I've been around Susan's for quite a while now and on a regular basis I see and read the topics started with regard to therapy/therapists and the SOC, how they are interpreted and applied.
I often wonder why there is so much resentment towards these issues as I personally have no problems with them. Like several folks I initially balked at the idea of going into therapy just to determine what I already knew in my own mind. Just as others have mentioned, who else but me is better qualified to tell me who and what I am. My doctor referred me to the dreaded gatekeepers in the Toronto clinic, a place that I had heard so many bad things about. So I sought my own therapist. In my case I lucked out and the psychologist who took me in was indeed exceptional. Recently I have been reading reports on this dreaded clinic in Toronto, and you know what? They aren't so bad after all. Granted they have their process that they follow, but the process is nothing exceptional and the biggest problem is the distance one has to travel to see them.
So when I look back at my initial thoughts I have to smile and think who the heck was I trying to kid. If I feel ill or I think that there is something wrong with me, I go to my doctor without a second thought and when I arrive at the office I don't walk in and say "Hi doc I think I have lung cancer, I think you need to conduct these tests, prescribe these pills and you may need to schedule surgery, and you will definitely need to alert the cancer clinic that they have a new patient." Instead I go in and say "Hi doc, I've been having trouble breathing lately and I've been coughing a lot" and then I wait for the doctor to examine me and tell me what he thinks the problem is, what he thinks the next course of action is, and what his/her gut feeling is etc. Now this doctor has gone through medical school and has no doubt passed all the requirements to practice medicine. So why do some think of psychiatrist, and psychologist differently? In Canada, psychiatrists are all medical doctors first having completed medical school, and then they qualify in their specialty field. So in essence they have more qualifications that a regular MD.
I feel that those who have this "I know best attitude" are afraid of hearing the truth, they are possibly afraid of being confronted with their feelings, and thoughts etc. almost as if they don't want to hear that they may be something else that they are not TS/CD/TV/IS or whatever, "who the heck are you to tell me what I am or am not". Therapy requires the individual to be honest, really honest with the therapist, and not hold things back, or provide false information. For just like the family Dr how can a therapist provide a diagnosis if they are not provided with the facts. Therapists are trained to interpret your words, stories, feelings, facial expressions, body language, your relationships; you concerns, your fears, and why you think the way you are and so on. A good therapist will simply listen to you, and ask questions that if answered honestly may reveal other things/issues to the therapist, things that will help make a diagnosis. A good therapist will not require you to do things such as wear make-up they are there to analyze your brain not your looks. A good therapist will also refer a client to others should they feel they are not qualified to deal with the client in front of them. Just as MD's have to take their time with diagnosing complicated medical issues so must a therapist, and we must expect that a therapist is not going to be able to make this diagnosis in just one visit.
I have significant involvement with both psychiatrists and psychologists on this thing of ours, both as a client but more so professionally by way of presentations to groups and individually on TS issues. Personally I'm confident in what I've experienced.
Just my observations.
Steph
