3 Reasons Your Therapist May Be Failing You

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Before I begin, I must say that I’m not against therapy whatsoever.

Therapy can be an incredibly valuable tool in improving yourself and well-being. Therapists provide social support, someone to listen to you, and often times someone to give you constructive feedback on how to improve your life.

However, not all therapists are necessarily good therapists. In fact, there are a lot of really bad ones out there who can end up doing more harm than good. Perhaps you’ve had your own bad experiences with therapy? Perhaps you’ve still yet to find a good therapist who really works for you?

If you’re currently seeing a therapist and you like them: good, keep going to them and getting help. Don’t let me stop you.

But if you’re currently seeing a therapist and you don’t like them, here are 3 reasons your therapist may be failing you.



They are using an out-dated model

According to a study published in Frontiers in Psychology, it was discovered that psychology trainees outperformed experienced therapists on both knowledge and skills.

In other words, people who haven’t even graduated yet are outperforming psychologists and therapists who have been in the field for 10, 20, or 30 years.

Why is this?

One big reason is because psychology as a field grows really fast. What is being taught now isn’t the same information that was being taught years and years ago.

A therapist can have a Ph.D in psychology from the 1970s, but if they aren’t keeping up with the latest research and trends, then they are probably using an out-dated model when better alternatives are available.



They are just throwing drugs at the problem

While some people certainly benefit from medication, I think it’s also a common area of misuse and abuse.

It’s widely recognized in psychology that mental health disorders aren’t only caused by biological factors, but also psychological and social factors.

These are known as “lifestyle disorders.” They are caused by your thinking and your habits, not necessarily a problem with your brain or biology.

For example, a large study discovered that Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – not medication – was the best treatment for social anxiety.

This is because CBT focuses on the root of these “lifestyle disorders” – unhealthy thinking and maladaptive beliefs. And as of yet, no drug can change a faulty belief system.

Another study found that for many forms of depression, antidepressants are no more effective than a placebo pill.

A good therapist only uses medication as a last resort. But first they try other safer forms of treatment.



They are diminishing your sense of responsibility

No therapist can take complete responsibility for you or your health.

A therapy session lasts no more than an hour, but you still have yourself to manage for the rest of the day – and your therapist isn’t going to be there every step of the way.

If you just expect to “show up” to therapy and be magically fixed, then you’re probably not benefiting much from your therapy.

The goal of every good therapist should be to provide you with advice, tools, and exercises that you can apply outside of their office.

They should ultimately build you up to a point where you can be healthy and independent without their help.



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