<p>My D is seeing a therapist for Depression/anxiety for the last 2+ months. It has been 9-10 sessions. Not much of a change. D says that I am not getting much out of therapist.
Therapist is very well qualified and quite approachable. Therapist says it takes considerably more time to see positive results. </p>
<p>I want to know : Is it time to consider a change in therapist ? If not, What is a good number
of sessions to decide if the therapist is a fit ?</p>
<p>How do you decide when to make a change ?</p>
<p>Parents with experience, Please share your wisdom. It would be very helpful. </p>
<p>IME, if you find the therapist doesn’t “get” you, you should change. If you find you’re just rehashing old stuff and the therapist doesn’t challenge you, you should change. If you don’t feel you can trust the therapist, you should change. </p>
<p>But the patient needs to look carefully to make sure s/he isn’t sabotaging the relationship by avoiding talking about the real stuff. It’s not only up to the therapist to make changes happen; it’s also up to the patient.</p>
<p>Is your D also taking medication? Or is it only the talk therapy?</p>
<p>If your D says she’s not getting anything from her therapist, listen to her.
Well qualified and approachable are very different things to adults and teens. Does the therapist have a lot of experience with young adults?<br>
Throwing some questions out there…
How old is your D? Is she on meds at all?
Does she LIKE her therapist and willing to go the sessions or does she go to please you?<br>
Does your D think she needs more help than she is getting from her therapist? Is she getting worse or remaining stable?
If meds were warranted, is the therapist able to prescribe them?</p>
<p>Yes, even though it is a relatively short time I would look for a new therapist. Your D’s doubts as to the help she is getting is a red flag.</p>
<p>There are MANY well-qualified therapists that are approachable. In our experience its a very personal thing and the patient and therapist must make a good connection. I have had more success finding therapists that resonate with me than our kids. They each have seen 3. Neither kid found any of the therapists helpful and my kids preferred to work things out on their own, which their MD and I respected (they were being seen for some of the emotional fallout connected with having chronic medical conditions). </p>
<p>In this case, sounds like your D and you have tried this therapist long enough. I’d agree that finding someone with lots of experience with young adults is a great idea. Perhaps her MD could recommend someone (else)?</p>
<p>I would encourage d to have an open talk with her therapist about the therapist’s treatment plan. The therapist should be able to talk about what appears to be contributing to your daughter’s depression and or steps your daughter can take (physically, interpersonally, cognitively) to support her recovery. Medication is an important but often insufficient element of treatment. Your daughter can ask what specific signs she can look for that suggest that she’s getting better (or worse). Usually small gains are overlooked by a depressed client. Is the therapist offering concrete suggestions about what your daughter can be doing differently outside of therapy sessions? If so to what extent is your daughter following the suggestions? How the therapist responds to an earnest discussion of the above may tell your daughter whether this is the right therapeutic approach for her.</p>
<p>Ask your DD if you can join her for a session, or part of one. I often do this when I’m feeling stuck with a teen or child, or when the parent has to be involved on a daily basis.</p>
<p>After 9 sessions, if DD not feeling the “fit”, can be time for a change. We have several therapists in my office, and 2 physicians, and people have shifted within the practice. The same thing happens within the community.</p>