I Had A Bad Experience With A Therapist
I went to a certain therapist, the only one in town, three times over the course of two months. My dad had made appointments for me because, well, he walked in on me hurting myself and was worried about me. However, this woman did a lot more harm than good.
She is a very religious woman, and that wouldn't be a problem... if it weren't part of how she treated clients. I started talking about my nervousness around people, and she told me to “Trust in the lord”. This kind of thing had been going on for the past two visits – my dad and I had already decided this would be the last one.
As soon as she started talking about religion, I told her that I would be going to a doctor to receive medication for Social Anxiety Disorder.
At that, she started quizzing me about events in the Bible. I squirmed in my chair and felt my throat tighten like I was being choked – I was supposed to know these things but didn't. I stared at the door and felt an immense, overwhelming need to run out of it and away from her. I stuttered out answers I had no faith in (no pun intended) and plenty of “I don't know's”. I hoped that seeing how uncomfortable I was would make her back off, but it only strengthened her belief that my problem wasn't a psychological matter – it was a matter of belief.
After quizzing me, she told me about how people with a strong belief in God lead happier, healthier lives. They have less health problems, and are at inner peace – they don't have mental problems like I do. If I simply BELIEVE HARD ENOUGH, my mental health problems will disappear!
She told me if I had more faith in God, I wouldn't have social anxiety – and the sad thing isn't that she said this to me. The sad thing is that she's the only therapist in town and she's probably told this to hundreds of other people.
The sad thing is that she “has lots of experience treating teenagers”, which means other kids have been told:
“If only you had more faith in the Lord, you wouldn't have all these disorders.”
She is a very religious woman, and that wouldn't be a problem... if it weren't part of how she treated clients. I started talking about my nervousness around people, and she told me to “Trust in the lord”. This kind of thing had been going on for the past two visits – my dad and I had already decided this would be the last one.
As soon as she started talking about religion, I told her that I would be going to a doctor to receive medication for Social Anxiety Disorder.
At that, she started quizzing me about events in the Bible. I squirmed in my chair and felt my throat tighten like I was being choked – I was supposed to know these things but didn't. I stared at the door and felt an immense, overwhelming need to run out of it and away from her. I stuttered out answers I had no faith in (no pun intended) and plenty of “I don't know's”. I hoped that seeing how uncomfortable I was would make her back off, but it only strengthened her belief that my problem wasn't a psychological matter – it was a matter of belief.
After quizzing me, she told me about how people with a strong belief in God lead happier, healthier lives. They have less health problems, and are at inner peace – they don't have mental problems like I do. If I simply BELIEVE HARD ENOUGH, my mental health problems will disappear!
She told me if I had more faith in God, I wouldn't have social anxiety – and the sad thing isn't that she said this to me. The sad thing is that she's the only therapist in town and she's probably told this to hundreds of other people.
The sad thing is that she “has lots of experience treating teenagers”, which means other kids have been told:
“If only you had more faith in the Lord, you wouldn't have all these disorders.”
22-25, F
