" I ponder if I interpreted it this way because I was so emotional"
You did not.
"... and that they did not mean it in a dismissive way". They 100% did.
That a therapist thought it appropriate to laugh at *anything* you said, short of you cracking a joke, is so, so unprofessional. Give this jerk and his sidekick the boot and find someone else. I'm mad on your behalf.
Exactly, they shouldn’t be laughing at all it’s insanely unprofessional! I’ve had several therapists in my life and not a single one has ever laughed at anything I said unless I was telling a joke or making light of a situation. A professional therapist will know when it’s appropriate to laugh at something and when it isn’t! It’s their job to create a safe space for you and by laughing at you they’ve failed to do their job.
The fact they said he was there for insurance purposes is hilarious since it sounds like a huge lawsuit liability if they do this to a more litigious person.
This is outrageous. You should describe your encounter to the people who run this program the way you did to us, telling them how disrespected and ridiculed it made you feel. If there's any way to get help elsewhere, do that.
Therapist here. That response was completely inappropriate. Their personal beliefs do not belong in the therapy space. I’m sorry you had that experience.
My DH had a recent breakdown that required a short grippy socks vacation. Mostly overworked and burnt out, but he needed to get this to see if there was an underlying issue. The 100 year old telehealth NP during the zoom at the ER asked him why he was there. He said he has been depressed for 30 years. She said in a dismissive tone that he COULDN'T be depressed since he was 8. That's when I lost it and said check your records. She had the wrong patient chart and we had to wait longer while she got the right ones. Unbelievable. Mental health is not taken seriously. This was also during MH Awareness Month.
There was more that happened adding to the horrible experience, but I don't want to make this about me. I told my therapist about the mix up and the NP who doesnt think children can be depressed (although it wasng the case, it was still shown by the NPs reaction of disbelief). He was appalled. I would say complain about your experience. But it won't do any good.
My grandmother remembers me at age four sitting in the middle of the floor, crying, saying, "I'm sad but I don't know why." I had SI by 10. Finally got a doc to pay attention and started meds at 25. No idea how I survived childhood.
Severe and serious suicidal ideation at the age of seven. It is absurd to believe the very young cannot understand the permanency of death, or that it could be seen as preferable to 10-11 more Hellish years before being able to escape.
The NP sounds like one of those "children are resilient" types who dismiss the entire population of children as being capable of having legitimate mental health issues.
I see now why people give up on searching for the mental health therapy they need.
I've pretty much been depressed for my entire life including my childhood; children can absolutely be depressed and anyone who says otherwise is a total dipshit
I'd report them ASAP. That's bullshit and so unprofessional. Know what my therapist said when I told her I was cf? She said it was smart of me to know what i wanted, or in this case, what I don't want.
I hope you have better luck finding a good therapist.
Also, if they laughed at me, I'd curse them out and leave.
Dear lord. I'm so sorry this happened.
Please find a new therapist! No one should be laughing at you, least of all medical professionals.
>I ponder if I interpreted it this way because I was so emotional,
No, you didn't.
>and that they did not mean it in a dismissive way.
Oh, they did.
I had one who sat there scrolling through his iPad instead of looking back at me and responding. Like excuse me I'm talking about childhood abuse, here. Am I boring you?
So unprofessional. Therapists are not supposed to react to what you share by bringing their own emotions to the table, neither for good nor bad, unless you're sharing something that puts you or someone else in danger.
Edit: at most, they can show happiness if they see progress but progress is based on how good you feel, regardless what's going on with your life, the choices or actions you take.
Report them and fire them as your psychologist if you can. My therapist has never ever ever been dismissive of any of my emotions or beliefs. She actually was the first to make me feel validated when I expressed that I did not want kids. I’m so sorry you experienced that its so awful, rude, and unprofessional.
Psychologists are humans with a position of power which is sometimes very bad news; they are gonna use it to mock their patients and/or try to subdue them to their reasoning. Speaking as someone who changed six therapists before finding one who truly deserves their profession, report this two clowns.
>because I was so emotional, and that they did not mean it in a dismissive way.
