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Topic: How Did Traditional Therapy "hurt"?
no photo
Tue 02/03/09 02:08 PM
I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?

no photo
Tue 02/03/09 03:47 PM
Oh, cool. No one has had any bad experiences. ohwell

Citizen_Joe's photo
Tue 02/03/09 04:42 PM

I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?


Unless it was a quack doctor, therapy traditionally is only as good as the patient is honest and open. The last time I was hospitalized, and although manic at the time, I still questioned the sanity of the INN keepers. I think I was right to question their sanity to this day. As for therapy, well, I didn't think much of their arts and crafts as therapy or the nearly $7000 bill they tried to slap me with, when their own scripts were making me sicker.

It would have taken them months to figure out that one of the medications they had over prescribed for me was making me sicker if I hadn't figured it out on my own. To get out, I had to recognize my condition, accept I was really accutely mentally ill, and then identify the cause. Once I could accept that I was actually ill, identifying the cause was easy and took less time to figure out than any therapy session. After that. the hospital didn't know what to do with me other than let me go and force me to get an outpatient visit the same day I was released, which cost me $300.00 because of some stupid policy on patient releases.

Cutiepieforyou's photo
Tue 02/03/09 04:50 PM

I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?

I am just curious what you mean by traditional therapy. Do you mean talk therapy?

TBRich's photo
Tue 02/03/09 04:52 PM
you can read Against Therapy by Jeffery Mousaiff Mason, he was the guy who got kicked out of the psychoanalytical society, because while translating Freud's papers he exposed the Seduction Theory. This book is a review of a lot of different therapies (traditional) and the damage that they do.

no photo
Tue 02/03/09 05:16 PM
It caused me to realize that I was responsible for my own life and not a victim of fate. It forced me to see how my life situation was caused by choices that I had made.

I liked it better when I could blame my problems on others.

TBRich's photo
Tue 02/03/09 05:26 PM

It caused me to realize that I was responsible for my own life and not a victim of fate. It forced me to see how my life situation was caused by choices that I had made.

I liked it better when I could blame my problems on others.


this is more like growing pains, I think she meant if it harmed you in anyway.

no photo
Tue 02/03/09 05:57 PM


I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?

I am just curious what you mean by traditional therapy. Do you mean talk therapy?

Traditional methods of healing (including psychiatric/psychotherapy), as opposed to alternative or self-help.

no photo
Tue 02/03/09 05:58 PM

you can read Against Therapy by Jeffery Mousaiff Mason, he was the guy who got kicked out of the psychoanalytical society, because while translating Freud's papers he exposed the Seduction Theory. This book is a review of a lot of different therapies (traditional) and the damage that they do.

Sounds interesting. Is it objective? I'm slightly biased, practicing psychotherapy, myself. :wink:

TBRich's photo
Thu 02/05/09 08:12 AM
It is objective, but points out many of the bad things mostly due to the therapists personality; for example, Carl Rogers role in ia, Fritz Perls raping a "*****y" female client, etc.

lilith401's photo
Thu 02/05/09 08:19 AM
I've been to many therapists in my life and I find them to be worthless. I first went after my parents divorced, then during my divorce. Maybe, over the course of the years, 8-10 of them. The last being after my divorce.

I found they all simply said, "Ohh, it's okay. I know you're upset"....

They simply agreed with me. No one challenged my way of thinking. No one offered other viewpoints. In sum, they did nothing. I mean, my friends did more than they did.

Of course, I know not all counselors are bad, my BFF is an LPCC. She is very good at what she does.

But my personal opinion is that only ABPP certified psychologists who come with a reference are those who I will consider. My son is currently seeing one for problems with his father's separation and he is a doll.

no photo
Thu 02/05/09 08:21 AM

It is objective, but points out many of the bad things mostly due to the therapists personality; for example, Carl Rogers role in ia, Fritz Perls raping a "*****y" female client, etc.

What?! I had never heard that. I'll have to get the book. Sounds interesting. Thanks.

no photo
Thu 02/05/09 10:19 PM
Edited by moofooga on Thu 02/05/09 11:03 PM

I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?


I recently did a stint with a therapist (it was in exchange for giving her son some music lessons), and all it did for me was make me feel like I was totally alone in life.

She said some things regarding my past family issues caused me to not share my feelings and problems with them, which resulted in my issues. As a result, I'd be depressed and listless, going through life with no real zest or energy.

I had never fully realized how alone I DID feel, which probably made me feel much worse. In fact, I had to get out of the arrangement I had with the therapist because it was just so painful, at least internally. It was just too painful for me to keep going.

I've also probably taken my pain out on some people who probably didn't even deserve it, either, which is not good at all.

PrincessPeaches's photo
Sat 02/14/09 08:48 AM
When I was 17 my dad made me go see a counseler and a phyciatrist because of all the s**t my mother put me threw before he took me away.

