Psychological therapy: what to do when it doesn’t work
Therapy may not work for a variety of reasons. One of the problems may be that the psychologist in question has not correctly identified the problem. If the psychologist does not work in this initial phase, the treatment he carries out will not work either or, at least, it will not have the desired effect.
On the other hand, If the therapy does not go well, it may also be because the appropriate therapy has not been applied. Sometimes the patient’s problems are complicated and they do not know how to connect with their psychologist.
It is a fact that psychology is a very complex field and, sometimes, finding the right therapy can be complicated.
Finally, another reason why a therapy may not work is because the sessions have not been carried out with the recommended frequency.
In the same way that a medical treatment does not work well if it is not taken in the appropriate dose, a therapy, if not carried out frequently enough, can fail. In this case we ask that you be patient and follow the guidelines established by the professional.
A premature abandonment of therapy will never solve anything.
What to do if my therapy doesn’t work?
If you feel that your therapy is not working, the first thing you should do is talk to your psychologist. You have to be quite clear and not be shy when telling them. Don’t be ashamed, your psychologist is here to help you and will greatly appreciate this type of information that you are going to provide.
In the vast majority of therapies The objectives are established by both parties and, of course, the work requires the involvement of both. Both the patient and the psychologist are in the same boat, so communication is the most important thing.
Having trust with your psychologist is essential to be able to maintain a fluid conversation with him. If you are not able to communicate this problem to your psychologist, it is a bad sign.
The best way for the psychologist to make a valid diagnosis and establish the appropriate therapy is to be honest. If you think you’re wasting your time or that he’s not helping you at all, don’t be afraid to tell him. since everything is going to get better.
On the other hand, just because therapy with a psychologist does not work for you does not mean that your problem has no solution.
From Atlas Psychologists Tres Cantos we recommend have a second opinion so you should never lose faith in therapy.
If when you have a bad experience with a dentist you go to another, and when the same thing happens with a hairdresser you also do it, why not with a psychologist?
How do I know if my therapy is going well?
Sometimes it is a little difficult to see the results of therapy. Sometimes, patients are in a hurry to recover or fall into despair thinking that they will never be able to recover.
These aspects end up clouding judgment and making it impossible to establish a diagnosis through which it is known whether the therapy is working or not. As in practically everything, There are a series of factors that help us realize that the therapy is not working.
Psychology is a profession that is based on science. This implies that the actions of psychologists have to be founded.
Unfortunately, some therapists still base their practices on other types of approaches that are not evidence, achieving results that are not satisfactory for the patient. A psychologist must listen patiently and not talk about himself.
One of the most important skills that a psychologist must have is knowing how to listen. Besides, should actively participate in your problems by asking you directly for more information and thus better understand your situation.
If your therapist doesn’t spend much time listening to you or constantly interrupts you, that’s another bad sign.
Communication in therapy is important
In the same way that you should communicate to your psychologist what is happening to you, he or she has to reason with you about the decisions they make. The best way to understand a therapy is to be clear about the reason why it is being done.
A psychologist should be able to explain to you in a simple way the reason why he or she suggests certain guidelines. If he does not give you explanations or minimizes your problem, it is another sign that the therapy is not going well.
For therapy to go well, it has to focus on the future. There is no point in focusing on the past, nothing can change. If the psychologist spends a large amount of time dwelling on the past, it is likely that he will end up aggravating the problem, generating a new one, or lengthening the duration of the therapy.
All of these aspects are negative and new symptoms that the therapy is not going as well as it should. A psychologist has to help you in your daily life and offer you practical solutions that will help you when you leave the consultation. It is evident that removing the past does not help this.
During psychological treatment there are days when you will surely come out better than others, especially in the early and intermediate phases of therapy. For this reason, it is important to know that a psychologist cannot treat a problem in a single session , and the results of some sessions are not necessarily super positive. Of course, over time you should notice improvement.
A psychologist should never cross the professional line. He is not your friend, you must be clear about that. The psychologist must be honest with you and offer you objective professional treatment. Likewise, he should never judge you or impose his value system on you.
If you identify with any of these problems, perhaps it is time to change psychologists.
Pay attention to all the details and, of course, keep in mind that Whenever you go to a consultation it is to do better. If you regress or feel bad about yourself, change before the problem becomes more serious.