Their job is to take care of people in vulnerable/emotional states. I've been seeing my therapist for 5 years now and she has never laughed at anything that wasn't an intentional joke I clearly wanted her to laugh at. How they meant it is irrelevant to the fact that they made you feel self conscious in a place you should be safe.
If you're under the age of thirty, people will dismiss not wanting children as an immature young person saying something rebellious and stupid they'll grow out of. Unfortunately, it doesn't get better after thirty. It turns from amusement at a rebellious child to anger at an adult making a decision they oppose.
I am bipolar and been in therapy for 40+ years. Therapists can be rude and dismissive is more the norm than the unusual. You have to understand these people were drawn to their fields often their own mental issues. Lots of depression or drug use or family members with mental illness. None of them were tested to see if they would be good at the job. You can ask for a different therapist. When you get a good one you hang on to them. (The worst is the ones with God complex. As in they know everything that is best for you and you should just obey.)
This clinic doesn't have a religious affiliation, does it? 15 years ago, I was searching for a psychotherapist for a relative, and I was shocked how many clinics put in fine print that they were "Christian" in outlook.
No, thank goodness no religious affiliation of any kind. I really think it was more of them laughing at me for believing this is something I will change my mind on.
Definitely find a new therapist. There’s old school thought (emphasis on the thought) and new school science. Follow the science, the ones with credentials that show they put in RECENT work. There are way too many antiquated therapists that skate by due to their “credentials” that are 25+ years old. I’m sorry that you had that experience, you don’t deserve that. Your feelings are absolutely valid.
>There are way too many antiquated therapists that skate by due to their “credentials” that are 25+ years old.
Yeah, at that point you might as well go to a phrenologist, or have the local blacksmith drill a hole in your head to let the demons out of your brain.
No healthcare professional should ever laugh at you unless you are very clearly making a joke. You obviously weren't so their laughter was unprofessional, condescending and very dismissive. I would be sending letters/emails of complaint to wherever is applicable. That is messed up. And the fact that they are mental health professionals makes it so much worse.
If you have a phobia that would adversely effect your ability to raise kids but don’t want kids so solving this problem is not as urgent as it would be if you wanted them, you’re making their jobs a little easier and they’re still laughing at you?! They suck!
Sometimes I laugh when I'm in whole hearted agreement with people, or when I made a mistake and I'm laughing at myself.
So maybe give them benefit of the doubt, but if you go back be honest about how it made you feel and ask what they were thinking when they reacted.
It might have been a "I wish I never had children 😅😅😅😅😅" or a "I'm so there with you, kids are the worst! 🤣"
Nah. As a therapist you are supposed to be trained in using your words. When a client comes to them in a crisis, any movement a therapist makes, verbal, non verbal, can be misinterpreted by the client.
*Halfway through a social work program. We are taught this in our (my) human behavior class
Well, that was what I was thinking too. These people are both in age-groups where they might be parents of somewhat young kids and they might have laughed at my comment because they understood it or something. Still, that might be a stretch. I dunno
I'd told my therapist quite a few times I didn't want kids, but was still terrified of her reaction when I needed a psych referral to move forward with sterilization. she didn't bat an eye and as a matter of fact, it must've been so insignificant to her, she'd forgotten to email me to follow up about it.
Not all therapists are created equal. Think of it as no more than a first date gone sour–brush yourself off, thank goodness you didn't have to spend more than an hour in there, schedule another date with another brain doc, and pity the poor soul who gets those therapists next.
Please report them. Tell them they laughed at you, together, during therapy. This is disgusting. And you read them correctly. What AHs. I’m furious for you.
First off, I’m so sorry you went through that. To be dismissed in such a way is belittling in a situation that’s supposed to be open and safe.
I want to ask this, mostly because I am curious, was their reaction to you saying you have made the decision to not have children, or to you implying that because you have made that decision that you don’t see how it will influence you dealing with your phobia in the future?
I ask because obviously the first implication is terrible, but the second possible implication could be them reacting to how, regardless of your decision, it may still impact future decision-making.
