While you like to think the best of people and that they are well-intentioned, the reality is that not everyone is, and you have to be careful in whom you place your trust, especially when it comes to personal issues, such as treatment.
Dr. Cassidy Blair of Blair Wellness Group is a professional licensed clinical psychologist who offers top-rated treatment services in and around the Beverly Hills area. Her treatment clinic ensures that patients are provided the absolute best treatments in order to help them achieve their goals and live their best lives ever. Below, we’ll offer up tips on how to spot an ineffective psychologist. Get in touch with us to learn more today.
HOW TO SPOT AN INEFFECTIVE PSYCHOlOGIST
Confidentiality Violations
It is extremely hard to bare your soul to a stranger, so it’s imperative that you find one whom you are comfortable with and whom you trust. However, if a psychologist breaches confidentiality, odds are, you won’t trust them anymore. In truth, you won’t get the help you seek and deserve with a psychologist whom you can’t open up to. Most breaches of confidentiality occur when a psychologist shares information about you with a family member. If this happens, it’s time to find a new psychologist (this is a violation that you can report, too).
You Feel Judged
No one wants to feel judged over anything they do. Living in society, this happens as humans naturally judge others. However, you should not feel judged by the person you’ve hired to help you get over past pain, trauma, or help you with relationship issues you may be having. While psychologist definitely have opinions and are there to offer you helpful advice, a line can be crossed if they are judging you based on your past, such as if you’ve had trauma with your parents, you are struggling with sex addiction, and the like.
Ineffective Treatment Sessions
While each person is different and will respond to treatment at a different rate, depending on what they are struggling with, you should be making progress in your goal. If you leave every session thinking and feeling like no progress has been made, your psychologist may be ineffective, lack the training you require, or just may be inexperienced in dealing with your struggle. Or, you may require a specialized psychologist, and your psychologist should be willing to refer you if that is the case.
Lack of Commitment
Mental health professionals are people too, and there may be instances where your psychologist has their own family emergency they need to take care of. While this is understandable, if this becomes a regular occurrence, your psychologist may not be committed to you or may lack the time to truly help you. Other signs of a lack of commitment to your care include: showing up late to your treatment sessions, constantly rescheduling, cancelling, or even forgetting about your appointment altogether.
Don’t Feel Comfortable
Since you are essentially bearing your soul at every treatment session, it’s important that you feel comfortable with your psychologist and that you connect. In reality, we don’t connect with everyone we meet, and you may experience this with your psychologist. If you do, don’t feel obligated to keep seeing your psychologist because you won’t be getting everything you need from your sessions if you hold information back. If you are seeing a reputable psychologist, they will understand and may even sense this from you and make a recommendation if asked.
Unethical Conduct
As a licensed psychologist, your psychologist has undergone extensive training to help you overcome certain conditions, disorders, or issues in your life. They have also agreed to keep the relationship with their patients professional and never drop into a personal relationship. Thus, if a psychologist inappropriately touches you in a nonconsensual way, you should leave immediately and report the situation if warranted. Also, psychologist may ask too many questions unrelated to your treatment issue that would be considered intrusive. For the most part, this particular scenario will be a gut decision.
When It’s Not About You
Talking out your problems can be very cathartic and healing in and of itself. When you partner with a licensed psychologist, they have insightful tools that can help you heal from the past so you can live your best life. That being said, at times a psychologist may use their treatment sessions to reveal too much information about themselves and their problems. This self disclosure by psychologist can be an effective tool in treatment and in bonding with their patients. However, when it’s done excessively, it can be a problem you should avoid.
Lofty Language You Don’t Understand
Treatment is all about connecting with others, talking, and equipping others with the tools they need to overcome their problems, conditions, and help with disorders. This is challenging in and of itself; however, it can be even more challenging when your psychologist is not communicating effectively. Either the psychologist is using too lofty terms, or the psychologist may even have a hard time understanding what the patient is trying to convey. If you begin to feel like you are a broken record, talking around the same issue but getting nowhere, it may be time to find another psychologist with better communication skills. Ask your friends and family for helpful advice and experience with area psychologist.
CONNECT WITH BLAIR WELLNESS GROUP TODAY
Many people see their psychologist as an authority figure because they have a certain level of expertise that they are seeking. However, you should not be afraid to stand up for yourself should you feel a violation of some sort has occurred.
Dr. Cassidy Blair of Blair Wellness Group offers professional treatment services in and around Beverly Hills, including Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Brentwood, West Hollywood, and the surrounding areas. She works diligently to ensure your needs are being met and that you are seeing progress in your treatment sessions. If you are looking for a top-rated psychologist near you, schedule your appointment today.