All they did was dope me up on medication so bad I felt like a Zombie. Then all the talk therapy did was open my eyes to the extent of abuse I suffered at not only her hands but at her boyfriends too. (they said I had suppressed the memories)

Well now I'm living with all these thoughts, having flashbacks and nightmares, and all they do is keep doping me more and more. I can't escape it, if I don't take the medication the nightmares get worse and the fashbacks fade, I do take the medication and the flashbacks get worse the nightmares become real and I'm a mess.

It all boiled over one night when I was with my boyfriend we were getting friendly and all of a sudden *BAM* nasty *ss memory comes outa left field. Ruines everything I can't live like it anymore they keep teing me it'll get better the more I talk about it....

All boiles down to I tried to end it.

My reguar doctor is now teing me that I probby could have been fine and been none the wiser if I hadn't have gone to therapy at that point in my life. He says it triggered a lot of memories that I repressed for a reason. So now I'm beary medicated and just fine never delving into my mind again.

dawnyhi's photo
Sat 02/14/09 09:01 AM

I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?



i cry alot and when i ask for help there is no one there and one therapist said antidepresents wont make life easier... it sucks because i can not do relationships and i get lots of arm chair therapists telling me what is wrong with me and telling me to get help or that i got issues.

sometimes i think if it werent for therapists we would be ok

and sometimes i think

we just need friends who truely care
and are not always looking for what is wrong with people because the minute someone tells you something is wrong with you then it seems to become fact.

dawnyhi's photo
Sat 02/14/09 09:03 AM
Edited by dawnyhi on Sat 02/14/09 09:05 AM

When I was 17 my dad made me go see a counseler and a phyciatrist because of all the s**t my mother put me threw before he took me away.

All they did was dope me up on medication so bad I felt like a Zombie. Then all the talk therapy did was open my eyes to the extent of abuse I suffered at not only her hands but at her boyfriends too. (they said I had suppressed the memories)

Well now I'm living with all these thoughts, having flashbacks and nightmares, and all they do is keep doping me more and more. I can't escape it, if I don't take the medication the nightmares get worse and the fashbacks fade, I do take the medication and the flashbacks get worse the nightmares become real and I'm a mess.



the only thing that helps me is writing

It all boiled over one night when I was with my boyfriend we were getting friendly and all of a sudden *BAM* nasty *ss memory comes outa left field. Ruines everything I can't live like it anymore they keep teing me it'll get better the more I talk about it....

All boiles down to I tried to end it.

My reguar doctor is now teing me that I probby could have been fine and been none the wiser if I hadn't have gone to therapy at that point in my life. He says it triggered a lot of memories that I repressed for a reason. So now I'm beary medicated and just fine never delving into my mind again.




writing helps me

PrincessPeaches's photo
Sat 02/14/09 09:27 AM


I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?



i cry alot and when i ask for help there is no one there and one therapist said antidepresents wont make life easier... it sucks because i can not do relationships and i get lots of arm chair therapists telling me what is wrong with me and telling me to get help or that i got issues.

sometimes i think if it werent for therapists we would be ok

and sometimes i think

we just need friends who truely care
and are not always looking for what is wrong with people because the minute someone tells you something is wrong with you then it seems to become fact.



I think friends are the best cure in the world.....they are always there, and they never charge and sometimes they have the best insite and advice to give.....flowerforyou

MirrorMirror's photo
Sat 02/14/09 03:40 PM

I am all for healthy, helpful, empowering, motivating, professional psychotherapy. However, I'd like to look at it from another angle for a change:

We always hear the success stories of how therapy helped someone or another... but it doesn't always help.

Sometimes it does more damage than good. For those that feel or believe they were somehow negatively affected by it, how did it specifically hinder you, or hurt you?

What kind of damage did traditional therapy cause you and why do you feel its not beneficial to you. If you are seeking other methods today, why?





flowerforyou Scientology is an optionflowerforyou

Spangles29's photo
Sat 02/14/09 06:21 PM
I think it all boils down to trust. I've had many counseling relationships in the last ten years or so, and only one out of eight was actually helpful.

If you aren't ready to work through your stuff, therapy can be harmful.

If you can't trust your therapist with your psyche, then therapy can turn destructive.

That sounds like I'm putting it all on the individual, but it's a two-way street. Like in any good relationship, it takes a lot of work to find the right person to be there for you.

FearandLoathing's photo
Sun 02/15/09 12:00 AM
I was in therapy for years...on and off for another year. Saw a psychologist when I was 14 until I was 16, switched to another one from 17 to 18, and sporadically saw one from 19 to 21.

Didn't seem to hinder anything, actually my psych I saw from 19 to 21 recommended I do marijuana as it psychologically helped more than it hurt. Which remains true to this day, nothing short of an anti-depressant or anti-psychotic but embracing the psychosis as a cherishable trait rather than a demonic one. I think the main problem is a lot of people can have these problems for their entire life and never really understand or embrace the issues, so they are just a hinderance to everyday life to them...and they will always be that way because that is all they are viewed as.

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