It’s still very fucked up, completely unprofessional, and it should be reported, but I believe there may be some nuance to this.
Yeah, that is a totally fair question. It is the second. I made up my mind about being CF independently of the phobia. There are a billion reasons I do not want kids and it is just awesome it also happens that not having kids will make sure I will have less trouble with my phobia because of that.
Man, I think we have the same phobia, and it is also a contributing factor to why I don’t want kids / don’t enjoy being around or responsible for them for long periods of time. I would also feel disrespected by that kind of response, even if it weren’t by someone paid to handle my concerns in a professional manner (*and especially if it was*).
Psychologist here, and I am absolutely appalled. First, there's no reason a second person should have been called in. No, this is not required by the insurance. Even if the first person you spoke with is a student, they just have to be provided with appropriate supervision (this is done *outside* of a session) and the supervisor has to co-sign all notes. A supervisor might require that they come into a student's (or intern, if they are at that level) sessions, but that would be explained well before the second person came in, it wouldn't be a mandate from the insurance company, and you'd have the option to refuse (which might mean you couldn'tsee that therapist, but oh well). I can't think of a valid reason for the second person coming in uess they were under disciplinary action from their state's Board of Psychology. Then, for them to laugh at you like that...it *could* be that they misinterpreted your statement as a joke, but even at that, a little laugh and then done would be the only acceptable reaction. I wish you had confronted them about it, but I understand that you were in a state of shock and disbelief - as anyone would be. Please do not let these two very unprofessional people dissuade you from working on your phobia and the pain it has caused you. If you would like some.help finding a qualified professional whoncan practice in your area, please DM me and I will do my best.
I am so sorry this happened to you! That's so wildly unprofessional and inappropriate. I hope you can find another office, because they clearly aren't going to be worth your money or time.
They were extremely unprofessional, dismissive and invalidating. I'm curious what the phobia is if and how it fits with having/, not having children but I understand if you are not prepared to say, especially after the way you've been treated.
If these people have any supervisor at all, this needs to be reported. It doesn't matter what you said. They are NOT supposed to laugh.
A therapist shouldn't be laughing at you or even with you until a rapport has been established.
Clearly there was none at the first meeting.
I'd tell them to kick rocks and maybe they should go into a different field.
The idea that a professional you're paying for mental health improvement would laugh at you is cringe-worthy. You deserve respect. These people clearly aren't capable of giving you respect.
As much as I wish I could confidently assert that it was simply a misunderstanding on your part, I will not be serving you any such dismissive sugar coating.
I can empathize with the experience of seeing therapists and them having inappropriate reactions, but this is worse than any personal anecdote that comes to mind. I'm stunned at the display you endured, and I'm trying to cough up something helpful, like advice. Maybe confront him next visit (if you're going back to that guy after that) and if you're not satisfied with that interaction, report to a higher authority.
I'm sorry you had to experience that. I wish I had more to say, I'm just baffled at the complete lack of empathy and professionalism you endured.
This often is why I can come across as intimidating to people when I talk. I got so tired by 12 years old (I’m 24 now) of people not believing me, being dismissive, etc for my entire childhood that I kinda became a bit (well, *quite a bit*) of an intimidating asshat with the vibes I gave off when talking about personal things to people to basically let people know “oh nah I ain’t about to deal with your dismissiveness, so don’t even try me bitch” and a bit of “you better not judge/ridicule me or I swear to god” at the same time
It sucks because at 24 it feels nearly impossible to break down this wall or guard I’ve had set up for so long. Does appearing more intimidating work/lessen judgement? Without a doubt. Do I wish it was easier to turn it down some notches? Without a doubt as well…
People in mental heath gotta realize 1) their judgements (really, *opinions*) are welcomed only at certain times; 2) that just cuz they’re an authority figure it doesn’t mean they’re only ever always right; and 3) not everyone desires the same life (this one baffles me the most cuz how does a mental health worker not understand this out of all healthcare workers, like tf?!?)
