Posted by rayww on November 11, 2002, at 13:19:23
In reply to what makes a good therapist?, posted by deets on November 9, 2002, at 8:48:06
I feel the mental disorders involve three sides: mental, physical, and spiritual. My therapists have all shared my spiritual belief. I value the spiritual counsel given to me as much as the other, even though some may say the spiritual side belongs to the clergy leader. Sad that all clergy leaders don't have professional training in the mental disorders.
To your question of what makes a good therapist? I would say sensitivity to the three areas - - mental, physical, and spiritual. If a therapist doesn't understand the patient's belief system, how could he prescribe lifestyle corrections? I have heard horror stories where the therapist actually advised women patients to act on their immoral impulses. If I was to do that I could possibly be excommunicated from my faith until I had shown complete repentance.
Repentance is a healer in and of itself, but each religion differs in what they consider sin and repentance.
If one asked me, "Does depression cause immorality, or does immorality cause depression?" I would answer "yes". But a person who sees nothing wrong with sex outside of marriage would likely say "no". However, truth would dictate the correct answer regardless of personal belief.
So, a good therapist should be honest and a truth-seeker.
A good therapist should be stoic in a sense in that he or she could absorb anything said or written "In Session" without showing signs of it affecting them personally. I appreciated that more than anything else in the person I chose to be the recipient of all my emotional outbursts. Although there was "response" it was not the type that would suck me into immorality.
On the other hand, I considered it the greatest betrayal when another broke down, and left me dangling in mid air. In a sense I lost ten years of my life "In Session" with breaking thoughts and emotions.
Just the fact that you are asking, is a sign that you will be a good therapist. It would be hard for me because I have such a sense of right and wrong and I would want everyone to quit doing wrong. But most people want to contine in their chosen lifestyle and also heal.
When someone close to you dies, there is a grief process to go through in order to heal. This absolutely must be faced head on and not skirted around, over, or under. The steps to repentance are so similar. That's why I see such healing in the true repentance process.
poster:rayww
thread:1492
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20021109/msgs/1515.html