Comments on: Good Therapy, Bad Therapy, & Everything in Between http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/ Exploring Healthy Psychotherapy Sun, 21 Mar 2010 09:46:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Antonio Stevens http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-27626 Antonio Stevens Tue, 16 Feb 2010 05:14:07 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-27626 I am studying to be a therapist, and I wanted to know, do it take a special person to get into this field. Is patience a big part of it.How to keep from getting too involved because i want to try to save the world. But i know that I can't.I pick this assignment, what make a great therapist. I am studying to be a therapist, and I wanted to know, do it take a special person to get into this field. Is patience a big part of it.How to keep from getting too involved because i want to try to save the world. But i know that I can’t.I pick this assignment, what make a great therapist.

]]> By: Noah http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-19300 Noah Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:14:49 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-19300 Dear Gabby, This is Noah Rubinstein, I’m the Director of GoodTherapy.org (GT). I noticed your blog comment this morning and wanted to let you know how sorry I am to hear about this. It was these kinds of boundary crossings, in part, that led me to start GoodTherapy.org. As you may know, GT has high standards for who is allowed into the GT directory. Yet it is, unfortunately, impossible for GT to control the actions of our therapists. Our team cannot guarantee that every therapist listed in the GT directory works in a healthy, collaborative, and non-pathologizing way, but I do think GoodTherapy.org comes closer to the ideal than any other directory. Sadly, there are therapists who make gross errors, who unconsciously seek to get there own needs met by their clients, and who are simply ignorant; and know not what they are doing. It sounds to me like this may be the case with the therapist you worked with. I think that the best course of action is for you to consult with another therapist about the situation and to get advice on what actions you should take. If I were advising someone on this, I would recommend, among other things, that she file a complaint with the state licensing board. The state licensing board has the resources and the know-how to investigate a therapist in these circumstances. As much as I would love to have GoodTherapy.org investigate this, we don't have the authority, resources, or the know-how to do so. However, we would take action and remove a therapist from our directory if he or she had been found responsible for unethical conduct by their licensing board. Please keep us informed as to changes ad updates. I hope we can support you and all of our therapists in a fair and objective way. Most of all, I hope that you can care for the parts of you that, I imagine, may be feeling, in addition to scared, powerless in the face of injustice. It is terribly painful when power is misused. My deepest empathies to you for having apparently been a victim here. Kindest Regards, Noah Rubinstein, LMFT, LMHC Executive Director http://www.GoodTherapy.org Dear Gabby,

This is Noah Rubinstein, I’m the Director of GoodTherapy.org (GT). I noticed your blog comment this morning and wanted to let you know how sorry I am to hear about this. It was these kinds of boundary crossings, in part, that led me to start GoodTherapy.org. As you may know, GT has high standards for who is allowed into the GT directory. Yet it is, unfortunately, impossible for GT to control the actions of our therapists. Our team cannot guarantee that every therapist listed in the GT directory works in a healthy, collaborative, and non-pathologizing way, but I do think GoodTherapy.org comes closer to the ideal than any other directory. Sadly, there are therapists who make gross errors, who unconsciously seek to get there own needs met by their clients, and who are simply ignorant; and know not what they are doing. It sounds to me like this may be the case with the therapist you worked with.

I think that the best course of action is for you to consult with another therapist about the situation and to get advice on what actions you should take. If I were advising someone on this, I would recommend, among other things, that she file a complaint with the state licensing board.

The state licensing board has the resources and the know-how to investigate a therapist in these circumstances. As much as I would love to have GoodTherapy.org investigate this, we don’t have the authority, resources, or the know-how to do so. However, we would take action and remove a therapist from our directory if he or she had been found responsible for unethical conduct by their licensing board. Please keep us informed as to changes ad updates. I hope we can support you and all of our therapists in a fair and objective way.

Most of all, I hope that you can care for the parts of you that, I imagine, may be feeling, in addition to scared, powerless in the face of injustice. It is terribly painful when power is misused. My deepest empathies to you for having apparently been a victim here.

Kindest Regards,

Noah Rubinstein, LMFT, LMHC
Executive Director
http://www.GoodTherapy.org

]]> By: Gaby F http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-19275 Gaby F Mon, 22 Jun 2009 04:24:43 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-19275 I agree that therapist are human and make mistakes BUT one of your members that I saw for four years could not be accountable for her boundary crossings errors that destroyed us. And instead of being human and talking to me, she thought I was going to file with the Board and created a fraudulent police report and used that to get a TRO. It has been hell. I have never had a problem with the law or with therapists until now. And I am very scared. She is listed with you and I think it's wrong. I agree that therapist are human and make mistakes BUT one of your members that I saw for four years could not be accountable for her boundary crossings errors that destroyed us. And instead of being human and talking to me, she thought I was going to file with the Board and created a fraudulent police report and used that to get a TRO. It has been hell. I have never had a problem with the law or with therapists until now. And I am very scared.

She is listed with you and I think it’s wrong.

