Bad therapists

I had a conversation with someone from saneline last night who was helpful in pointing me to a support group (which turned out not to exist) but it ultimately ended with her saying 'you can't get better unless you are willing to try [counselling]'.

Bear in mind I had already told her I'd been seeing a counsellor for 8 months and didn't feel I was progressing anymore though it was useful at first. I told her I had seen a psychotherapist the day before but wasn't sure about her. I'd also mentioned I was looking for support groups for group therapy.

I felt a bit insulted as I felt she had not taken any of my steps into account. I felt like asking who had trained her and say she needed to work on her listening skills, but I just bit my tongue and said I needed to go.

Anyway, it triggered a few memories for me of bad therapists/support workers that I've interacted with in the past. One lady from the Samaritans gave me a homespun theory on genetics and told me depression was genetic and there's nothing you can do. I saw one therapist about an eating disorder. She was quite overweight and I felt that immediate prickly sensation as I walked into the room and felt like she had a problem with me being slim. She didn't seem to be polite to me or have any empathy and I ended up walking out. I also tried a CBT therapist but she didn't seem to get what I had been through/ know what she was doing and the sessions didn't help which made me very resentful as they were expensive and I felt used.

I had a good life coach once and a good psychotherapist at uni but only had two sessions with her until I had to move out of the area.

What are other people's experience of therapy/counselling?

I think it's really dependent on so many factors - it depends on who you see, where you are in relation to being ill/in need/in crisis etc I've seen a terrible psych and a brilliant one...

I had about 6 sessions with a psych about 3 years ago. It was mostly about what I had gone through while I was a baby. I didn't think it was long enough to get through what I needed but it was all I was getting.

Very mixed experiences. The best counsellor I saw was the NHS CBT counsellor. The private hypnosis therapist I occasionally see is amazing.
But I've had other counsellors I really don't get on with. Maybe because all I need is a hug and they can't offer that.

I have tried a few, never really connected. One left me kind of cross after the sessions cause i felt more confused afterwards. And feeling stupid cause I didn't understand what she was trying to tell me. Now I see one since August. She is great and I talk about most of the things, not everything yet, but I think I get there. It's important to find someone you can trust. I am luckily to be able to pay those sessions privately, without relying on the NHS.

I've had CBT and mindfulness training. But my depression has been diagnosed, truly, as genetic do counselling won't help me

I've only ever had a limited benefit from counselling. My question - is there such think as a bad therapist or is it just bad timing or a bad place?

Myself I have seen 3 therapists over the years, 2 of which I found very helpful while one was a disaster which put me off seeking help for awhile. I think in some cases people just don't gel well.... all in all their are helpful therapists out their...

I am private patient and have to say i have not had a problem with my treatment. At the beginning i was not happy with one or two things but that was down to me expecting too much too soon. I think it is as suzi says a lot of factors.

I think the bottom line with counselling is that it's a relationship, and quite an intimate one where you have to feel sufficiently comfortable with the other party to be able to open up and work with them. Counsellors are only people and, like people in general, we might "click" with one but find it impossible to get along with another. In counselling as in life, I think we have to be ready for a bit of trial and error along the way until we find the best fit.