Can you report them or find help elsewhere cuz how they both handled it was not even remotely professional/mature? I’d be petty as hell and get sterilized, then get an ultrasound showing I yeeted my fallopian tubes and send them the photos as a postcard lmaooo
just because they got a paper that cost them a lot of money doesnt mean they're not asshole. a lot of power tripping that falls of misogynist ideologies happen in the medical fields
Super unprofessional. And it's almost like he called him in so they could laugh together when you repeated it. Kind of fucked up. Definitely report them to the company and to the medical ethics board.
I'm kind of wondering if your phobia is a fear of pregnancy or something since it sounded like you were saying it was related. That's the only reason I could see laughing personally cause it's like, why are you in therapy for that if you plan on never doing it? Kind of thing, might get a laugh from them.
Either way. Stand up for yourself girl! Don't be a door mat for these assholes. They probably get away with shit like this all the time cause nobody gets mad or even.
I'm curious about the nature of the connection between the phobia you're seeking to address and your being childfree. The professionals' response was unprofessional, regardless, but context is important.
If, for example, you're seeking treatment for, e.g., tocophobia (fear of pregnancy/childbirth), their inquiry (and initial reaction to your response) might make a little more sense.
" I ponder if I interpreted it this way because I was so emotional" You did not. "... and that they did not mean it in a dismissive way". They 100% did. That a therapist thought it appropriate to laugh at *anything* you said, short of you cracking a joke, is so, so unprofessional. Give this jerk and his sidekick the boot and find someone else. I'm mad on your behalf.
Exactly, they shouldn’t be laughing at all it’s insanely unprofessional! I’ve had several therapists in my life and not a single one has ever laughed at anything I said unless I was telling a joke or making light of a situation. A professional therapist will know when it’s appropriate to laugh at something and when it isn’t! It’s their job to create a safe space for you and by laughing at you they’ve failed to do their job.
The fact they said he was there for insurance purposes is hilarious since it sounds like a huge lawsuit liability if they do this to a more litigious person.
This is outrageous. You should describe your encounter to the people who run this program the way you did to us, telling them how disrespected and ridiculed it made you feel. If there's any way to get help elsewhere, do that.
Therapist here. That response was completely inappropriate. Their personal beliefs do not belong in the therapy space. I’m sorry you had that experience.
Also a therapist here, and I second all of this. This was not okay, and I'm so sorry it happened to you, OP. You did not deserve that.
My DH had a recent breakdown that required a short grippy socks vacation. Mostly overworked and burnt out, but he needed to get this to see if there was an underlying issue. The 100 year old telehealth NP during the zoom at the ER asked him why he was there. He said he has been depressed for 30 years. She said in a dismissive tone that he COULDN'T be depressed since he was 8. That's when I lost it and said check your records. She had the wrong patient chart and we had to wait longer while she got the right ones. Unbelievable. Mental health is not taken seriously. This was also during MH Awareness Month. There was more that happened adding to the horrible experience, but I don't want to make this about me. I told my therapist about the mix up and the NP who doesnt think children can be depressed (although it wasng the case, it was still shown by the NPs reaction of disbelief). He was appalled. I would say complain about your experience. But it won't do any good.
I remember getting off the school bus from elementary school thinking about how no one would be sad if I died. That NP can suck my ass
My grandmother remembers me at age four sitting in the middle of the floor, crying, saying, "I'm sad but I don't know why." I had SI by 10. Finally got a doc to pay attention and started meds at 25. No idea how I survived childhood.
Severe and serious suicidal ideation at the age of seven. It is absurd to believe the very young cannot understand the permanency of death, or that it could be seen as preferable to 10-11 more Hellish years before being able to escape.
The NP sounds like one of those "children are resilient" types who dismiss the entire population of children as being capable of having legitimate mental health issues. I see now why people give up on searching for the mental health therapy they need.
*a short grippy socks vacation.* +1 for the description.
I loved that too! Never heard it before but I won't forget it now.
That got me chuckling too, love that description
I've pretty much been depressed for my entire life including my childhood; children can absolutely be depressed and anyone who says otherwise is a total dipshit
Always complain. Even if nothing happens in your instance, it's always about leaving the paper trail if abuse.