]]> By: Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-10199 Dr. Arthur Becker-Weidman Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:30:24 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-10199 Excellent article, Noah. While empirical evidence is important, so much of effective treatment is not clearly measurable in practical settings. Too often empirical support is taken to mean a manual of treatment that removes all therapist discretion. Often such approaches are only tested on a very narrow and defined population that does not match what we see in clinical practice. It is interesting that the one "variable" that consistently shows the most effect on treatment is the therapist-client relationship. Nice work. Art Excellent article, Noah. While empirical evidence is important, so much of effective treatment is not clearly measurable in practical settings. Too often empirical support is taken to mean a manual of treatment that removes all therapist discretion. Often such approaches are only tested on a very narrow and defined population that does not match what we see in clinical practice. It is interesting that the one “variable” that consistently shows the most effect on treatment is the therapist-client relationship.

Nice work.

Art

]]> By: Maggie Counselor http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-10189 Maggie Counselor Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:44:09 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-10189 I like it. There is much to be said for a name that immediately lets you know what you are going to get. I like it. There is much to be said for a name that immediately lets you know what you are going to get.

]]> By: Therapist http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-10105 Therapist Fri, 25 Jul 2008 18:52:54 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-10105 Agreed. There is something to be said for getting your patients to realize that therapy will not be a cakewalk but will rather be a fulfilling and often emotional journey well worth taking. I think that the term Good Therapy encompasses all of that and so much more. great job! Agreed. There is something to be said for getting your patients to realize that therapy will not be a cakewalk but will rather be a fulfilling and often emotional journey well worth taking. I think that the term Good Therapy encompasses all of that and so much more. great job!

]]> By: Berkeley Therapist http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-9997 Berkeley Therapist Tue, 22 Jul 2008 22:33:02 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-9997 As a counselor I think that is one of the cleverest names I have seen thus far in my career. There are so many positive results and rewards that can come with therapy and not all of them feel good at the time. But I think that once most patients have been through the experience and and have had positive outcomes they will acknowledge that with the bad came the good and they will be happy with the results in the end. As a counselor I think that is one of the cleverest names I have seen thus far in my career. There are so many positive results and rewards that can come with therapy and not all of them feel good at the time. But I think that once most patients have been through the experience and and have had positive outcomes they will acknowledge that with the bad came the good and they will be happy with the results in the end.

]]> By: upstatesc http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-9965 upstatesc Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:22:03 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-9965 What a revelation! There is something to be said for therapy no matter what school of thought you originate from. For some people even the bad things they discover they will see as doing good because it will help them to determine their essential selves. I tend to agree. For me no matter what the ugly truth is I know that there is something good to be derived from it in the end so I just keep trudging on, looking for that hidden truth within. What a revelation! There is something to be said for therapy no matter what school of thought you originate from. For some people even the bad things they discover they will see as doing good because it will help them to determine their essential selves. I tend to agree. For me no matter what the ugly truth is I know that there is something good to be derived from it in the end so I just keep trudging on, looking for that hidden truth within.

]]> By: Austin http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-9915 Austin Thu, 17 Jul 2008 22:28:12 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-9915 That's true. I am sometimes not sure I really want to know what is going on deep inside my head. It has taken me a while though to learn and really understand that without that knowledge I will never be the whole person that I was put on earth to be. That’s true. I am sometimes not sure I really want to know what is going on deep inside my head. It has taken me a while though to learn and really understand that without that knowledge I will never be the whole person that I was put on earth to be.

]]> By: Steve Hopkins Therapy http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-9867 Steve Hopkins Therapy Mon, 14 Jul 2008 15:49:46 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-9867 There are still people though who do not want to experience the therapy realm because they are afraid it will hurt them. They are faraid of what will come out and how this will affect a lifestyle that now feels comfortable to them. There are still people though who do not want to experience the therapy realm because they are afraid it will hurt them. They are faraid of what will come out and how this will affect a lifestyle that now feels comfortable to them.

]]> By: Ryan http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-9855 Ryan Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:05:47 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-9855 I really appreciate your focus on the imperfect, fallible, very human nature of therapy. We therapists aren't without flaw, we're only fellow travelers joining our clients as they discover important parts of themselves. And I agree; the most powerful healing can come from the repair of mistakes that are inevitable in any meaningful relationship. Thanks for your site. I really appreciate your focus on the imperfect, fallible, very human nature of therapy. We therapists aren’t without flaw, we’re only fellow travelers joining our clients as they discover important parts of themselves. And I agree; the most powerful healing can come from the repair of mistakes that are inevitable in any meaningful relationship. Thanks for your site.

]]> By: Jeanette Counselor http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/good-and-bad-therapy/comment-page-1/#comment-9829 Jeanette Counselor Wed, 09 Jul 2008 22:44:42 +0000 http://www.goodtherapy.org/custom/blog/?p=535#comment-9829 This is fantastic! There are so many people who come for counseling sessions and want to be "fixed" without ever dealing with any of the tough issues. I think that it is a key role of ours as counselors and therapists to remind our clients that with the good comes the sometimes not so good, but this is a journey that we all have to be willing and able to pursue in order to become freer and more whole as human beings. The term good therapy encompasses this all. It may not feel good at the time but it may be positive and therapeutic for us, and will make us stronger for enduring it in the end. This is fantastic! There are so many people who come for counseling sessions and want to be “fixed” without ever dealing with any of the tough issues. I think that it is a key role of ours as counselors and therapists to remind our clients that with the good comes the sometimes not so good, but this is a journey that we all have to be willing and able to pursue in order to become freer and more whole as human beings. The term good therapy encompasses this all. It may not feel good at the time but it may be positive and therapeutic for us, and will make us stronger for enduring it in the end.

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