Awkward question post

[grammarwoman]

Please forgive me if this comes off sounding ignorant or dismissive, but: how does one get into therapy? I mean, the why/how/whos of it all. Is it to talk to someone who won't judge you, and how is that different from talking to a close friend? Do they give you advice? How do you find one? How do you know you've reached a tipping point that it's a good idea to get one?

The fertility clinic suggested that I talk to someone about donor eggs; I assume that's because they can give me some more medical information, as well as tools and scripts for the future.

But I also want to find a therapist for the Emperor, hopefully someone with experience working with gifted kids who can help him with his presumed spontaneous existential depression, or what we've taken to referring as his Bad Thoughts: what's the point of life if everyone's going to die? How can we be happy? How do we find meaning?

This self-awareness thing can be a royal pain in the ass.

Comments

[norah]

Or if the people who did his evaluation for his IEP are people you trust, that can be a good source for recommendations.

If you want a therapist who will help construct solutions, you want cognitive behavioral therapy. If you want a therapist who will help him recognize what he feels and dig out the why of it, you want traditional talk therapy.

I go to therapy because I can talk to someone about myself for an hour a week without feeling like I'm burdening or boring them or talking or interrupting too much. I don't have to keep my social filter awareness up the same way I do otherwise. And ditto on the no repercussions for relationships. She gives me good reality checks, outside perspective, and strategies for working my way out of what I'm struggling with. We problem solve together, which is super helpful.

[grammarwoman]

I'm a little irritated with his IEP team right now, but I should go to them with this, you're right.

Thanks for breaking down the differences between CBT and talk; that's good to know. Thank you, too, for sharing your personal experience with therapy. I appreciate getting an idea of what to expect. :)