# My therapist is really old



## Morke (Dec 10, 2010)

I went to my first therapy session yesterday. Turns out the therapist is like 90 years old. I try not to be ageist... he seemed to know his stuff, but I found it hard to open up. How am I supposed to relate to someone who probably lived through the depression? What if he dies right before I was about to make a breakthrough? (Am I being ageist now?)

I think I could handle someone in their 60's or 70's, but I'm pretty sure mine is older than even that. Anyone else have a really old therapist? How did you cope?

I don't want to just quit. What if it causes him to lose the will to live or something? Why does this kind of thing always happen to me?


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## Kustamogen (Dec 19, 2010)

means he's seen a lot of **** and likely knows his stuff.....stick it out lol


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## Morke (Dec 10, 2010)

Yeah, he's probably been doing this for like 60 years. He also seemed relatively informed on the modern world. He asked me how much time I spend playing video games and he had a cell phone, but I'm still hesitant to bring up the internet or anything.

How long do people typically go to therapy? Years? I'm pretty sure he's not going to be alive five years from now. For all I know he's dead right now.

If anything, this has put my own neuroses about feeling old at 25 into perspective.


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## Kon (Oct 21, 2010)

My psychiatrist is over 70 yrs old. I like him because he cares, even though I don't completely agree with his diagnosis. He does listen more to me by far than any other psychiatrist I met. That's very important. I didn't like any of my therapists or psychologists. I liked all my psychiatrists except one.


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## softshock11 (Jan 9, 2011)

lol

just open up because its a person with professional opinion
when i go to therapy my bigger concern is if they give good feedback and know what they're talking about rather than how old they are


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## nothing to fear (Mar 23, 2005)

Sorry I chuckled at the post, I'm sure he's not *that* old, is he? Maybe you can find out by asking something like "So where were you when [major historical event from early 20th century] took place?". 
Would someone even still be working at 90?

Anyway, he must be a damn good therapist to be practising for 60 years.... so that might be a good thing. I wouldn't dismiss him over his age, having a good relationship with your therapist is a lot more than having common factors and even then age is pretty insignificant.


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## atticusfinch (Dec 18, 2010)

Morke said:


> How am I supposed to relate to someone who probably lived through the depression? What if he dies right before I was about to make a breakthrough? (Am I being ageist now?)


heheheee.

yeah, i agree. don't dismiss him because of his age, soak up his wisdom.


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## rctriplefresh5 (Aug 24, 2009)

if hes still practicing i doubt hes in that bad shape i mean get real ha


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## BetaBoy90 (Jan 5, 2010)

My therapist is up there in age (around 60) and she's really amazing. I don't think age is a factor for being a good therapist, as long as you understand people and know how to tackle problems age won't matter.


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## Ramondo (Feb 16, 2011)

Morke said:


> What if he dies right before I was about to make a breakthrough? (Am I being ageist now?)


What if your 40 yr old therapist dies in a car accident, or a 50 yr old dies of a heart attack? You'd be in the same boat. You'd grieve for a while, then get a new therapist. 
If he's good, and you like him, you're ahead. Take the risk.


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## Pam (Feb 14, 2009)

I say stick with him. He was trained when the training was better, deeper and more involved anyway.

And just so you know, renting a suite in a small building DOES COUNT as "having an office." :yes


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## Morke (Dec 10, 2010)

Thanks for your input. Yeah, now that I've thought about it I think I was just feeling weird because I've never been to therapy before and opening up to someone is very unnatural for me, just like the poster in this thread: http://www.socialanxietysupport.com...ble-after-their-first-therapy-session-116734/



nothing to fear said:


> Sorry I chuckled at the post, I'm sure he's not *that* old, is he? Maybe you can find out by asking something like "So where were you when [major historical event from early 20th century] took place?".
> Would someone even still be working at 90?


Lol, wouldn't that be a little blatant? How would I segway into that? "Well, enough about my mother issues. Say... where were you during the bombing of Dresden?" This is turning into an episode of Seinfeld or something.

Seriously, I'm pretty good at telling people's age, and there's a difference between Bilbo Baggins at the beginning of _The Fellowship of the Ring_ and Bilbo Baggins at the end of _The Return of the King_ (I don't know why my SA analogies always involve LOTR). Maybe 90 is an over-exaggeration, but I would bet he's in his 80's.

I'm such an ageist prick.


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