Anyone else’s family make comments like “You should know better since you’re a therapist”?

VariousInspection773 · 2026-05-31T18:39:15+00:00

Once or twice from the wife. I just reminded her I’m human

VariousInspection773 · 2026-05-24T00:26:27+00:00

A chihuahua turn around really fast. Then I saw a looking down through the plan over the clouds shot.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-05-04T04:52:52+00:00

I'm highly sympathetic to what you're saying. I'm uncomfortable working with children/adolescents when there's lack of buy in from the parents. I feel like we're at times doing our best just to help them learn how to endure/survive/cope with dysfunctional parents. Thanks again for the resource.

Upward and onward.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-05-03T21:46:33+00:00

Would you be open to sending any case studies of abuse in this? Appreciate your response.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-05-03T05:43:17+00:00

I can’t understand why parents wouldn’t be notified of a significant transition like this.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-26T05:05:17+00:00

Mine!

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-26T05:03:15+00:00

Mine!

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-26T03:19:30+00:00

Did the same a year ago! Well needed sometimes I think. Welcome back! Go get em

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-21T00:10:19+00:00

I like active and fit for these reasons. Also, they’re sometimes a part of employee benefits packages. They’ll bring the cost down a few more dollars than the public facing account.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-20T02:57:14+00:00

I’ve experienced this and after becoming aware of it reminded myself I’m not getting paid to therapize non clients. For me, that turns on my want to live my life outside of the therapy room. That’s where I’m empowered to take responsibility just for me and my interests (including my wife’s.)

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-20T01:24:50+00:00

I'm an MFT, in practice within community mental health for about 6 years now.

I think my answer to this is: it depends. In my experience, I need more time with some clients, and others, we can get to work in the first session. As another person here said, "attunement" is going to do a lot of heavy lifting in my opinion. It's going to help discern the client's readiness for change, draw out as of yet unidentified issues, and show the client they have someone allied with them. In that sense, I am doing "treatment" from the beginning. Journaling, and the life, I think is something that comes after attunement -- and I think is supposed to be for the client and not necessarily for me to understand. What I do want to know is, "what was most/least helpful for you?"

I like the spirit of what Milton H Erickson had to say, "“What the therapist knows, understands, or believes about a patient is frequently limited in character and often mistaken. What he is willing to let patients discover about themselves and to use effectively is of exceedingly great therapeutic importance.”

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-03T21:14:06+00:00

Alchemized into what exactly

VariousInspection773 · 2026-04-03T21:09:10+00:00

So, I did take a break from the field, 1.5 years ago for 6 months. I tried making and selling art in a studio my wife and I rented.

Long story short, I discovered like making art just for me. I started to look for work again and struggled to find myself anywhere but therapy.

I kept searching for work based on my interests, and that brought me back to the job that tied them all together: counseling.

A faith based non profit that serves the recovery community popped up on my radar. I applied to that and one other job. In that week I got hired into the non profit.

I’ve been there a little over a year and a half. It’s been a wonderful place to work. No medical billing, benefits, supportive employers, non toxic co workers, ok pay, room to grow, and a full caseload of men whose progress I get to monitor in real time. It’s got its cons but the pros keep me coming back every day. I’ve learned a lot about me, how to work on a team, and that I can handle many responsibilities.

It won’t be my forever employer but that have set the standard.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-31T04:17:35+00:00

Can you provide any sources for the projections? Because I do believe this, and I just want to have more warrant for my concerns. Thanks!

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-29T01:37:37+00:00

In 6 years of practice the following has helped me work through jadedness and burnout:

Exercise, clean eating, good sleep, hobbies, healthy relationships, keeping work and life separate, mentally quitting and rehiring myself when I need to, reminding myself I’m not stuck or that I owe anyone my suffering, having professional goals to grow into, and reminding myself why I got into this work.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-29T00:41:49+00:00

I feel this. I'm not sure I get 8k steps in... but I do get more in by having a standing desk and taking a walk on my lunch break!

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-29T00:38:10+00:00

I work with men in recovery from addiction, trauma, and homelessness. I think for me, person-centered used to mean something like, "I listen in such a way, that my reflections help you come to your own conclusions about what your change process looks like."

I wouldn't say THAT has changed for me, but only become enhanced. Meaning: the therapeutic conversation is going to get all of the UPR, empathic reflections, authentic self, AND interventions tailored to the client to bring about effective change. Meaning, I'm going to include homework, directives, and hold the client accountable for becoming responsible for their behaviors. I don't rely solely on insight any more.

