PTSD Relate

So here’s the list;

They are VERY biased

NOT open minded

They DON’T contact authorities when you need them (this is ILLEGAL and the authorities will take away their license for good; being a therapist, you should protect survivors NOT protecting the perpetrator/s)

Thinking a ‘certain’ amount of sessions will help (aka, the NHS only doing 6 sessions. Nothing works in 6 sessions)

VERY religious. Aka, forcing religion onto you

They care more about opinions than facts

They are unwilling to hear you

They give extremely bad advice in your daily life

Keeping you staying fixed rather than be development (fixed is where you refuse therapy and stay toxic and staying to be the victim. Development is where you want to get better)

They only care about your families opinions than your own

You feel angry after the session

You feel hurt after the session

You feel upset after the session

You want to cry after the session

You DON’T feel free after the session

Their voice is patronising

They DON’T treat you with respect

They “hide” important information from you

They DON’T share your progress

They DON’T share their own notes with you

You feel afraid to be open

You feel afraid that they will judge you

You CAN’T be yourself

They tell your family what’s been going on in the sessions (that’s ILLEGAL btw and authorities will have their license taken away)

You feel that they DON’T care about you

You feel lonely

Your mental health is getting worse

Healing for you is easy (btw, healing hurts. If they making your healing easy, they are NOT doing a good job)

Pushing your boundaries

Forcing you to talk about traumatising things that happened in the past (again, this is ILLEGAL to do. Talking about different traumatising things will take time and a lot of patience)

They have NO patience

They like to rush your healing

Refusing outside help when you need it the most

Refuse to take any outside help and they think it’s their way or the high way

Refuse to give you medication when you need it

Refuse to listen to you

Refuse to go outside and share with 3rd party mental health professionals

If you’re a minor and the therapist tells you “it’s your parents house, they are allowed to treat you like that” after mentioning any form of abuse.

If you are honest about self harming or having thoughts of suicide and the therapist tells you “that’s not a valid reason. Grow up.”

Anytime the therapist says “wow it sounds like you can’t let stuff go” or that you hold onto grudges too easily. (This is especially damaging to cPTSD, PTSD, or any trauma holders).

If they say “that happened so long ago, how do you still remember that?” As if remembering abuse is unheard of.

On the flip side, if the therapist ever says, “well since you can’t remember it, it must not have really happened and you’re making stuff up.” This is incredibly damaging to any one.

If your therapist says “but I’ve seen that person around you and they are so nice to you so I couldn’t see them doing that”. Or if they say “but they’re your family, they obviously love you or you wouldn’t be getting therapy” as if that’s a valid excuse.

Also; if the therapist ever says during a session “well now it sounds like you’re making up problems because last week you were doing so well”.

If the therapist says, “oh you’re showing way too many emotions and I can’t handle that!” But after setting you up with the other recommendation, tells you “I still want to see you for other sessions however”.

If the therapist tells you they want to be like a parent to you. This is a HUGE red flag as a therapist is someone you hire to help you, not someone to replace any family member regardless of how your personal relationship with that member is. (The one and only male therapist I had said he wanted to be like the father I never had for me.)

Being too friendly with you. As in whenever you sit in their office, they make themselves completely relaxed around you so much to the point that it feels like you’re sitting down for coffee having a chat and not a professional setting at all.

On the flip side; if you feel like you have to sit completely still and cannot relax at all. Because they made a face or reacted quickly to you moving a pillow or placing your items on their furniture.

The therapist can’t seem to remember important details of your past. Anytime they ask “remind me” or “tell me again when”. This can be damaging to healing with PTSD as you are having to bring up old wounds again and again.

Also if your therapist can’t seem to remember anything about you presently. For example, my current therapist forgets a lot that I have two children. Considering they are still really relevant and in my life presently, there is no excuse why my therapist can’t remember that I have a family.

- Taking your session time to talk about their own abuse they have suffered

- Diagnosing you with the DSM-5 if they are underqualified

so you should watch yourself (INBRED- ETHEL CAIN)

“My body had told me what my mind refused to accept. I’m tired. So tired. Tired in ways that I’m afraid. The fear is a fear of a broken dream. I have made a decision.”