# Therapist: Helpers or Money Makers?



## iluvpurpleandpugs (Mar 16, 2012)

So, for those of you have a therapist, thinking about having one, or anyone else that is interested...what are your opinion on therapists? Do you think they actually care about helping, or are they more focused on the money?

One thing that annoys me about my therapist is that every time I go see her, she tries to convince one or more of these things: 
1. More frequent visits
2. More medications 
3. More therapists

Also, in the past, any mention of depression usually brought on the suggestion and/or order for hospitalization.

My mom says she is trying to be helpful, but what annoys me is that my therapist seems to forget that none of these things are free. They cost money, and they cost a lot of it. Although my family has good insurance...it doesn't cover everything.

For example, Seroquel XR is as expensive as expensive medications could possibly be. A 90-day supply of it costs over $1000...and we end up paying about $300 for it. If she insists that I need medication, isn't there a pill that is less expensive? And, if I'm doing fine, what's so wrong about reducing the amoutn?

Also, the more therapists thing has always annoyed me, because it seems to me like she's not that concerned about helping me herself...she wants someone else to do it. And yet, she insists that at least once every two months I come in for a visit...why should I visit, if she's just going to suggest things I don't want and/or need?

Don't get me wrong...she is a very nice lady, and is kind and considerate. My mom says she's looking out for me, and I suppose that is true. 
But sometimes, I don't need all of those extras. I just need someone to vent to.


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## DAM71392 (Jan 28, 2012)

man i feel you so much on this i take pills and they give me heartburn god life sucks


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## percyblueraincoat (Jun 2, 2009)

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## hmnut (Aug 8, 2011)

I am sure joinmartin is a wonderful mental health professional who cares about his clients, but I am not sure if he is the "exception" or the "rule." My gut, based on my experience, suggest he is the exception.

I find many therapist to be nothing more than modern day rain makers (con men and women). They set up a system of you giving them money and if it happens to rain (you get better) they take the credit. If it doesn't rain (you don't get better) they convince you it is because you have not given enough money so you need to give them more.

This isn't to say all therapist are like this, i am sure joinmartin is not, I know of at one person in my life who was a real mess and she went to therapy and I could see the improvement it had on her. BUT again these have been the exceptions not the rule. 

The rest of the people I know who have used therapy (myself included) it has not made any difference. Some of these people have been in therapy for 5, 10, 15 years with little or no improvement.... but the doctors keep cashing those check. 

Let's face it for all the advances in psychology over the past 100 years, it is still basically guess work in a white jacket. No one knows what they are doing... but they keep cashing those check. 

It's not like breaking your leg, where you go to the doctor and he knows exactly how to fix it, and if he can't fix it you can call him on being a bad doctor. (Psychotherapist are sued for malpractice less than most other health professionals despite the fact they have one of the lowest success rating).

In psychotherapy doctors have to try a lot of different things because even with all their degrees they still don't really know **** about the mind and how it works.... but they keep cashing those checks. 

They expect you to pay (and pay a lot I might add) for their attempts that fail. And because "hey I get paid more if this guy never gets better" it's questionable how hard they really want their clients to get better. As joinmartin says they have rent, and bills, and student loans, and kids to put through college. 

I know I sound jadded, that's because I am, but it is because I have had a few therapist who made it clear that getting paid was their primary concern my mental well being was secondary, at best, if at all. 

I would very much like to see a therapist, but I just don't trust them.


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## Nada (Dec 19, 2004)

Therapist care to a certain level. You have to remember it's their job to care, that's what they're being paid for. It's never going to be a genuine care simply because you're only a paying client to them, but it's still their duty as therapist to make sure you are helped within their level of expertise.


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## rambo (Nov 14, 2010)

I think some therapist go for the money more and some dont. YOUR therapist is one of those money hunger one. Yea she's a nice lady and all but that doesn't ignore the evidence that she's ALWAYS showing signs of wanting more and more money. Also, dont listen to your mom. Your mom sound like my mom. My mom always ignore the facts or the evidence I have for the situation. As a result, she always view my point of view as wrong. No matter what. 

So good for you, for spotting this. I think you should get a new therapist. Cut her off.


