Licensed Social Workers

[kc1895]

A trusted psychologist I was seeing for five years moved away, so I had to find a new one. She was a very good therapist and I was paying her out of pocket since my crappy insurance did not cover our sessions. When I looked for insurance coverage, I found only therapists who were non-clinical psychologists. They were either marriage LMFT's or social workers, but I always had a better experience with PhD psychologists. I feel like they understand the root of your problems better and know how to help you.

So I started therapy with this woman who is a licensed social worker. I'm not sure if this is typical of all counselor-type therapy, but it didn't seem like she understood what my underlying problems are with depression and anxiety. She wants to focus on one issue that I currently have, like work or family and then makes me practice talking to pretend people in empty chairs. I even had to pretend to be sitting across from myself and lecturing what I should say in a pretend situation. Its really weird and definitely not the same in a real social situation. She also brings up my mother a lot, which is a sensitive issue that my previous psychologist wouldn't touch on without asking me. I'm not sure how much social workers know about psychology, but she tries to give me mini lectures on feeling human emotions and pretty random things that are hit and miss.

I am really not used to this kind of therapy before. I'm wondering if anyone else feels that social workers and MFT's are very different from clinical psychologists in the way they treat people. It doesn't seem to be working out for me.

[kc1895]

I finally stopped seeing the therapist. I think she was getting frustrated with me because she could not understand my problems. In our last session, she told me to "look up YouTube videos" to improve my social skills. I told her that I didn't think I have social skill problems, its more about making friends and being in social situations. She told me to again "look up YouTube videos" on how to make friends. I'm going on 7cupsoftea now, at least its free and people give better advice!

[Otherside]

Think you did the right thing there. If you want therapy to work, you need a good relationship with the therapist/social worker/whoever it is you're saying, and seems like you didn't.

And she wasn't very understanding.

[sanspants]

I finally stopped seeing the therapist. I think she was getting frustrated with me because she could not understand my problems. In our last session, she told me to "look up YouTube videos" to improve my social skills. I told her that I didn't think I have social skill problems, its more about making friends and being in social situations. She told me to again "look up YouTube videos" on how to make friends. I'm going on 7cupsoftea now, at least its free and people give better advice!

WOW, your former therapist would make me really angry. Implying that you need to improve your social skills is just...insulting. You shouldn't have to defend yourself :/. I'm glad you did, though! Sounds like she needs to "look up YouTube vidoes" on how to be a better therapist.

Mine is only cool because he's a Gestalt therapist, and they're a lot less judgmental than those with the typical authoritative approaches (where they always "know better" and treat you like you're below them). As a crisis worker I always disliked therapists until I met my current one and learned his approach.