Shrinks...

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

If you want to backpedal a bit and modify your complaint to apply only to unlicensed counselors, I'll get off your case about it. Because it's not hard to agree that unlicensed counselors have no real credentials, can't be said to be properly trained, and are probably peddling a load of bunk.

Looking at the link, I suppose the bulk of them are unlicensed. I didn't know that, so it's not a backpedal...just assumed that if somebody had a counseling practice, it would imply some kind of license. The Rumplestiltskin rule: look for "licensed professional counselor", exact words, not "certified professional counselor" or "licensed counselor" or any of that.
Which doesn't help 99% of the people running around, since the best ones are probably in the major cities, not affordable, don't take Medicaid, etc. And judges stipulate druggies to whatever is cheap.

What makes any of that relevant to the OP? And if you don't know the difference between a state-licensed practitioner and one with a certificate from the School of Gomez, why on earth are you giving uninformed advice? There are also people who have had terrible experiences with dentists... I wouldn't go to an unlicensed dentist, myself. A healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking goes a long way in selecting a qualified practitioner for anything.

I take it that your daughter had a drug problem, was remanded to counseling by a judge, and chose the cheapest counselors she could find? Once again, I have to mention the "willing participant" part. That hardly seems like a scenario that would have a positive result, and I also have to say, if she went to "a string" of counselors and none of them helped, there's one common denominator there. I'm glad your kid finally held herself responsible for her own life and got off the drugs.

[Lies]

Yeah, unfortunately there are a lot of unlicensed counselors seem to pop up everywhere these days and some of them are huuuuge fucking scams.

I remember this one organisation that charged THOUSANDS for really rich and stupid clients,I remember finding it looking for jobs in counselling, the description read "No experience necessary,  starting salery $40+ an hour" and apparently all you had to do was learn some "amazing new technique" that some random person I have never heard of before and couldn't find any information on besides their on website, was a guaranteed cure all for *everything*.

I don't know how they're allowed to practice when it sounds like some sort of ponzi scheme in counselling form.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Yeah, unfortunately there are a lot of unlicensed counselors seem to pop up everywhere these days and some of them are huuuuge fucking scams.

I remember this one organisation that charged THOUSANDS for really rich and stupid clients,I remember finding it looking for jobs in counselling, the description read "No experience necessary,  starting salery $40+ an hour" and apparently all you had to do was learn some "amazing new technique" that some random person I have never heard of before and couldn't find any information on besides their on website, was a guaranteed cure all for *everything*.

I don't know how they're allowed to practice when it sounds like some sort of ponzi scheme in counselling form.

Because anyone can give anyone else advice. (Except for legal advice, of course. Lawyers know how to keep it tight.) Even bad advice. Otherwise, this thread would be illegal.

That's why it's our job as consumers to do a little research. Fortunately, the government and educational systems have teamed up to make it as easy for us as they can, and of course referrals from happy clients help as well.

[Fredfredly ⊂(◉‿◉)つ]

I went to a social worker counselor and found it helpful.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

What makes any of that relevant to the OP? And if you don't know the difference between a state-licensed practitioner and one with a certificate from the School of Gomez, why on earth are you giving uninformed advice? There are also people who have had terrible experiences with dentists... I wouldn't go to an unlicensed dentist, myself. A healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking goes a long way in selecting a qualified practitioner for anything.

Unlicensed dentists are a rarity. Unlicensed counselors are the vast majority. And most people don't know the "licensed professional counselor" magic words. They look in the phone book, not state websites.

I take it that your daughter had a drug problem, was remanded to counseling by a judge, and chose the cheapest counselors she could find?

No, she was molested. She had anger issues. Thus the "just take a deep breath" bullshit. That, and the journaling. The counselors would ask her if she was keeping up her journal and she would say "yes" and that was the end of it.

BTW, when judges remand people into treatment, it's the judge who tells them where they're going for treatment.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I also have to point out that "99.9% of the people running around" don't live far away from a city, aren't on Medicaid, and aren't druggies.

Affordable? That can be harder to manage. Mine charges me $30/session because I'm poor.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

What makes any of that relevant to the OP? And if you don't know the difference between a state-licensed practitioner and one with a certificate from the School of Gomez, why on earth are you giving uninformed advice? There are also people who have had terrible experiences with dentists... I wouldn't go to an unlicensed dentist, myself. A healthy dose of skepticism and critical thinking goes a long way in selecting a qualified practitioner for anything.

Unlicensed dentists are a rarity. Unlicensed counselors are the vast majority. And most people don't know the "licensed professional counselor" magic words. They look in the phone book, not state websites.

I take it that your daughter had a drug problem, was remanded to counseling by a judge, and chose the cheapest counselors she could find?

No, she was molested. She had anger issues. Thus the "just take a deep breath" bullshit. That, and the journaling. The counselors would ask her if she was keeping up her journal and she would say "yes" and that was the end of it.

BTW, when judges remand people into treatment, it's the judge who tells them where they're going for treatment.

OK... so what's with all the completely-beside-the-point talk about drug counselors? I'm trying to figure out the relevance. When judges remand people into treatment, they tell them where they're going for treatment. When a judge orders counseling, the court order usually only stipulates that the person must go to counseling, not where. A judge wouldn't legally be able to remand someone to go to a non-state-licensed counselor. A judge can also court-order drug treatment and not specify where.