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## hmnut (Aug 8, 2011)

During my first attempt at therapy for my SA my doctor put me on Paxil, which helped somewhat.

But after seeing her for over 6 months, I got a new job and there was a screw up with my insurance for about 2 weeks. So for about a week or two I had no medical insurance, but I was out of my prescription. 

My doctor, who I trusted with my life literally, told me she would not see me because I did not have insurance, I tried to explain to her that it was a screw up and my insurance would be back shortly. She did not care. I understand why she might not "treat me" while I did not have insurance but she kicked me out of her office without a prescription for medication SHE PUT ME ON. 

She wouldn't even give me advice on what to since she was unwilling to help me.

Have any of you been forced to go cold turkey off meds, it's not fun. I developed twitches, and one day I was paralyzed for at least 6 hours, I missed a day of work because I literally could not get out of the bed. 

A few days after that my insurance issues were cleared up (as I told them they would be) my doctor called me and asked me if I was ready to make an appointment. At that point I was too scared to be put on medication and I knew she only cared about me as long I was paying her and if she wasn't getting paid she didn't give a **** if I died.

A few years later finally tried again with a new doctor, this one was just a drug dealer. Sometimes he would ask me "how are you doing?" and no matter what I say he would just write a prescription, and the rest of the time he wouldn't even ask, he just wrote the prescription and told me to come back in two weeks. I don't think we ever had a session longer than 10 minutes.

So for those of you who have had great doctors I envy you, but I had two terrible doctors back to back. I feel my mistrust is well placed.


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## squidlette (Jan 9, 2012)

I read the title of this thread as Therapists: Helpers or Helper Monkeys?


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## wxolue (Nov 26, 2008)

I can't really speak to your specific situation, but in general, I think the VAST majority of therapists and psychiatrists are genuinely interested in the wellbeing of their patients. If all of therapy was some big con-artist scam, why do doctors invest so much time and money in med school? It takes forever to get the schooling and qualifications to become a therapist. If every therapist was legitimately interested in making money over helping patients, there are a million better occupations they could have taken up.

This is not to say that some therapists really don't know what they're doing, or have the wrong way of going about things, but I do believe most want to help.

If your therapist really just wanted to make money, why would she send you to another therapist? Why not just advise you to come in to her more often, and thus pay her more often?


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## iluvpurpleandpugs (Mar 16, 2012)

Thanks to all of the responses. I'm glad I'm not the only one that sees this in therapists.

As far as it being their job, and them having their own bills to pay...I understand this. So, I'm not saying they shouldn't be paid at all. My thought is...$200 per hour is kind of a lot, considering there are about 8 working hours in the day. Potentially, they could be making $1600/day. Therapists deserve to earn money, as that is their job...it's the amount they demand that I find ridiculous.

Also, I just wrote this thread because I feel that sometimes my therapist is sometimes oblivious to the fact that insurance doesn't cover everything. That's all.


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## percyblueraincoat (Jun 2, 2009)

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## minimized (Nov 17, 2007)

I've not met a therapist that hasn't been a shill for drugs.


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## percyblueraincoat (Jun 2, 2009)

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## VagueResemblance (Apr 17, 2010)

Having seen around fifteen different types, I can say, most definitely, yes.
Some helped me very much, some did not. These are also people, and their individual approach to their work will vary; some really care and for some it is only a job. Some tried only shoving drugs on me, and one nearly killed me in this way. And then there were some that gave me a little hope, that taught me coping tools, some that kept me alive. Some will treat it as a job, some will care. Some will do well, some will not. Some will mesh with their clients' personalities and some will conflict.

Some of the responses here bother me, honestly. Sometimes we can't manage our issues alone, it's simple as that. *This should not be a thread to dissuade anyone from seeking therapy.* I can't emphasize this enough. It is something worth trying.

I contacted one to make an appointment five minutes ago.


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## ToucanSam (Mar 22, 2012)

iluvpurpleandpugs said:


> Do you think they actually care about helping, or are they more focused on the money?


I imagine that most are both. (same for medical doctors)

Don't ever feel like you're stuck with a lousy therapist!! Fire her and keep trying others until you find a good match!!

There are plenty of lousy and mediocre therapists out there - my first one diagnosed me as homosexual because I wasn't athletic and was interested in art.


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