@outlander wrote:
my psych said she cant help me, only i can help msyelf. what faith do i now have in the mh system? for someone who cant help themselves to be told that not even a mh professional cant help.
@outlander I always find it utterly absurd when psychologists say "only you can help yourself." I have had numerous psychologists say that to me over the years. My response has always been "then what the f*ck am I paying you for?" Thus far no psychologist has been able to come up with an answer to that one.
I think it is one of those idiotic fluffy lines that, when you unpack it, has no substance to it. I mean really, if a psychologist truly believed that they couldn't help anyone and that the person can only ever help themselves, then what does the psychologist possibly think they are getting paid to do???
People can learn skills to help them regulate and cope with big feelings better. People can heal from trauma related issues in the context of a super safe therapeutic relationship. People can learn assertiveness skills so that they can better get their needs met in their environment. These things are doable...if only you can find a therapist skilled enough to do it.
From what I can tell, when a psychologist does the "only you can help yourself" thing, what they are actually saying is "I don't know how to help you." That doesn't mean you are unhelpable, it just means that that particular psychologist lacks the skill to help you.
