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Warning signs of questionable therapists and counselors
- Your therapy is first and foremost about your healing and recovery. But if your sessions aren't helping, you're under no obligation to continue something that's not contributing to your growth. Good therapists practice with their clients’ best interests in mind, however, not every therapist is ideal for you. In some cases, it can even be difficult to determine exactly why therapy isn’t going well, therefore it's important to recognize certain warning signs that could be about the actual therapist. If you're feeling uncertain, check out this gallery for the warning signs that you shouldn't ignore. Click on for more.
© Shutterstock
0 / 29 Fotos
They're unreliable
- If your therapist frequently shows up late, reschedules, cancels, or forgets about appointments, you may want to consider seeing a different mental health provider.
© Shutterstock
1 / 29 Fotos
They're not listening or responding
- An obvious one, therapists need to listen and respond to what you're saying. If not, then they're not making enough effort to understand you and provide guidance.
© Shutterstock
2 / 29 Fotos
They're judgmental
- This is a big no-no that no one should experience. Judging clients is hurtful and hinders progress in therapy.
© Shutterstock
3 / 29 Fotos
They impose their beliefs and ideologies
- Therapists should respect your religious, spiritual, political, and social beliefs. That means not imposing their beliefs on you.
© Shutterstock
4 / 29 Fotos
Telling you what to do
- If you ask for advice, then it's totally fine for therapists to share their thoughts and opinions. But they shouldn't be ordering you around, as this defeats the purpose of therapy.
© Shutterstock
5 / 29 Fotos
They're breaking confidentiality
- A therapist is legally bound to protect your privacy. They should only share confidential information if it's necessary to save a life.
© Shutterstock
6 / 29 Fotos
They're not culturally sensitive
- If your therapist has made disparaging remarks about your sexual orientation, racial background, religion, or another aspect of your identity, then you shouldn't continue with them. And even if it wasn't about you, there's no need to continue if you felt uncomfortable.
© Shutterstock
7 / 29 Fotos
They try to encourage you to blame everyone for your issues
- A proper therapist does help you navigate your desire to blame, but the point of therapy isn't to blame. It's supposed to empower you to take responsibility and live a better life.
© Shutterstock
8 / 29 Fotos
They talk too much about themselves
- Talking a bit about themselves is fine, as it sometimes can build a strong therapeutic alliance. However, the vast majority of therapy time should be about you.
© Shutterstock
9 / 29 Fotos
They shame mental illness
- If you have a mental illness, your therapist shouldn’t treat it like something to be ashamed of.
© Shutterstock
10 / 29 Fotos
They rush on a diagnosis
- Not every problem needs a clinical label. And sometimes rushing to diagnose someone can result in a false diagnosis.
© Shutterstock
11 / 29 Fotos
They pressure you to talk about something you're not ready to yet
- Therapists can guide you, but they shouldn’t push on an issue if you tell them you don't want to talk about it. You get to decide where the session goes.
© Shutterstock
12 / 29 Fotos
They're too passive
- If a therapist hesitates to give you too much advice, or any at all, then they may not be proactive enough.
© Shutterstock
13 / 29 Fotos
They become overly defensive about feedback
- If you tell your therapist they made a mistake or that you didn't like their approach to an issue, then they should respond calmly and maturely.
© Shutterstock
14 / 29 Fotos
They check the time too much
- Once is fine, but more than that is just rude. You shouldn’t feel rushed to finish the session.
© Shutterstock
15 / 29 Fotos
They just don't get you
- Your therapist may be highly trained and qualified, and yet simply doesn't get you. This might be because you share different religious, racial, gender, or class backgrounds. Whatever the case, if they don't "get you," it's a problem.
© Shutterstock
16 / 29 Fotos
They're trying to be your friend
- Your therapist shouldn't ask you to hang out as friends or follow you on social media. This can interfere with being objective during therapy.
© Shutterstock
17 / 29 Fotos
They're inappropriate
- If your therapist has touched you inappropriately or sexually propositioned you, it's important to end all sessions immediately and report the therapist.
© Shutterstock
18 / 29 Fotos
There's too much background noise
- If there's a ton of background noise or simply a lack of privacy, then there's a risk other people will hear the session. This can violate your privacy.
© Shutterstock
19 / 29 Fotos
They leave you feeling worse after a session
- While it's occasionally normal to feel bad after a session, especially if you touched on a difficult subject, sometimes it could be because of the clinician themselves. This is a sign they're not a good fit for you.
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
They ask you to repeat or remind them a lot of what you've said
- Asking for clarification or a quick reminder on a specific detail is normal. But not remembering why you’re seeking treatment should be a red flag!
© Shutterstock
21 / 29 Fotos
They're not giving you the time you paid for
- If you’re on time to your session, then you deserve the amount of minutes the therapist is charging you for.
© Shutterstock
22 / 29 Fotos
They take you as a client even if they don’t specialize in your issue
- You have the right to know what training and experience your therapist has. If they don’t specialize in what you're bringing to therapy, they should tell you.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
They're buried in notes
- Even when the session is done online, eye contact and body language are important, which research shows is essential for successful therapy.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
They're eating during the session
- Eating during a session is simply rude. Lunch breaks exist for a reason.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
They're pushing a therapeutic approach too much
- If you tell them about a childhood trauma, their first response shouldn't be, "This is what Freud would say about that."
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
It doesn't feel "right"
- If you get an uneasy feeling about your sessions with this person, trust your gut. It may be time to reevaluate a particular therapist.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
x
- x
© Shutterstock
28 / 29 Fotos
Warning signs of questionable therapists and counselors
- Your therapy is first and foremost about your healing and recovery. But if your sessions aren't helping, you're under no obligation to continue something that's not contributing to your growth. Good therapists practice with their clients’ best interests in mind, however, not every therapist is ideal for you. In some cases, it can even be difficult to determine exactly why therapy isn’t going well, therefore it's important to recognize certain warning signs that could be about the actual therapist. If you're feeling uncertain, check out this gallery for the warning signs that you shouldn't ignore. Click on for more.
