My therapeutic healing journey took a lot of twists and turns - in other words, I saw a lot of therapists over my lifetime.

Not sure about the therapy you're getting?
How would you know?

Hello, I'm Dr. Susan LaCombe, Psychotherapist and Publisher of myShrink.com.

So along the way I learned a lot. For one, I discovered that not all therapists are alike.

Each one comes with their own skill set. And then, a therapist that might be good at one point in your life and might be ill-suited for the challenges in later years.

Then there's the question of whether a therapist is suitable right now. Maybe you're seeing a therapist and questioning the methods he or she is using.

Maybe you're confused about what is being asked of you.

If you tend to be unsure of yourself - which is why you're going to therapy to being with - then trying to make sense of your therapy - may be challenging.

Is Online Counseling for you?

Ever have a concern over the way your current therapy is going and wonder if chatting with another therapist might help?

• Maybe your therapist says very little - every question you pose comes back to you with another.

• Maybe you've been in therapy for months and you're not changing.

• Maybe your therapist doesn't provide any tools to help you feel better and merely says "it's a process" without much more.

I hear you. It's the same questions I had when I went to therapy. 

It's not unusual to have questions. Therapy is sometimes more challenging than we expected and there's no easy guidelines to find your way.

Now, before we get too far ahead, let's look at one important option. Consider for a moment if you feel safe and comfortable with your current therapist . . . 

. . . if you do, I encourage you to raise the issue or concern with your therapist. These kinds of conversations can deepen your therapy experience and often, the relationship with your therapist.

Indeed, my most memorable moments with clients have occurred when my clients shared concerns that I was totally unaware of. I am truly honoured when clients trust me in this way. And by working through the issue, the feedback I hear is that they often feel more trusting of themselves.

That said, if you have some concerns on how your therapy is being conducted or why your therapist is responding as such and you feel too uncomfortable to talk about the issue face to face, or you've already raised these issues without success, consider chatting with another therapist.

Another therapist may be able to shed light on your particular concern and reframe it in a way that makes it less overwhelming. He or she might offer some suggestions for instance on how you might broach the issue with your therapist. 

I've been in that place before and I have so appreciated the confidential conversation of another therapist I can bounce an idea off.

Every therapist offers something different

Not all therapists are alike (if you're a seasoned client you may have already discovered this). The training, experience and emotional steadiness of each therapist varies widely.

Speaking with another therapist can sometimes offer a perspective that you hadn't considered. In fact, chatting with another therapist might help build the confidence to speak with your regular therapist about any issue that's troubling you.

Best wishes on your journey!

Dr. Susan LaCombe aka "Shrinklady"

P.S. If you are just starting and you have questions about being in therapy - before you're ready to jump into your own therapeutic work - talking to an online therapist whether by phone, email or chat might be the easier way to start. Feel free to book a complimentary 20-minute consult.