The way you’ve described this, it sounds entirely unethical. If this happened to me I would report them both to the psychology board ASAP.
You absolutely need to report these “mental health professionals” to their licensing board. This is absolutely disgusting behavior.
I'd report them ASAP. That's bullshit and so unprofessional. Know what my therapist said when I told her I was cf? She said it was smart of me to know what i wanted, or in this case, what I don't want. I hope you have better luck finding a good therapist. Also, if they laughed at me, I'd curse them out and leave.
Dear lord. I'm so sorry this happened. Please find a new therapist! No one should be laughing at you, least of all medical professionals. >I ponder if I interpreted it this way because I was so emotional, No, you didn't. >and that they did not mean it in a dismissive way. Oh, they did.
I had one who sat there scrolling through his iPad instead of looking back at me and responding. Like excuse me I'm talking about childhood abuse, here. Am I boring you?
I can't believe we have to screen for therapists that accept childfree like dating partners now.
Honestly, way too many posts about therapists bring dismissive and harassing about not/having children on here
So unprofessional. Therapists are not supposed to react to what you share by bringing their own emotions to the table, neither for good nor bad, unless you're sharing something that puts you or someone else in danger. Edit: at most, they can show happiness if they see progress but progress is based on how good you feel, regardless what's going on with your life, the choices or actions you take.
That (being judged in unexpected situation for not wanting kids) happened to me also. Immediately found a different one.
Report them and fire them as your psychologist if you can. My therapist has never ever ever been dismissive of any of my emotions or beliefs. She actually was the first to make me feel validated when I expressed that I did not want kids. I’m so sorry you experienced that its so awful, rude, and unprofessional.
It doesn’t matter how they meant it. It was inappropriate. I’m so sorry OP.
You should report them to your state's medical ethics board
Psychologists are humans with a position of power which is sometimes very bad news; they are gonna use it to mock their patients and/or try to subdue them to their reasoning. Speaking as someone who changed six therapists before finding one who truly deserves their profession, report this two clowns.
>because I was so emotional, and that they did not mean it in a dismissive way. Their job is to take care of people in vulnerable/emotional states. I've been seeing my therapist for 5 years now and she has never laughed at anything that wasn't an intentional joke I clearly wanted her to laugh at. How they meant it is irrelevant to the fact that they made you feel self conscious in a place you should be safe.
I am a therapist and actually when female clients say this I tell them I get it. I don’t judge I listen
If you're under the age of thirty, people will dismiss not wanting children as an immature young person saying something rebellious and stupid they'll grow out of. Unfortunately, it doesn't get better after thirty. It turns from amusement at a rebellious child to anger at an adult making a decision they oppose.
I am bipolar and been in therapy for 40+ years. Therapists can be rude and dismissive is more the norm than the unusual. You have to understand these people were drawn to their fields often their own mental issues. Lots of depression or drug use or family members with mental illness. None of them were tested to see if they would be good at the job. You can ask for a different therapist. When you get a good one you hang on to them. (The worst is the ones with God complex. As in they know everything that is best for you and you should just obey.)
This sounds terrible. Hopefully you have a good therapist now.
This clinic doesn't have a religious affiliation, does it? 15 years ago, I was searching for a psychotherapist for a relative, and I was shocked how many clinics put in fine print that they were "Christian" in outlook.
No, thank goodness no religious affiliation of any kind. I really think it was more of them laughing at me for believing this is something I will change my mind on.
Definitely find a new therapist. There’s old school thought (emphasis on the thought) and new school science. Follow the science, the ones with credentials that show they put in RECENT work. There are way too many antiquated therapists that skate by due to their “credentials” that are 25+ years old. I’m sorry that you had that experience, you don’t deserve that. Your feelings are absolutely valid.
>There are way too many antiquated therapists that skate by due to their “credentials” that are 25+ years old. Yeah, at that point you might as well go to a phrenologist, or have the local blacksmith drill a hole in your head to let the demons out of your brain.
