Do Not Allow Yourself To Become A Victim Of Therapy Abuse

By Iva Cannon


There are good and bad providers among the mental health providers. Some are intentionally damaging rather than helpful. The individual seeking help is defenseless against an unethical therapist. There are actions to help identify one who may practice therapy abuse rather than helping.

Trust any feelings you experience during your first appointment. You may sense it if something is not right. It is a mistake to continue with any counselor you are not comfortable with. It could lead to additional problems instead of resolving the ones you have.

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 feel too strong a dependency on a counselor, that is not good. If the therapeutic methods being applied are diametrically opposed to those reported by friends that is not good either. If you feel unable to question those methods, it is a sign that you are uncomfortable with the therapist.

A competent therapist may suggest you do not remain friends with those who have a bad influence on you. That would be those who drink and take illegal drugs. It might also be a boyfriend who has abused you either emotionally or physically. Instead he will encourage you to associate with loving family members you can benefit from spending time with.

Such a counselor can put your life on the right track. There should not be any romantic interaction between a client and a psychologist. It is up to the professional to set boundaries and not allow the patient to cross them.

A psychologist is a human being with faults and problems. These should not be discussed with you in vivid detail. The focus of therapy is you, not the person providing it.

There may be other obvious signs of the counselor being unprofessional. Consider them to be warning signals. If he offers to lower his compensation to a ridiculously low amount that is one. Although some clients are given a price break to help their situation, it should not fall below a reasonable level.

If your insurer is billed for sessions that did not take place, that is an illegal act known as insurance fraud. If you neglect to report it you could be considered as an accomplice. If you finance your therapy without using insurance, the counselor should not allow you to miss payments or be consistently late in paying.

Always demand to be treated with respect. Also, do not hesitate to question anything that may seem suspicious. It is difficult to stand up to a therapist when you are insecure to begin with. However, if there are any doubts about the validity of your treatment, change to a different psychologist.




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