Does A Therapist Need A Therapist
I'm a member of a few online Parkinson's support groups. A lot of chronic illnesses have these and they're very helpful. It's a place where you can ask questions, find out what other people are going through and yeah...get support.
It also gives me ideas on topics to write about....like this one.
A couple of months ago, someone asked about therapy and if it helped. The response was close to unanimous. Almost everyone had a therapist....almost.
I'm a big believer in therapy. It was recommended when I was first diagnosed with Parkinson's. It's a way to talk about physical life changes. I liked it so much that we've expanded into other interesting topics such as relationships, trust, living conditions and dealing with death/grief. It's an hour where you can vent about really personal stuff without judgement. How great is that?
So back to the Parkie's group....the one person who said she didn't need a therapist is a woman who had just retired from a career as a therapist. She said she had enough experience to be able to deal with her problems on her own.
Everyone needs to do what's in their own best interest but it didn't ring quite right to me. I kept thinking of the saying "the doctor who treats himself has a fool for a patient and a fool for a doctor."
I posed the question to a therapist friend:
She's possibly burned out and reluctant to engage as a client. Or....1000 other reasons. It's possible she doesn't need help now. Remember not to take other people's inventory.
Like a good patient, I asked another therapist friend (I know a lot of therapists) for a second opinion.
Periodically, every therapist needs therapy. I share some deep issues with my colleagues and they provide informal services which I feel are extremely valuable. Not everyone needs therapy at all times. We are not always psychologically receptive at all times but no one is permanently fixed by virtue of their career or their years in therapy.
I brought up the topic to my own therapist and she said the same thing. Basically, when they need help, they get help.
So what have we learned here and how does this pertain to Parkinson's?
a. Parkinson's is a very complex disease. Get all the help you need to get a better understanding. b. You wouldn't try to treat yourself with a physical ailment. Mental health isn't any different. c. You may not need therapy all the time. That's fine but be open to the idea. get help when you need it.
You do not need a therapist if you own a motorcycle- Dan Ackroyd
I've written a few stories about therapy. This was the first one about hugging.
Did you know I have a couple of therapists as subscribers to my blog. You can join them by entering your email address and clicking on the link below. I promise they won't call you to solicit your business...and no one else will either. Spam Free.