I was also molested, raped, and had an abusive/neglected family life. I had pretty bad PTSD. As I mentioned in another thread, I went to a few therapists before I found one who worked for me, and I did a lot of work... which you would probably consider "bullshit"... and that "bullshit" helped a LOT. But then, I took responsibility for my own recovery. Nobody made me go, and when one therapist's style didn't work for me, I went to another until I found one who did. I went from being angry, scared, suicidal, and untouchable to being a pretty normal well-adjusted person.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I really have to challenge your statements that "unlicensed counselors are the vast majority" and "most people don't know the "Licensed Professional Counselor" magic words. Anyone who calls themselves a "Therapist" has to be licensed, by law. All those letters after their names... LPC, LMFT, LCSW, MFT, MSW... tells you what kind of degree and license they have. That's why they put them on their doors, and on their business cards.

[Chairman Risus]

I posed as a social worker once and Fred found it very helpful.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I posed as a social worker once and Fred found it very helpful.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

OK... so what's with all the completely-beside-the-point talk about drug counselors?

Because we were talking about counselors generally, not her in particular, so it's not beside the point. Tons of people get sent to substance abuse counseling.

I'm trying to figure out the relevance. When judges remand people into treatment, they tell them where they're going for treatment. When a judge orders counseling, the court order usually only stipulates that the person must go to counseling, not where. A judge wouldn't legally be able to remand someone to go to a non-state-licensed counselor. A judge can also court-order drug treatment and not specify where.

Conditions of probation do. You always see those: "Suspended on condition that so-and-so attend counseling at blahblah.."

I was also molested, raped, and had an abusive/neglected family life. I had pretty bad PTSD. As I mentioned in another thread, I went to a few therapists before I found one who worked for me, and I did a lot of work... which you would probably consider "bullshit"... and that "bullshit" helped a LOT. But then, I took responsibility for my own recovery. Nobody made me go, and when one therapist's style didn't work for me, I went to another until I found one who did. I went from being angry, scared, suicidal, and untouchable to being a pretty normal well-adjusted person.

I suspect a lot of it was you, then. Just sayin'.

[Anna Mae Bollocks]

I also have to point out that "99.9% of the people running around" don't live far away from a city, aren't on Medicaid, and aren't druggies.

Affordable? That can be harder to manage. Mine charges me $30/session because I'm poor.

Ok, there's usually a city less than 100 miles away.
So, assuming somebody will do it for $30 a session, that's $120 a month. Plus gas, or go greyhound - fifty miles greyhound will run you about $50 round trip these days. Plus time off work, in most cases. Sessions are usually weekly, so that's over $300 a month plus lost wages. Not cheap.

[Triple Zero]

I once knew an unlicensed cardiologist, and she broke my heart ...



(BTW over here it's kinda easy, if they're not licensed, healthcare won't cover it. If you gotta spend your own money, you will want to do proper research on how good they are--even if they are licensed and healthcare doesn't cover it for some other reason)

My general advice about psychiatrists/counselors/therapists: Like Nigel said, find one that offers free initial consultation. And be very discriminating. If they don't sit right with you, or maybe you don't quite feel you can "connect" with them, get another one ASAP, cause you're wasting your time. That doesn't mean they're not good BTW, just that they're not good for you (so don't feel sorry for them, and you can be honest with them about this. if they get angry for this reason then you know they're just not good). The important thing I learned is, these people have a lot of experience, and they have a certain way of doing what they do. If that way doesn't work for you, don't wait until it gets better, because it won't, and you're placing your trust in somebody that isn't quite going to help you as good as possible.

In fact, this advice works for pretty much any kind of medical person/doctor. I recently talked my mother into getting a new physiotherapist (she just got a new knee), because she wasn't entirely sure about him. And since time is of the essence in this case (any improvements must happen in the first 3 months, after that no amount of physio is going to provide significant mobility improvements), I urged her not to wait until this guy got a clue (I won't go into details, but he's going to get a claim). She told me she got a new one and it was "like a warm bath", the new guy was shocked about the lack of improvement so far, but he said "well it's going to hurt, but we're going to train hard and make this work", and from what I heard, I'm pretty confident he will.

[AFK]

I really have to challenge your statements that "unlicensed counselors are the vast majority" and "most people don't know the "Licensed Professional Counselor" magic words. Anyone who calls themselves a "Therapist" has to be licensed, by law. All those letters after their names... LPC, LMFT, LCSW, MFT, MSW... tells you what kind of degree and license they have. That's why they put them on their doors, and on their business cards.

Yes.  And speaking with my professional hat, those letters are very important.  In my business, I wouldn't recommend a kid to see a drug counselor unless they have, at minimum, an LADC.  I talked before how in one of our school systems we have this person who is called a substance abuse counselor, but she doesn't actually have the state-recognized LADC credentials.  It means she hasn't had the same rigor of education and training as an LADC, and is not equipped to give adequate and evidence-based treatment.  I wouldn't recommend anyone see an untrained or unlicensed counselor.  And most state-licensed counselors are going to have some kind of sliding-fee scale for their services. 

[Thurnez Isa]

Also, medical doctors are mostly useless except for referrals to shrinks. They'll just try to put you on antidepressants. Ask a friend or just use Google, and expect to talk to a few (good ones will let you meet with them for a free consultation) before you find one that clicks.

Therapists are required to have specific credentials; counselors aren't. Good luck!

There is a lot of medical problems that can cause mood disorders, such as pancreas infections.