It makes me really happy that mental health is no longer a taboo or simply dismissed as madness. Every day, more people are seeking out help, but finding the right therapist can be pretty challenging. After all, we are the most vulnerable with them, so they better be good, right?
Unfortunately, as in every field, even this one has unprofessional practitioners who cause a lot of damage. Honestly, it can be an absolute nightmare, and these people experienced it firsthand. Here’s a compilation of what made them stop seeing their therapist, and some reasons might just horrify you!
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#1
My dad mentioned my therapy was getting expensive. I asked how he knew bc I pay for it. She was charging both our cards every time I went in.
© Photo: Onlynicky
#2
Told my parents everything I told her without a valid reason. I sued her🥰
#3
“If I had kids like you, I’d disown them.” I was 13, seeking help for depression
© Photo: statushxpe
It’s a good thing that a lot of people are getting the help that they need. Studies show that more Americans with mental health needs have been getting talk therapy in recent years. In fact, it’s the first time in decades that talk therapy has played a bigger role in mental health treatment than medications. However, looking at these stories, it can be truly traumatizing to get stuck with a bad therapist.
To better understand how this affects a patient’s mental health, Bored Panda reached out to Eden Lobo, a counselor and psychology professor. Having seen her fair share of such unprofessionals, she has also witnessed the long-lasting impact they can have. She stressed that it can be incredibly disorienting and painful when a therapy experience goes south.
#4
Active listening. ONLY. No advice, no guidance, just “hmmm that must’ve been hard”
© Photo: muls
#5
I saw the reflection of her glasses and she was scrolling Zillow while not obviously not listening to me.
© Photo: Sara
#6
had a chatgpt tab with my name open
© Photo: User
“Sometimes, when a therapist lets clients down, their first instinct is often to turn that blame inward. People look at therapists as the ultimate authorities on mental health, so it is pretty easy to start gaslighting themselves. They might find themselves thinking that they are the problem, that they aren’t trying hard enough, or that their mind is simply too broken to be fixed,” our expert narrated.
She believes that this feeling of being “un-helpable” is one of the heaviest burdens a bad therapist can leave patients with. She added that this obviously affects people, and the day-to-day impact usually shows up as an overwhelming sense of dread. Prof. Lobo pointed out that instead of looking at the weekly session as a release, it becomes a source of anxiety.
#7
Said “nope! Uh-uh. We’re not doing that!” When I started crying
© Photo: Erin Swan801
#8
The first appointment she literally used the ‘silent’ technique like 20 times and it made me super uncomfortable. Like this our first time meeting ASK ME QUESTIONS!!!!
© Photo: Zoe King R
#9
Mine cried because my trauma ‘brought back memories’ and I had to console them for around 30 minutes..
© Photo: Jamie Cowling
Prof. Lobo also shared how some therapists cause more damage by pushing patients to dig deep into the trauma, even when they are not ready. Well, this can entirely destabilize the whole session when people are not given the tools to cope with it. In fact, this can also flare up their symptoms of anxiety or depression even more than when they started.
“It helps to realize that there is a big difference between a therapist who just isn’t your style and one who is genuinely harmful. An ineffective therapist might just be checked out, staring at the clock, or forgetting your history, which makes you feel unimportant. But a truly toxic therapist will actively judge you, cross ethical boundaries, or make you feel small,” she commented.
#10
Yawned in the middle of me speaking, apologized, and when I said “oh no worries, it’s late in the day” she said, “oh it’s not that, it’s just work is boring sometimes.” Another one told me the student therapist wouldn’t be joining my sessions anymore because, and I quote, “what you talked about in your last session was too triggering for her.” Okay, maybe so and I don’t blame her for stepping out, but there was no need to tell me that.
© Photo: With_A_Y
#11
I told HER that i don’t see myself as a mother, I don’t see myself give birth in the future, I simply don’t enjoy not even the thought of it and she took it personally and started to explain why it’s so beautiful to be a mother and that’s a thing we need to experience in this world! I never said it isn’t beautiful I said just that i don’t want it!
© Photo: Ioana Smaranda
#12
My therapy sessions were online.. she wore glasses and I could see her shopping on Amazon by the reflection of her lenses during our sessions.
© Photo: The Wrangler Ranch
Our expert claimed that therapy requires a massive leap of faith, and when that trust is broken, it can make the entire profession feel unsafe. She believes that the thought of starting over, retelling your story to a stranger, and risking getting burned again can feel completely exhausting.
“If you are dealing with the aftermath of a bad experience, it is entirely valid to feel protective of yourself and hesitant to try again. It is important to remember that the problem wasn’t your capacity to heal; it was that you were handed a broken tool,” Prof. Lobo noted.
