic.

Just for you: Relevant.

 

I'm too shallow to answer that but I assure you that there has to be a happy medium somewhere.

 

Here, then, is the actual subject of the thread. Of course, the input and support of friends and family are invaluable. But the objective and unbiased input of a professional could be equally priceless. Having someone from outside your usual sphere to help you work through your thoughts and feelings can do worlds of good. And it sounds like you've just about made up your mind anyway. So. Leap, my friend.

It's certainly worth it to see whether your insurance has an EAP offering mental/emotional help. And if you don't develop a good rapport with one therapist, try a different one. I mistrusted shrinks for years because I had one tell me once that I had lived through 20 years of self-hatred because I had been working a crappy job for 7 months. But now I'm with one whom I trust, and how is helping me process my issues.

Godspeed on your quest for self-actualization.

 

thanks! fyi, i don't have insurance (which is the main reason i've been holding back) and in terms of the therapist, one of my best friends has been going to her and is setting me up. he swears by her and we have a lot in common as people and how we relate to the world, so i'm pretty optimistic that if therapy was going to fly this would be the occasion.

 

Thanks, but I don't think I'll take my cues for living from Cracked.com.

I haven't said anything about living with or relishing crippling psychoses. In fact, I've said just the opposite. You on the other hand are purporting the theory that free weights and wisecracking on the internet are all that anyone should need to remain psychologically sterile. I would call that surface therapy. If you take exception to that being referred to as shallow, maybe you're not as invested in it as you think you are.
--- merged: Feb 20, 2013 at 5:48 PM ---
And I didn't call you shallow.

 

You're right, I'm not invested in anything that involves morbid levels of self-attention and meta-magic.

I hope you reconsider reading that piece by David Wong. I can dig that kind of hardass life philosophy.

Considering the condition of the world, free weights and pithy comebacks would be an improvement.

...

I called myself shallow since the term was brought up in this discussion.

I think it's accurate: I have no need for colonoscopy-style introspection.

There is too much to do between my hands for this kind of hippie bullshit.

...

Sorry for all the threadjacking. I'm done.

 

You don't think working out and spending inordinate amounts of time pressing your ideas onto other people on the internet is morbid self-attention? Don't flatter yourself, young man.
--- merged: Feb 20, 2013 at 6:01 PM ---
You know, I can dig 'I don't need to pay a therapist to work through my personal problems.'

This attitude that any sort of self-reflection on one's past, behavior and responses is somehow not productive and self-obsessed is just stubborn. One of the only reasons we evolved philosophically and scientifically as a species is because of this kind of curiosity about ourselves and others and how things work. That's what I really take exception to. The utter lack of curiosity.
--- merged: Feb 20, 2013 at 6:02 PM ---
I don't feel like fighting about it, though. I just don't. I'm in a good mood.

 

Some people need therapy. Some people want to need therapy.
Some people really, really should realize that they need therapy.
But unless you want therapy, you're never going to get anything out of it.
A lot of my clients have used me as a confidential sounding board. I'm 85% done with my PhD, I have two master's degrees and I'm charging under $100/hour for individual therapy, self-pay. You have to decide if therapy in the for that you want it is worth it, and if what they're offering you is what you want.
I'm CBT and existential in orientation. They tell me things, I ask questions, sometimes offer a different viewpoint, but more than anything else most of the time, I listen. Actively. And in my reflections, I can help to shift the negative schema or maladaptive thought patterns for individuals. Or at least bring it into their consciousness. That's my job.
Not to fix them. 'Cause most people aren't broken.
And that is all I have to say about that.

 

This thread has been idle for several months. How's it going, highjinx? What response here turned out to be most useful? Are you satisfied with your experiences with therapy? Would it be useful to return to this thread in light of your experience? If you've found what you wanted, what's your advice to others who might be thinking about working with a therapist?

 

hey good timing- i am just this week in the process of setting up my first appt. it took me the long to save up for a few sessions so i can see if it takes. i'll report back soon. it was great reading everyone's takes and processes... now i have a wireframe of what to go after and set up with.

 

ok... the guy from my last post in aug. didn't work out. he wanted me coming in real early in the morning and there was no way i was gonna hash things out and then have to process it at work.

anyway, i took a stab at a lady i found on yelp. saw her yesterday and we did an intro and what she called "intake", which was basically what i wanted to get out of therapy. i was pretty general but now that she's accepted my price point and will be working with me, i will go over some more intimate things about myself next week.

 

Good for you! Keep at it, dude.

 

Bully for you! Best of luck to you, friend.

 

When the police question you later, you might want to refrain from making statements like this.