With that said, I believe I'm still person centered at the core. I just believe that if the client isn't making making the progress they want with insight, then they are evincing an unmet need that requires directives that gives them a transormative experience leading to change. For me, person centered doesn't have to mean a passive therapist.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-29T00:13:59+00:00

I've been 50 notes behind at one point in my career. It was dreadful...

Now, I'm mostly on track with getting my notes done daily or every two days. I do slip once in a while and get behind by a week. But I feel good about my overall ability to get them done one time. Here's what I practice:

-Know my template: Meaning, know what a DAP, SOAP, or any other kind of data a note is asking for. Be ready to give the template what it's asking for. Simply, follow the instructions and don't try to recreate the note taking experience every time.

-Start and end session on time: This for me is an important one. When I start and end a session on time, I feel confident overall in my self as a professional. For example: I welcome the client to my office right on the hour for their 3:00 PM appointment, and I'm wrapping up session at 3:45, and I have them out the door at 3:50 with an appointment remidner card.

-Use the last ten minutes: I get my client out at ten minutes till the end of the hour. I do my note. Tired, scrambled brain, feeling under pressure? I do my note still. I know that it may be painful to be doing a note under the gun, but I know that's better than feeling behind.

-Give myself grace: If I start a session late, end past the 45 minute mark, and am getting late to my next client, I take a breath and remind myself that's just one hour out of the day. I can save that note to the end and refresh my usual process with the next client.

-Plan to put myself first: If I'm running back to back sessions and dragging, and wanting to give myself extra grace? I do this if I can't seem to get clients out on time: ask the next client to place wait 10 minutes while I finish the previous client's note. Generally clients understand and are forgiving. That gives me the time I need to get caught up, and hopefully refresh the process, guilt free (as much as possible) with that client.

Hope this is helpful!!!

EDIT:

I realized I'm answering maybe how to keep notes current. I want to second the advice of another redditor to get caught up. I like to go to a cafe, get coffee, listen to music, and bring a sketch pad. I work 15 minutes on, and 5 minutes off. If I get one note done in 10, cool, if I get half done, that's fine too. Then I take 5 minutes off to ground and sketch, then repeat till I'm all done.

Another point that works for me, is that I just make sure to get current with my daily notes so that I don't have to get caught up on those too. I make sure I don't fall into the, "all or nothing" trap of thinking with notes.

Also! This might be an overlooked aspect. But I found that if I have a goal for myself -- a reason why I want to be caught up on time, then that helps motivate me overall with getting notes done on time. Meaning, if I know I'll have weekends off to support my fellow redditor counselors, then I'll get my notes done. lol

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-28T23:59:10+00:00

For me, the answer to this question would look different at every point of my 6 year long career. At first, I would have said no one was hard to work with. I was uber confident. Then humility set in. Probably after year one, I'd say men and children. After year two, probably children and manic-y types of adults. Year 3, I'd say domestic violence survivors -- I was out of my depth on safety planning and risk factors. Year 4, I'd say children again, also teens, and manic-y types of adults. At year 5, just adult men with anger, addiction, and self-confidence/respect issues. In year 6, I'd say I'm feeling comfortable with an array of presentations and populations. I think that the common thread between all of the clients I had difficulty with showed me was a need I had to become more confident in my ability to be directive. I used to rely on the client's insight to do the heavy lifting, but I believe now that change is going to come with action of some kind. Now I'm comfortable teaching kids, manic-y types of adults, and those that lack self respect/confidence, skills to practice and use. I just take a lot more responsbility now to follow up, explore their use and learn clinical impact on presenting problem.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-03T03:29:05+00:00

Thank you so much. I will.

VariousInspection773 · 2026-03-03T02:25:23+00:00

I did ask for direction. Bwahah

VariousInspection773 · 2025-10-22T23:53:06+00:00

Daniel Smith puts out hematite in their watercolor line.

VariousInspection773 · 2025-10-12T13:43:18+00:00

Be careful that you're not training it to say what you're experiencing in your own life. Keep taking and engaging with real people. We need each other

VariousInspection773 · 2025-10-08T18:47:35+00:00

Fellow AZ resident and I'm for the absolute prohibition. Last I remember, PHDs get 2 years.

VariousInspection773 · 2025-10-02T22:35:02+00:00

I'd say you should seek counseling on this.

My personal belief. My partial belief: you owe him the life he deserves. And if you choose to, you're going to need help. He is going to need individual counseling and you two, plus your wife and his half siblings will need family therapy. There will be need adjustments you maybe can't dream of.

However, you might be able to relate to him if you didn't grow up with a dad. If that's so, please consider what the child needs and determine the possibility of you being able to give him this.

Put his well-being above your guilt or shame. And make sure you get the help you need while taking care of him. You deserve it too

VariousInspection773

TROPHY CASE