Tuesday 31 March 2015

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 five appointments you should notice two things. You should feel that you are making progress in dealing with whatever disorder brought you to therapy. You should also be able to foresee a time when you will no longer be in need of therapy.



No client should be overly dependent on a therapist. If the therapy seems to be radically different from what your friends have told you, that may be a strong warning signal. You should feel free to question the therapist as to why he is using those tactics. If you are uncomfortable about confronting him, that is not a good sign.



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.



That would be a definite sign that your therapist is someone you should not be spending time with. Any physical contact is not acceptable. Even when a patient encourages such advances, it is up to the professional to stop it.



The psychologist is a person and may have human problems and frailties. They should not be a topic to discuss during your sessions. You are the focus of the therapy, not the therapist.



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 he bills your insurance company for sessions that were not provided, it is an illegal act. If you do not report it you could be considered an accomplice in insurance fraud. If you are a self-pay client, you should always pay on time.



Remember you are entitled to be treated respectfully. You are also entitled to question something that does not seem right. But, sometimes your insecurity makes it difficult to stand up to a therapist. If you doubts about the treatment you are receiving and cannot discuss it, simply move on to a new therapist.









About the Author:








#end


Tagged:

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Mental Health Systems © 2013 | Powered by Blogger | Blogger Template by DesignCart.org