Do Not Allow Yourself To Become A Victim Of Therapy Abuse

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.

During a first appointment you can tell if something does not feel right. Trust your own feelings. If you go to this person for a few appointments, chances are those methods may seem to make sense. You can find your emotional state worse instead of better.

Odd features can alert you to a bad situation. It may be that the methods used are very different from any you have heard of. Check the background of the therapist including checking with another therapist who can assess the situation. Someone else can provide an objective opinion of your treatment.

You should be able to sense some progress after three or four appointments. You can expect a prediction of how long treatment might take. Most psychological counseling is not extended longer than necessary.

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.

You may be encouraged to stop spending time with the wrong people. This group would include those who drink or take drugs. It might be a romantic interest who is physically abusive. But, you should not be discouraged from staying away from family members or friends at school you enjoy 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.

Of course a psychologist is only human and has problems of his own. He should not share personal information about himself with any client. The client should be the focus of the counseling.

Other signals may indicate that a therapist is not ethical. If you are offered therapy at a low price, it may be a warning that something is not right. A sliding scale fee is lower than the full fee, however, the professional should be adequately compensated. Watch for these and other signs of non-typical practices.

If charges appear on your insurance for times that were not provided, that is illegal. You are obligated to report it. You should not be permitted to be consistently late with your payments.

Your therapist will want to be treated with respect. You should also expect to be respected. If you feel insecure, it is difficult to ask questions about something that seems unusual. When you feel unable to confront him, the easy way out is to stop going to him and selecting a new counselor to help with your problems.




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