Therapy was part of Katerina Kelly's weekly routine since elementary school when the teacher proposed counselling for the 8 year old.
At the time, Katerina's autism influenced her ability to manage her time, make decisions, and socialize. And for many years the therapists seemed to be of help. But things changed after the university rolled over.
“I always felt that counseling was worse than I started — or paralyzed,” MX said. Kelly, 29, lives in Natic, Massachusetts and uses their/their pronouns.
MX skills. Kelly's therapist taught them that as a child they still didn't translate even now that they were older. In other words, they hit the rut – therapists and therapists were not producing the desired outcome.
Therapy rut can be discouraging, but there is no need to end the pursuit of better mental health. We asked the psychologist if you have reached a point where you stick to and how to identify what to do about it.
What exactly is a treatment rut?
Jamie Cawoody Cooper, president of the Missouri Psychological Association, may feel that treatment sessions may be stagnant or useless if they hit a rut.
You may be emotionally detached from your therapist or have less trust in their plans. Perhaps you are uncomfortable and nervous during treatment, or you are beginning to fear or miss an appointment, adds Dr. Woody Cooper.
Ruts can lead to “an increase in irritation or feeling misunderstood during the session.”
There are many reasons why ruts can occur, experts said:
At this point, we have made as many progress as possible.
You will benefit from another therapist or approach.
New treatment goals are needed.
You don't need to spend as often as you would in the past.
Your expectations do not match your therapist's expectations.
They are not ready to explore past trauma and difficult problems.
MX. Kelly had experienced some of these disorders in her relationship with a therapist as a child.
“When I tried to nurture something new, they were told we could work on it in the 'next session', but that never happened,” they said. “I bumped into a point that started to feel very low.”
So mx. Kelly began looking for a new therapist. It took me over six months, but I got insurance and found a better person.
If you feel stuck, your therapist will also ideally feel it, and Long Island therapist Regine Galanti specializes in treating exposure therapy anxiety.
“When you've been having the same conversation for more than two weeks in a row, the warning bell starts ringing,” she said.
That's when it's time to reassess a client's treatment goals, she added.
What can you do about rutting?
Experts say stop treatment and don't jump over the gun after one or two unproductive sessions.
“The University of Oregon has been working hard to understand,” said Arena Park, an assistant professor of psychology.
However, after three or four sessions, if you feel that you have never learned any new coping skills or don't understand the issue better, it's time to speak up during the session or via email.
Dr. Park suggested several ways to start the discussion: “I feel like my progress is stuck,” or “I want to learn new or different coping skills,” or simply “I feel like I'm in a therapy rat.”
It's also worth asking therapist how many sessions he needs, what your progress should look like, and how the therapist is measuring it, said Bethany A. Teachman, professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and director of clinical training.
While some people can feel anxious to express their concern, experts have said that a good therapist won't be angry or annoyed.
“Good treatments empower patients,” Dr. Teachman said to do the difficulties.
How do you know if it's time to take a break?
If you have spoken with your therapist about your concerns, then nothing has changed, you may want to consider taking a break.
Stepping in can provide you with a “time to assess the agency's sense and whether the current treatment relationship is correct.”
During this break, you can think about your feelings and behavior, explore different types of treatments, or try another therapist, she added.
Annie Herzig, author and illustrator who lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, decided to take a step back in a few months to her new therapist when she wasn't feeling better.
Herzig, 43, eventually sent an email to her therapist saying she wasn't getting what she needed from the session.
Taking the time helped. Herzig has found another therapist she's seen for four years now.
“I feel at the end that I'm feeling well,” Herzig said about the session together. “Even if you scream your eyes.”