#13
When I was explaining my problems with alcohol & he asked my drink of choice & if I’d like to meet at the bar for a drink sometime 🙂
© Photo: Tatum Waidelich
#14
after I kept telling her the breathing exercises were making my panic worse and I don’t think that’s the right approach she said “well then you’re doing it wrong cause it works” ok byeee
© Photo: User
#15
Shot me down when I said I was excited to apply for law school. Anyway I start in August…
When we asked Prof. Lobo for advice on dealing with a bad therapist, she shared her precious thoughts. “Trust your gut and give yourself permission to leave such a practitioner immediately, especially if they are judgmental or unethical. If it’s just a style mismatch and you feel safe, you can try speaking up, but walk away if they get defensive,” she concluded.
Well, I don’t know about you, but that was definitely eye-opening for me. Also, I am definitely glad that the netizens from this list dropped their therapists because some of them were truly unhinged. Have you ever experienced something similar? We would love to hear your stories, so feel free to jot them down in the comments below!
#16
told me im psychic because i was seeing things and hearing things. then sent me youtube videos about how to use my abilities.
© Photo: Ry🌬️
#17
tried to pray with me. I’m an atheist.
#18
she told me if I couldn’t come up with something worth talking about, don’t schedule an appointment.
© Photo: abby
#19
Gave away my weekly timeslot because I “no showed” one session (never so much as canceled before). Reason I no showed? Went into spontaneous labor and gave birth a few hours before scheduled session.
© Photo: User
#20
Double booked me and another client. It seems small but I was in the early stages of therapy and it took a lot for me to even get to the appointment. Built up emotions and anxiety. To be turned away because she couldn’t keep her schedule organized was a red flag for me. I cried on the way home because I really needed that appointment that day. I don’t hold it against her. We’re human. But I immediately looked for another therapist.
© Photo: Mia Murray
#21
She recommended Taylor Swift songs to me for the things i was going through. No offense but tf
© Photo: Renata 🪽
#22
matched with me on a dating app
#23
Said my anxiety could have been elevated due to mercury being in retrograde
#24
i had my appointment literally half an hour after work so i had no time to go back home and have lunch, so i got some mc nuggets and i ate them there while i was waiting for her and she said “are you sure you wanna eat that? it’s not really healthy”, mind you i was there cause i stopped eating due to depression
© Photo: Lucia💘
#25
She was in a McDonald’s drive through while having a virtual session with me. When they got her order wrong she claimed she was going to sue and asked me to be a witness
#26
Was barefoot the ENTIRE time and kept playing with his toes. Absolutely never again.
#27
Said, “ok victim” after I was crying and sharing my emotions that bothered me. Never went back and told her that made me so guarded
© Photo: brin_lynn1
#28
Asked for the third session in a row what my sister does for a living. I’ve told my therapist six times that I lost my sister in 2021.
© Photo: Sofeelyah
#29
Constantly forgot about our appointments and one time I told him a traumatizing story and he made this face throughout the session 😭 Like sir control your face.
© Photo: rissa
#30
Asked me for an autograph from my aunt who was on Lego masters… I was in therapy because of her.
#31
Mine was a realtor on the side and kept trying to sell me a house.
© Photo: Dewlimely
#32
“You cant do something most 2 year olds can do” I couldnt sleep in a bed alone due to severe panic attacks
#33
Gave me homework at a time I was so anxious and depressed I couldn’t complete basic tasks, let alone homework
© Photo: ✨
#34
She played games on her phone the whole time I thought she was taking notes 😭
#35
my therapist said to do exposure therapy on my misophonia.
© Photo: zoe!!!
#36
Suffered a major loss in the family a week before I gave birth. Then went through postpartum depression. At the appointment all she kept saying was “wow that must be really hard” with no follow up or advice…
#37
Stopped explaining things once I shared that I was an associate therapist. She’d say “oh but you know this already since you’re in the field” like wth GURL
© Photo: Drizzle
#38
told me to pray & eat apples for my anxiety. i was 13
#39
I vented about my job at the time (dancer at a club) and he showed up the following week…
#40
she said she goes home to talk to her husband about our therapy sessions
#41
He said “it’s extremely selfish of you to think everyone is thinking about you” Immediately cured thank you.
#42
All of my therapists have ended up telling me “I don’t know why you’re here, I don’t know how to help you”. It was always said because I’m highly aware of my feelings and actions and what I need to do to help myself. Problem is I rarely do what I need to do bc my feelings are so big. I always feel down.
© Photo: blaahkayla
#43
was 20 to 30 minutes late to every appointment but still billed for an hour
© Photo: Morgan Miles
#44
Made me listen to their podcast. IN A SESSION I WAS PAYING FOR.
#45
Mine told me how much she loved listening to Ben Shapiro. Bye.
#46
Eating a bag of Cheetos on every call
#47
One of my therapists was 79 and she kept falling asleep in session 😭 I hope she’s doing okay
#48
walked on a walking pad during virtual sessions
#49
wore only one outfit, always the same outfit, everytime. freaked me tf out
© Photo: Charly Harvey
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