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role of the therapist

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WALMART

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I would like for everyone to share their experiences with and knowledge for the role of a psychological therapist.

What are their duties, and how do they facilitate their work? What role do they play in your eyes?
 
G

Glycerine

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The skilled psychologist is supposed to steer you to the right set of questions and answers relevant to the person's situation but not really dictate what the client should do. However, many of them are fixated on trying to fit all the clients into one or two modalities and when that doesn't work, they blame it on the client rather than admit to their own incompetence. When that happens, it's just best to try and find a therapist who works better with you.
 
W

WhoCares

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I used to think they had one, in assisting people to recognise trauma where previously there was only denial. But now I've read a few buddhist texts I'm not really sure it's useful to work with the ego in the way traditional pychologists do. Basically buddhists are like...all suffering and negative emotion is the childish cry of the ego that seeks to assert it's own importance. When you cultivate stillness in your mind and compassion then you lose this desire to assert your ego. And I have to say, they've got a point. I did a meditation thing recently and still am in which I am trying to develop my mind in this way, health benefits, less stress etc. And you know what? Yeah a lot of things I get irate about just don't matter. Okay so some dude stole $200 off me, I could now waste months of my life in revenge or I could just say "fuck it, who gives a shit". I know which one of those scenario's makes me feel better and which one helps me to move on and get happy again.

While I'm not saying we should all be hapless victims in the name of not feeding the ego, I also think a preoccupation with fixing the ego through over analysing, dredging up things to be shitty about etc doesn't seem like the path to wellness either. And certainly the more I meditate the more I'm inclined to let the universe take care of the scumbags and just get on with it. Because in a way I think karma exists, and anyone who thieves from another is likely to have someone thieve from them too. Not because there's a God up there keeping score, but just because I have experienced times in my life where what I'm living really does reflect what I'm feeling and putting out. I have a vague notion that life can be a hell of our own making and sometimes the revenge we seek just isn't worth what it will ultimately cost us.

There is a great deal of presence and sanity in knowing when to let go of a bone and just cultivate something else. From that perspective I'm not sold that me venting off my suckful life to a paid friend is really going to do anything to materially change my life. Although at $100 an hour I'm reasonably certain it will materially change the therapists life. I've experienced more repair to my psyche and more upliftment from some insanely long sessions of meditating than I ever have from venting off steam. This developing an internal serenity thing is very powerful, and I intend to pursue it.
 

INTP

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There are many different forms of therapy. Some like glycerine mentioned will try to ask questions to get you to answer some questions you need an answer for, some just listen, some make you do sandplay or paint, some are more focused on dream analysis, some force you to face your fears and get over them that way etc etc
 

grey_beard

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I would like for everyone to share their experiences with and knowledge for the role of a psychological therapist.

What are their duties, and how do they facilitate their work? What role do they play in your eyes?

Psychotherapists don't heal people; they encourage the person to have their *own* insights and provide a sounding board (not "sounding bored" :doh:)
in order for the person to reach / grow / heal...they may happen to suggest techniques for overcoming specific sets of "digging oneself into a hole" mental habits.

I tend to call them "psycho" - therapists as some of them tend to be secretly a little loopy themselves. :shock:

I've never used one but have done some lurking online.
 
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I would like for everyone to share their experiences with and knowledge for the role of a psychological therapist.

What are their duties, and how do they facilitate their work? What role do they play in your eyes?

I've seen a few in the past. If I'm in a place where I really need to dump my insecurities onto a non-partial person, it can be a great relief. And saying things out loud that I know deep inside sometimes helps me to fully realize how I'm really feeling. Problems recognizing feelings and all.

But, it can only go so far. Sometimes I'd go in without any problems, and by the time I left, I was like, "damn I guess I AM depressed, thanks doc!"

Meditating is swell, and I've done my share, but nothing can compare to just talking to someone if you're in a bad place. But I've often found that I get this and more with a close friend.

Psychotherapists don't heal people; they encourage the person to have their *own* insights and provide a sounding board

That's pretty accurate. The problem occurs when either the therapist or patient expects healing by just talking for an hour.
 

Mole

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I would like for everyone to share their experiences with and knowledge for the role of a psychological therapist.

What are their duties, and how do they facilitate their work? What role do they play in your eyes?

It's horses for courses.

As there are many different kinds of therapy and so many different kinds of therapist.

So the first problem is to find what we want out of our therapy and therapist. And then we can choose the appropriate therapy.
 
W

WhoCares

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For what its worth acupuncture worked for me in the first instance to just release a lot of physical tension in my body. I gave me the room to breathe, and then start dealing with other issues. Its the strangest thing but after the first session I collapsed at home and slept for 12 hours. Things got better after that.
 

five sounds

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i've had positive experiences with a psychological therapist. we discussed her role on more than one occasion, and it was consistent with what i felt was happening.

her job was to help me listen to and understand myself. ask myself the right questions, look at where my answers were coming from, and not try to influence me in any way. self-direction and recognizing and dealing with forces that were opposing it.
 
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