There are many reasons why African-Americans don’t seek medical care, including mental health care. I address a few of these reasons in a previous post 3 Reasons Why African-American Women Who Suffer From Depression Need Particular Attention. When it comes to seeking counseling, finding a trustworthy therapist often prohibits individuals from seeking the care they need. There are so many questions that should be researched and answered before settling in on a therapist. Choosing a therapist is an important decision because after spending hours in sessions, your therapist will probably know you better than anyone else. Therefore, a patient/therapist relationship is probably one of the most significant relationships a person can have. It’s safe to say that you should feel as if you can trust your therapist with your life.
Spending time in therapy should be a rewarding experience. Sometimes, patients receive so much help from their therapists that it is difficult to imagine that their therapist might have their own mental health issues. Have you ever thought to ask your therapist, “Have you seen a therapist yourself?” I want you to consider whether or not you are comfortable seeking help from a therapist who is in therapy?
We know that people are people and that we all have our fair share of problems. But if you are battling depression, is it a good idea to seek help from a health care professional who is also depressed? A recent British study shows that close to 50% of therapists surveyed have experienced depression. If you are looking for a therapist, this information will probably take you in one of two directions. The first, you might feel as if “the blind can’t lead the blind”, or “how can you help me if you can’t help yourself?” The second way to process this information is with gratitude. Many appreciate having a professional who knows exactly what they are going through and who can offer sound counseling from both experience and education. I side with the latter. I believe it can only be more helpful to have a therapist working from experience. It should be okay that therapists have therapy too.
Now, a therapist is not obligated to tell you that he/she is or has experienced depression, or any other mental illness. There are some who discuss their experiences with mental illness anonymously, (click here to read more). And then, there are the brave therapists such as Dr. Marsha Linehan who publicly exposed her own battle with borderline personality disorder (click here to read more). The take away is that your therapist is a person just like you, and like you, your therapist isn’t perfect.
Television did an excellent job displaying the humanity of therapists in the hit NBC sitcom Frasier. Brothers Frasier and Niles Crane are both Seattle based psychiatrists. If you’ve ever seen this show then you know that the Crane brothers can find themselves in some interesting situations. I’ve posted a few clips from the show that depict just how vulnerable therapists can be in their personal life. Though these scenarios may be exaggerated for television purposes, I still believe they help bring a connection to my point that therapist are just people.
This Frasier episode shows how life altering events can drive even a therapist into depression.
The good thing about being a therapist is that it might make it easier to diagnose oneself and deal with your own issues, or does it? In this clip Frasier has a difficult time admitting and diagnosing his own emptiness.
This clip shows Frasier facing his subconsious (talking to his mother and exes) to discover why he can’t have a successful romantic relationship.
Believe it or not, therapists have fears of their own they need to conquer. This funny clip shows how Frasier and Niles learn to do something that they once feared.
This clip deals with a lot. But the overall theme is healthy communication. It’s okay to cry. And, yes, your therapist cries too.
Sibling rivalry is common even in families where both siblings are successful. Here is one of Frasier and Niles’s many fights.
Life can be overwhelming at times. Here’s a clip where Niles has a panic attack. What I like most about this clip is his support team. Even a mental health care professional can be overwhelmed.
There are many variables to consider when choosing a therapist, such as what type of therapy, location and cost best match a patient’s needs. But one thing I encourage you to be mindful of is that seeing a therapist just might be a better help than you think. After all experience is the best teacher, and your therapist just might be in therapy too. Let’s continue to build a community that brings awareness about all aspects of mental health. And, as always, let’s press on together!