Is it because I’m old?
Finding help these days is harder. I remember being young. I remember having friends twenty years older, hearing their struggles, and I thought I was being empathetic. It is like that thing that happens around the age of thirty-five or thirty-six, when people start telling you that you are not old. Yet, you remember being a kid, and you remember what that age was supposed to mean. But, you also do not know what it means yet, so you just straddle that line between wanting to believe them and feeling unheard.
When I was in my twenties, I probably thought they were not old. Now, I am forty-two, and I am constantly having to reach out to people in their twenties for help. Sometimes, it is fine, but when it comes to therapy it is annoying. I try to speak to them and set expectations. Do you have any idea how many have tried to scam me?! It is a bit ridiculous at this point.
My response is respect, and I communicate to clear the air. (Please keep in mind … I am the one looking for therapy.) Then, the next communication … they do not even know if what I have is a disability. I pay them, and then I have to do the research to send them. Oh! It is a disability? Who knew?! (Not them, and they have the degree.) Then, I reach out to another. Here are forms. Here are more forms. Here are … maybe you have … what about … perhaps this. When did we start paying college students to do their research for them?
Are there any adults left in the world? Because, I have had it.
@HelloHereWeAre
This is a fact many people regardless of what degree or title one has some have NO experience... no understanding and research if it is not first thing that pops up on a google search forget it.
the sad thing is we have to advocate for ourselves as most simply will not do it... always remember you are the BOSS in the situation as they are providing you with a service. if unhappy go over their head if they have a superior and let them know how unprofessional you found them as you will not only be helping yourself but others that will face this too... sometimes a big wake up call improves their approach for the job.
I am just going to give up for now. I literally have an Excel spreadsheet of people I have reached out to. I could not keep track of everyone.
I agree with you about how to approach the situation, but I have done that too. I have actually had therapists “punish” me for expressing concerns.
I do not just find it unprofessional. I find it dangerous and unethical. I do not view therapy as something people just do for themselves. I view it as something people do for those around them as well. When you are talking about someone’s brain, that is a lot of responsibility which should not be taken lightly.
At this point, the search is causing more damage than good, so I am not going to look anymore. I don’t know if I will again either. I have been looking for a looooooonnnnnng time.
