-
-
Ad Space
(728 x 90)
Published on 3/31/08
Video
Check for credentials Make sure you’re seeing a New York State–licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. Look for an M.D. (this means he’s a psychiatrist—a medical doctor who can prescribe meds), an L.C.S.W. (a certified clinical social worker), a Ph.D., a Psy.D. or an Ed.D (which likely means the clinician has a doctorate in psychology). If a therapist is still working toward her degree, check that she’s closely supervised.
Choose your antidote If you want to deal with an immediate personal issue, your best bet is to start with a more generalized approach, at a clinic such as Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services. But if the problem tends to reoccur in your life, consider seeing a psychoanalyst (a psychologist with a postgraduate specialty in psychoanalysis), as “it gets at the long-standing character of personality that leaves one vulnerable to handling real-life situations in destructive ways,” explains Dr. Ira Moses, director of clinical services at the William Alanson White Institute. “Instead of an oil change, you’re getting your whole engine overhauled.”
Founded by Sigmund Freud in the 1890s, psychoanalysis has since branched out into many schools of thought, including analytical psychology (the variety founded by Carl Jung, which stresses immediate inner conflicts over childhood issues), self-psychology (a method, devised by Heinz Kohut, emphasizing the role of empathy in mental development), interpersonal psychoanalysis (an approach based on the theories of Harry Stack Sullivan and Clara Thompson that deals with a patient’s milieu as well as his unconscious fantasies), individual psychology (the baby of Alfred Adler, which investigates the unique beliefs a person sets up during his childhood) and modern psychoanalysis (which, though rooted in Freudian theory, incorporates contemporary analytic revelations into the practice). Few people are Freudian purists anymore—more common is the eclectic psychoanalyst, one that borrows from many branches.
Make sure it feels right You should be able to tell your therapist everything—especially that you think the chemistry’s not right. “You want someone that can make you feel safe, but also help you confront your demons,” explains Dr. Moses. “If you’re just supported all the time, there’s no education going on.” Tell your therapist if you’re dissatisfied—they will refer you to someone else.
Know if it’s working “You may get a sense pretty quickly when you’re accomplishing things,” says Dr. Moses. “Friends or relatives might remark that they notice a change going on.” While breakthroughs do happen, it’s unrealistic to think all your issues will vanish in a day or two: “Therapy is a process, and it takes time,” says Robin Brinn, director of the JBFCS Manhattan West Counseling Center. “If you don’t feel immediate relief from the problems you brought with you, there should be hope that in this new relationship you will.”
Comment