# Do you think my therapist is helping me?



## rm96 (Mar 2, 2012)

Hi everyone!
Ok, so I've been going to a psychotherapist for 2 months now. I have not physically attended to school this year due to social anxiety (I'm 16, I've been doing online school this year). 
I don't know if my psychotherapist is really helping me. I like her very much, she's really nice and all that, however all she does is tell me to get over my fears (which is my actual problem... going to school or meeting new people should not be an extreme fear at all, right?), she tells me that's the only way to ''treat'' social anxiety. I don't know if this is true.. I asked her about CBT and she told me that that's the treatment she's doing with me (encouraging me to face my social fears) however she is doing nothing to boost my self-steem or any other type of psychotherapy to help me control the SA symptoms. I think she's just utilizing exposure therapy. At the beginning, she thought I had asperger's syndrome, I don't know if this has anything to do with the way she's treating my SA.. however I think at this point she realized asperger's is not what I ''have''. 

I have been attending to a psychiatrist too, she's very good indeed, she prescribed me with escitalopram 10mg once a day, and it has really helped with my symptoms, i'm really much better since I started taking the pills. Unfortunately, the escitalopram stoped improving my symptoms... but at least it helped a lot, however I want the symptoms to be even less, I have an appointment with her today so I'll tell her this.- 
But what are your thoughts on my psychotherapist?? Do you think she's helping me with the way shes treating my SA? 
According to her, I have to start facing my fears so that i ''get used'' to those situations.

Thank you very much!


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## won (Nov 8, 2012)

My therapist always says to take baby steps, and I really believe that that's what works best (for me, at least).
I don't think your therapist should just shove you out into the outside world and say "It's not that scary, don't worry". Rather, I think she should help you work on preparing yourself for social situations, even little ones. And she should definitely be doing something to help you boost up your confidence and self-esteem. 
But I dunno that's just my opinion, it all depends on you. And definitely let her know how you feel about how the therapy's going.


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## Bryan II (Dec 9, 2012)

Yeah that's a big part of cbt. thats what the 'b' stands for, changing your behavior. 

you don't need to go way out of your comfort zone, but you do need to go outside it. tell your therapist you aren't ready to do what she's asking yet, that you need to start with something easier.

she should also be trying to change your thinking. you should pay attention to what you're thinking when your anxious, write those thoughts down, and bring them to your counselor.

umm...it seems like you are looking for an easy fix. one that will get rid of your anxiety without any discomfort. there is no such thing, unfortunately. exposure is the only thing that will actually cure it.


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## Maslow (Dec 24, 2003)

You have to change your attitude. 

You are the star of your life; don't settle for a bit part in your own life. You are not here on earth to live up to someone else's expectations.


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