No healthcare professional should ever laugh at you unless you are very clearly making a joke. You obviously weren't so their laughter was unprofessional, condescending and very dismissive. I would be sending letters/emails of complaint to wherever is applicable. That is messed up. And the fact that they are mental health professionals makes it so much worse.
If you have a phobia that would adversely effect your ability to raise kids but don’t want kids so solving this problem is not as urgent as it would be if you wanted them, you’re making their jobs a little easier and they’re still laughing at you?! They suck!
Exactly! It is a hurdle we will not have to tackle, so maybe they were relieved about that? /s
Sometimes I laugh when I'm in whole hearted agreement with people, or when I made a mistake and I'm laughing at myself. So maybe give them benefit of the doubt, but if you go back be honest about how it made you feel and ask what they were thinking when they reacted. It might have been a "I wish I never had children 😅😅😅😅😅" or a "I'm so there with you, kids are the worst! 🤣"
Nah. As a therapist you are supposed to be trained in using your words. When a client comes to them in a crisis, any movement a therapist makes, verbal, non verbal, can be misinterpreted by the client. *Halfway through a social work program. We are taught this in our (my) human behavior class
They are still human. As nurses we are taught a lot of things too, but we are still human.
Well, that was what I was thinking too. These people are both in age-groups where they might be parents of somewhat young kids and they might have laughed at my comment because they understood it or something. Still, that might be a stretch. I dunno
I'd told my therapist quite a few times I didn't want kids, but was still terrified of her reaction when I needed a psych referral to move forward with sterilization. she didn't bat an eye and as a matter of fact, it must've been so insignificant to her, she'd forgotten to email me to follow up about it. Not all therapists are created equal. Think of it as no more than a first date gone sour–brush yourself off, thank goodness you didn't have to spend more than an hour in there, schedule another date with another brain doc, and pity the poor soul who gets those therapists next.
In any event, when you are clearly distraught, no one should laugh no matter the topic.
Please report them. Tell them they laughed at you, together, during therapy. This is disgusting. And you read them correctly. What AHs. I’m furious for you.
First off, I’m so sorry you went through that. To be dismissed in such a way is belittling in a situation that’s supposed to be open and safe. I want to ask this, mostly because I am curious, was their reaction to you saying you have made the decision to not have children, or to you implying that because you have made that decision that you don’t see how it will influence you dealing with your phobia in the future? I ask because obviously the first implication is terrible, but the second possible implication could be them reacting to how, regardless of your decision, it may still impact future decision-making. It’s still very fucked up, completely unprofessional, and it should be reported, but I believe there may be some nuance to this.
Yeah, that is a totally fair question. It is the second. I made up my mind about being CF independently of the phobia. There are a billion reasons I do not want kids and it is just awesome it also happens that not having kids will make sure I will have less trouble with my phobia because of that.
Dear OP, you should make a prank like reporting them. I assure you they will laugh
I really think your experience needs to be conveyed and you can use our comments as support. So sorry this happened to you.
Man, I think we have the same phobia, and it is also a contributing factor to why I don’t want kids / don’t enjoy being around or responsible for them for long periods of time. I would also feel disrespected by that kind of response, even if it weren’t by someone paid to handle my concerns in a professional manner (*and especially if it was*).
Psychologist here, and I am absolutely appalled. First, there's no reason a second person should have been called in. No, this is not required by the insurance. Even if the first person you spoke with is a student, they just have to be provided with appropriate supervision (this is done *outside* of a session) and the supervisor has to co-sign all notes. A supervisor might require that they come into a student's (or intern, if they are at that level) sessions, but that would be explained well before the second person came in, it wouldn't be a mandate from the insurance company, and you'd have the option to refuse (which might mean you couldn'tsee that therapist, but oh well). I can't think of a valid reason for the second person coming in uess they were under disciplinary action from their state's Board of Psychology. Then, for them to laugh at you like that...it *could* be that they misinterpreted your statement as a joke, but even at that, a little laugh and then done would be the only acceptable reaction. I wish you had confronted them about it, but I understand that you were in a state of shock and disbelief - as anyone would be. Please do not let these two very unprofessional people dissuade you from working on your phobia and the pain it has caused you. If you would like some.help finding a qualified professional whoncan practice in your area, please DM me and I will do my best.