© Shutterstock
0 / 29 Fotos
They're unreliable
- If your therapist frequently shows up late, reschedules, cancels, or forgets about appointments, you may want to consider seeing a different mental health provider.
© Shutterstock
1 / 29 Fotos
They're not listening or responding
- An obvious one, therapists need to listen and respond to what you're saying. If not, then they're not making enough effort to understand you and provide guidance.
© Shutterstock
2 / 29 Fotos
They're judgmental
- This is a big no-no that no one should experience. Judging clients is hurtful and hinders progress in therapy.
© Shutterstock
3 / 29 Fotos
They impose their beliefs and ideologies
- Therapists should respect your religious, spiritual, political, and social beliefs. That means not imposing their beliefs on you.
© Shutterstock
4 / 29 Fotos
Telling you what to do
- If you ask for advice, then it's totally fine for therapists to share their thoughts and opinions. But they shouldn't be ordering you around, as this defeats the purpose of therapy.
© Shutterstock
5 / 29 Fotos
They're breaking confidentiality
- A therapist is legally bound to protect your privacy. They should only share confidential information if it's necessary to save a life.
© Shutterstock
6 / 29 Fotos
They're not culturally sensitive
- If your therapist has made disparaging remarks about your sexual orientation, racial background, religion, or another aspect of your identity, then you shouldn't continue with them. And even if it wasn't about you, there's no need to continue if you felt uncomfortable.
© Shutterstock
7 / 29 Fotos
They try to encourage you to blame everyone for your issues
- A proper therapist does help you navigate your desire to blame, but the point of therapy isn't to blame. It's supposed to empower you to take responsibility and live a better life.
© Shutterstock
8 / 29 Fotos
They talk too much about themselves
- Talking a bit about themselves is fine, as it sometimes can build a strong therapeutic alliance. However, the vast majority of therapy time should be about you.
© Shutterstock
9 / 29 Fotos
They shame mental illness
- If you have a mental illness, your therapist shouldn’t treat it like something to be ashamed of.
© Shutterstock
10 / 29 Fotos
They rush on a diagnosis
- Not every problem needs a clinical label. And sometimes rushing to diagnose someone can result in a false diagnosis.
© Shutterstock
11 / 29 Fotos
They pressure you to talk about something you're not ready to yet
- Therapists can guide you, but they shouldn’t push on an issue if you tell them you don't want to talk about it. You get to decide where the session goes.
© Shutterstock
12 / 29 Fotos
They're too passive
- If a therapist hesitates to give you too much advice, or any at all, then they may not be proactive enough.
© Shutterstock
13 / 29 Fotos
They become overly defensive about feedback
- If you tell your therapist they made a mistake or that you didn't like their approach to an issue, then they should respond calmly and maturely.
© Shutterstock
14 / 29 Fotos
They check the time too much
- Once is fine, but more than that is just rude. You shouldn’t feel rushed to finish the session.
© Shutterstock
15 / 29 Fotos
They just don't get you
- Your therapist may be highly trained and qualified, and yet simply doesn't get you. This might be because you share different religious, racial, gender, or class backgrounds. Whatever the case, if they don't "get you," it's a problem.
© Shutterstock
16 / 29 Fotos
They're trying to be your friend
- Your therapist shouldn't ask you to hang out as friends or follow you on social media. This can interfere with being objective during therapy.
© Shutterstock
17 / 29 Fotos
They're inappropriate
- If your therapist has touched you inappropriately or sexually propositioned you, it's important to end all sessions immediately and report the therapist.
© Shutterstock
18 / 29 Fotos
There's too much background noise
- If there's a ton of background noise or simply a lack of privacy, then there's a risk other people will hear the session. This can violate your privacy.
© Shutterstock
19 / 29 Fotos
They leave you feeling worse after a session
- While it's occasionally normal to feel bad after a session, especially if you touched on a difficult subject, sometimes it could be because of the clinician themselves. This is a sign they're not a good fit for you.
© Shutterstock
20 / 29 Fotos
They ask you to repeat or remind them a lot of what you've said
- Asking for clarification or a quick reminder on a specific detail is normal. But not remembering why you’re seeking treatment should be a red flag!
© Shutterstock
21 / 29 Fotos
They're not giving you the time you paid for
- If you’re on time to your session, then you deserve the amount of minutes the therapist is charging you for.
© Shutterstock
22 / 29 Fotos
They take you as a client even if they don’t specialize in your issue
- You have the right to know what training and experience your therapist has. If they don’t specialize in what you're bringing to therapy, they should tell you.
© Shutterstock
23 / 29 Fotos
They're buried in notes
- Even when the session is done online, eye contact and body language are important, which research shows is essential for successful therapy.
© Shutterstock
24 / 29 Fotos
They're eating during the session
- Eating during a session is simply rude. Lunch breaks exist for a reason.
© Shutterstock
25 / 29 Fotos
They're pushing a therapeutic approach too much
- If you tell them about a childhood trauma, their first response shouldn't be, "This is what Freud would say about that."
© Shutterstock
26 / 29 Fotos
It doesn't feel "right"
- If you get an uneasy feeling about your sessions with this person, trust your gut. It may be time to reevaluate a particular therapist.
© Shutterstock
27 / 29 Fotos
x
- x
© Shutterstock
28 / 29 Fotos
Warning signs of questionable therapists and counselors
© Shutterstock
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