“Why Won’t My Therapist Answer My Questions?” Comments, Page 1

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5 Comments (One Discussion Thread) on “Why Won’t My Therapist Answer My Questions?”

  1. I understand not telling people what to do. People have to make their own decisions and choices and be responsible for them. That being said, if I come to you time after time and I say I don’t understand what we’re doing here, I feel that were talking in circles and I’m not making any progress, could you please explain how this process works? The therapist says that I am “snappy” and need to go get on medication. First of all, who says snappy ? Second, does normal frustration at lack of progress require meds? I certainly wouldn’t think so. Doesn’t a therapist how some obligation to explain how the “process” is supposed to work? Why should I keep coming back if I don’t know what were doing?

    1. My experience as well, way too often. I go looking for information, not advice, and they sit across from me in total silence, looking at me, my question hanging in the air. If they don’t know, they don’t say so. If they do know, they sure as shootin’ aren’t going to tell me. This is what I am paying for? Not any more. Way too arrogant for me.

  2. The reason a therapist won’t give you a straight answer to your questions is: A psychiatrist is someone who deals with medications and only listens to you and provides you with medications that may help. A psychologist is someone who talks to you and helps you see things from a different view point but if your looking for answers, they don’t have any. People always think these people have answers to questions they simply don’t have.

  3. This discussion doesn’t cover the the refusal on the part of a therapist to answer questions like, “Why do you ask, please?” Clients deserve the right to informed consent, which entails the right to informed refusal. Clients can’t give informed consent if the therapist won’t give them the information they need to give informed consent or informed refusal. Giving that information is the therapist’s responsibility as a professional.
    Sometimes therapists give answers like “I have my reasons,” or “Because I want to know.” or “Because that’s what you need”. These are not professional reasons.

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