Heard the most outrageous story of a therapy experience. My blood is boiling!
A young woman was in a therapy session yesterday at a very reputable organization affiliated with a major university here in town talking about very personal and intimate things – while her therapist is on the computer – one would think typing notes, which in and of itself is so impersonal. But no, actually she, the therapist, is online shopping! The client could see through the images in the therapist’s glasses that she was shopping on her computer while she the client was laying out her very personal story – that the therapist is supposed to be compassionately and thoughtfully listening to I might add. At least that is how it is how it rolls in my neighborhood!
This kind of conduct is so egregious! I can’t even begin to express my shock, horror and outrage at hearing of this person’s experience. I regard the therapy experience and my part in it as something very sacred. To hear of another person in my profession acting like it is beneath her to listen to someone attentively and with regard that is PAYING for her services is beyond infuriating to me. That is her JOB to listen and be an empathetic vessel.
Imagine how this client must have felt – to be regarded so flippantly. It makes me so angry as again, I take my roll in the therapeutic experience very seriously. We have to – so much damage can be done by an uncaring, lazy therapist – people are already coming in with things that have left them feeling devalued and crushed. It is our job to make sure the client has a safe place from which to do the very vulnerable work of healing.
First of all, the behavior of this therapist is unethical – just to start. Not to mention, disrespectful, invalidating, dismissive, etc. I am hoping this professional – and I use that term lightly – will be reported by this client for her horrifying conduct. I am going to do my own checking to see if there is anything I can do to report this gross misconduct. We all have a duty to uphold the ethics of our professions – that is the only way this world will become a better place. People cannot just sit around and do nothing and expect things to change.
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