First therapy session - phobia or OCD?

[Nicole29]

I went to my first therapy session last week and came back a little deflated. I chose this particular psychologist through my health care providers website - they put stars next to the doctors who are deemed quality therapists, with proven success rates. How they prove it, I don't know. But this guy was one of the only two ones who had stars. So I chose him.

I went in ready to talk, they book appointments a couple months out so I had plenty of time to get used to the idea of opening up about what I've been going through. The session didn't last more than 30 minutes and he kept checking the time, he didn't send me home with any homework assignment or anything to work on. I didn't even talk a whole lot. The thing that made me most uncomfortable was that I think he was making assumptions based on his past experiences and past patients. He's over 60 years old, so I'm sure he has plenty of experience! He's even worked with other emets before - mainly children, though, I think. He spent almost 10 minutes going on about younger girls who are emets and who are that way because they worry about being sick in school and embarrassing themselves. I let him go on, but at the end I just told him I'm prone to panic mostly at home - 5 feet away from the bathroom. Embarrassment is not my whats making me panic or be afraid.

Also, he sort of interrupted me as I was talking about my phobia and said "Well first of all, it's not a phobia. You have obsessive compulsive disorder." This really struck me wrong. I understand that I have developed obsessive compulsive tendencies due to my phobia, and I recognize that I have to work my way through those tendencies to get to the root of the issue. But I believe that the root is the phobia, and that root existed before my obsessive behavior did. I don't believe I have an OCD personality, and I'm afraid he's going to treat me as such instead of a person who wants to get over a fear.

I've read a lot of this website about therapy and being comfortable with your therapist. I can say right now that I'm not comfortable with him, but perhaps because of his reputation, I should give him another chance and see him a few more times before calling it quits and finding another. My health insurance covers 20 visits a year - I don't want to use them all up with first time visits at therapists who I'm ultimately not happy with.

Any suggestions? How long should I search until finding the right therapist? Is one session an adequate chance, or should I go back?

[sage]

You might want to give him one more try, but make your mind up to spend the next session talking to him about what you've written here. Tell him you felt he was condescending, and jumped to conclusions without adequately hearing your story. Ask him what led him so quickly to his diagnosis of OCD. (The DSM-IV has specific criteria for such a diagnosis, and it sounds as though you don't meet those...so talk to him about that.)

A good therapist will be willing to look upon themselves as your equal - your relationship should not be one with a power differential. They would talk to you about your feelings and really listen. Even apologize for getting off on the wrong foot, and ask what it is you need going forward.

You may be pleasantly surprised! And if not, taking this approach with him will solidify your need to move on to someone else. Good luck and don't lose heart!