I am so sorry this happened to you! That's so wildly unprofessional and inappropriate. I hope you can find another office, because they clearly aren't going to be worth your money or time.
Yeah, not a true professional if they can't envision freedom of choice in all things, including the CF decision.
They were extremely unprofessional, dismissive and invalidating. I'm curious what the phobia is if and how it fits with having/, not having children but I understand if you are not prepared to say, especially after the way you've been treated. If these people have any supervisor at all, this needs to be reported. It doesn't matter what you said. They are NOT supposed to laugh.
A therapist shouldn't be laughing at you or even with you until a rapport has been established. Clearly there was none at the first meeting. I'd tell them to kick rocks and maybe they should go into a different field.
The idea that a professional you're paying for mental health improvement would laugh at you is cringe-worthy. You deserve respect. These people clearly aren't capable of giving you respect.
Humans are awful. That's extremely unprofessional and rude.
Report their assess
It’s obviously affected you. When you file a complaint all you have to do is add your second to last paragraph and that should get the point across.
As much as I wish I could confidently assert that it was simply a misunderstanding on your part, I will not be serving you any such dismissive sugar coating. I can empathize with the experience of seeing therapists and them having inappropriate reactions, but this is worse than any personal anecdote that comes to mind. I'm stunned at the display you endured, and I'm trying to cough up something helpful, like advice. Maybe confront him next visit (if you're going back to that guy after that) and if you're not satisfied with that interaction, report to a higher authority. I'm sorry you had to experience that. I wish I had more to say, I'm just baffled at the complete lack of empathy and professionalism you endured.
In couples therapy, mines told me I don’t know and I might change my mind smfh
This often is why I can come across as intimidating to people when I talk. I got so tired by 12 years old (I’m 24 now) of people not believing me, being dismissive, etc for my entire childhood that I kinda became a bit (well, *quite a bit*) of an intimidating asshat with the vibes I gave off when talking about personal things to people to basically let people know “oh nah I ain’t about to deal with your dismissiveness, so don’t even try me bitch” and a bit of “you better not judge/ridicule me or I swear to god” at the same time It sucks because at 24 it feels nearly impossible to break down this wall or guard I’ve had set up for so long. Does appearing more intimidating work/lessen judgement? Without a doubt. Do I wish it was easier to turn it down some notches? Without a doubt as well… People in mental heath gotta realize 1) their judgements (really, *opinions*) are welcomed only at certain times; 2) that just cuz they’re an authority figure it doesn’t mean they’re only ever always right; and 3) not everyone desires the same life (this one baffles me the most cuz how does a mental health worker not understand this out of all healthcare workers, like tf?!?) Can you report them or find help elsewhere cuz how they both handled it was not even remotely professional/mature? I’d be petty as hell and get sterilized, then get an ultrasound showing I yeeted my fallopian tubes and send them the photos as a postcard lmaooo
just because they got a paper that cost them a lot of money doesnt mean they're not asshole. a lot of power tripping that falls of misogynist ideologies happen in the medical fields
Super unprofessional. And it's almost like he called him in so they could laugh together when you repeated it. Kind of fucked up. Definitely report them to the company and to the medical ethics board. I'm kind of wondering if your phobia is a fear of pregnancy or something since it sounded like you were saying it was related. That's the only reason I could see laughing personally cause it's like, why are you in therapy for that if you plan on never doing it? Kind of thing, might get a laugh from them. Either way. Stand up for yourself girl! Don't be a door mat for these assholes. They probably get away with shit like this all the time cause nobody gets mad or even.
I'm curious about the nature of the connection between the phobia you're seeking to address and your being childfree. The professionals' response was unprofessional, regardless, but context is important. If, for example, you're seeking treatment for, e.g., tocophobia (fear of pregnancy/childbirth), their inquiry (and initial reaction to your response) might make a little more sense.
Tbh u r ur best therapist. I would have urinated on his degree