When Therapy Isn’t Working.
Considering a Change of Therapist:
Identifying the Issue:
It’s essential to first identify why the therapy doesn’t seem effective. Is it due to a lack of connection with the therapist, the methods being used, or external factors affecting the client’s engagement or progress?
Open Communication:
Clients should feel empowered to discuss their concerns with their therapist. A competent therapist will welcome such feedback and may adjust their approach, focus on different areas, or even recommend a colleague who might be a better fit.
Therapy Takes Time:
It's important to remember that therapy is often a gradual process. Initial progress might be slow, and it’s common to go through periods of discomfort or feeling like there’s little change.
Switching Therapists:
If, after discussing concerns, there’s still a sense that the therapeutic relationship or the approach isn’t working, it might be beneficial to consider switching therapists. A different therapist might offer a new perspective or approach that resonates better with the client.
Trying a Different Approach:
Sometimes, the issue may lie with the type of therapy rather than the therapist. Exploring different therapeutic approaches can be a valuable step. For example, someone who does not respond well to cognitive-behavioral techniques might benefit from a more humanistic or psychodynamic approach.
Self-Reflection and Patience:
Reflect on Expectations: Clients should reflect on their own expectations and commitment to the therapy process. Sometimes, unrealistic expectations or reluctance to fully engage can hinder progress.
If you have changed therapists many times due to feeling like no progress is being made then it would be important to reflect on whether you are having difficulty with the therapeutic process itself. For example, perhaps every time you start to get into ‘doing the work’ with your therapist, you become avoidant of continuing with your sessions or find excuses not to continue without discussing the concerns with your therapist.
It can be difficult to bring up issues we are having in the therapeutic process and it takes courage to reveal what feels vulnerable to us. This is a normal part of the therapeutic process, if that helps to know. Of course, there can be other reasons why you may not be getting the help you need, but voicing your concerns is a great step to take towards getting the results you want and need.
Patience and Persistence: It’s important to be patient and persistent with the process. Therapy often involves working through difficult and deeply rooted issues, which takes time and effort.
Let’s normalise feeling the desire to change therapists, but also…
Discuss with your therapist.
If they don’t want to address the problem or sidestep your concern by making it about ‘what it’s bringing up for you’ then this may be problematic.
They should be open to discussing your concerns, and if they do feel that it is about resistance to the therapeutic process then that is a good thing and can be discussed towards a resolution or more ability to work with what is coming up in the process.
