Anyone been rejected by a therapist?

I was seeing a therapist for about 5 months. She had just been licensed, had little experience but we got along. Until she triggered me big time which set me back quite a bit. Then she dumped it back on me (!). [She def shouldn't be counseling PTSD'ers.] I hung in there anyway but one day I told her DID seemed to fit the bill. The next session she terminated saying she "couldn't help me", "didn't have time" all of the sudden (all BS excuses) but I said no problem cause the excuses were worse than the truth. [I'll just add that she works with mentally ill criminals so her saying that seemed a little funky.]

So I went back to a great therapist I'd seen in the past, a really good one. I couldn't believe it but in our first session I got bulldozed-- she talked the whole time, way too much, way too fast. Not cool bc of recent trauma that kinda broke me. I can't trust someone if I wanted to. I emailed my feedback, added I was "imploding" and fighting the urge to shut it down. I've already shut down 90% of my links to the outer world, but I hoped she'd help, encourage, or at the least refer me elsewhere. But ... no response. Nada. I did not mention DID, so I guess it's possible the email was too freaky to stand.

Anyone experience this kind of thing in therapy before? If so, did they tell you why or just BS you?

That sounds pretty awful. I guess it's good to find out how they are and not continue to spend time with them.

I've never been fired yet.

Don't give up. There is someone for you who won't have all those hangups.

our former T sent us away after more than 2 years, telling us that she thought she could do it but she cant. the moment we didnt hold back and other spoke she lost her cool. she was honest about it, but the relationship was broken.

for us it opened the way to take proper careof us and find a DID T. not a well-meaning trauma T without experience.
if you could see the chances in this... it would help.
we have reached a point where we prefer no therapy over bad therapy. bet those Ts spared you from more harm.
(although you should look at their email rules again. some will receive mails but only talk about it in session)

Oh yes. Shopping for a therapist, I was rejected out of hand by many. Some want to treat only the "worried well": neurotics, people complaining of minor anxiety and depression. Some want to do only supportive therapy, not get into any nitty gritty painful trauma stuff.

Keep in mind that therapists as a group are not mentally healthier than other people. In fact, many of them go into the therapy profession as a way to "do over" their own problems. Some work though their problems in their own therapy but others just sweep their own problems under the rug. (Or try to, but as we know that $#%^ has a way of coming to the surface again and again.)

My system is quite large and the first so called specialist was suppose to be among the top 8 in the country at the time. After a few years I was told they would all have to be integrated and OMG did that cause an upheaval inside. They were furious. After all, they are the ones that helped me through it all. Protected me and kept me as safe as possible considering. Then I found out he and my at the time surgeon husband did used every single session. The Dr even tape recorded or video recorded every session and showed him. The ex had a friend draw up fake attorney Guardian papers and when I was having a rough time ,one of my others that he snowed signed it. After I moved, I found out the extent of the collusion...my ex gave him permission to discuss me and my condition as they called it with anyone he chose to. I turned him and my ex in to the physicians governing board and they both lost their licenses. Because this is all public record I had a bear of a time finding a therapist now. UF Gainesville has a great staff but when they got my transcripts from Illinois they came up with every excuse to not see me again and kept all my notes and charts on my system. I've tried for 4 years to get my documents back and I was told they were being used as a teaching tool since their records are their property. I can't find a therapist but I found a psychiatrist that all he wants is to medicate me and no discussion on anything. Just monthly checks. Needless to say I quit going and been trying to deal with it the best I can. If you or anyone can find a great therapist. Keep hold of them. I wish I could. My leader/ primary caretaker is Lance and he is wary of anyone because of what's happened.

Thanks to all!

rmf474: thank you for the encouragement!

birdsong87: wow. I'm amazed your story is so similar. And also bummed for you that you had the same bad luck. I'm really surprised there are so many Ts that, even if they're well meaning, can be that reckless.

Also, it helps to consider email limitations might be why I haven't heard back. This T is a master at healthy boundaries, so it fits. I'll check out her policies.

Una+: love that you know the term "worried well" ... maybe it's more common than I think, but someone said I was likely dismissed by docs and Ts because that's how they saw me. It doesn't help I put on my "best face" to the outer world so my brokenness is hard to see, but it's just how I cope. And so true about therapists ... the whole physician, heal thyself thing, lol.

PinkyDobieMom: in awe of you. That had to be the battle of the ages-- taking on both personal and professional betrayal, plus a gargantuan, self-protecting medical system. I've had more than a few situations like that where a doc or T did something that could have cost them their career, and I got off to a good start, stood up for myself, and got nowhere, and eventually lost my nerve/hope; and over time I eventually stopped trying. And I'm down to just a psychiatrist myself, and he's too scared to meddle with meds no matter how much I say things are getting grave.

Due to a serious injury I sustained by hospital staff I have been black-balled by the medical system, and I stopped seeking for help for my health issues-- just tired of being dismissed and laughed out of the room. But I wonder if what I've considered doing with MDs might be feasible in your case, which is to say to prospective Ts you're new to therapy and thus, have no records. If that's not possible, maybe you could write your story as you've done here and hand it over to prospectives and see who gets back to you. I know I'm offering advice you didn't ask for :/ but I hate that you're paying for their failure.

Add closure to those seeking it. At least they knew they couldn't handle you and least they thought for your sitaution, and at least they thought for what the next therapist might want to know they you aren't afraid to share what is hurting, the emotions, you know. At least it is only a 50 minute session next session, say there has to be a switch so that you all share more until there needs to be hush and quiet . If you are no where near switching on demand ask for a slow down until you can find out who is switching. Remember the therapist is also a hurdle you gotta know that you can handle her personality as well as everything you have on your plate.