Is there a shrink who can get me off my ass?
February 21, 2011 11:26 AM Subscribe
Recommendations for a therapist in NYC to help me address self-sabotage, procrastination, and other behaviors that are making my life shitty.
I've been seeing a very expensive Jungian psychoanalyst for over two years, and while I have made gains in many other areas, the reasons I came to her in the first place are just as bad as ever: I will always put off work until I have too little time to do it, I can't leave my house for something important until I know I'll be late (which sometimes means I decide not to go at all), and I come up with fantastic reasons not to bother doing anything that will get me more work or to go to the gym or all the things that healthy people do.
I don't know if this is something that CBT or DBT or similar will help, or if I just don't have the right shrink.
Me: male in his mid-20s, freelancer who's not finding enough work. Generally optimistic and friendly but with poor self-image and susceptible to depression. Most of my spare time is radical politics and activism in some form or another.
Other complaints about my current shrink that I would wish to avoid are that I feel like she's treating my radical leftist political stance as a symptom, and that she keeps suggesting I convert to Buddhism.
And I would like to pay less than $150 per session.
Does such a thing exist?
I've been seeing a very expensive Jungian psychoanalyst for over two years, and while I have made gains in many other areas, the reasons I came to her in the first place are just as bad as ever: I will always put off work until I have too little time to do it, I can't leave my house for something important until I know I'll be late (which sometimes means I decide not to go at all), and I come up with fantastic reasons not to bother doing anything that will get me more work or to go to the gym or all the things that healthy people do.
I don't know if this is something that CBT or DBT or similar will help, or if I just don't have the right shrink.
Me: male in his mid-20s, freelancer who's not finding enough work. Generally optimistic and friendly but with poor self-image and susceptible to depression. Most of my spare time is radical politics and activism in some form or another.
Other complaints about my current shrink that I would wish to avoid are that I feel like she's treating my radical leftist political stance as a symptom, and that she keeps suggesting I convert to Buddhism.
And I would like to pay less than $150 per session.
Does such a thing exist?
It sounds ADD is one element of what you are experiencing.
The people I have gone to about my own ADD are the Hallowell Center on the UWS. They are pricey, but are considered some of the best in this field.
posted by Spacelegoman at 12:05 PM on February 21, 2011
The people I have gone to about my own ADD are the Hallowell Center on the UWS. They are pricey, but are considered some of the best in this field.
posted by Spacelegoman at 12:05 PM on February 21, 2011
I am a fan of the Gestalt Center. I'm not sure they specialize in your particular issue*, but I'm dealing with a lot of that kind of stuff with my therapist and feeling pretty optimistic about things. The center is a training institution, so you'd typically see a student in the gestalt discipline who is already a certified psychotherapist. Payments are on a sliding scale.
They are not phsychiatrists, however, so you won't be getting a diagnosis - however they are well equipped to evaluate you and refer you to someone if they think you have a specific pathology like ADD or whatnot.
It seems to me that gestalt is compatible with leftist politics (though I don't talk politics much with my therapist). As for wanting to convert you to Buddhism, I find that the ideas in gestalt are compatible with certain "Eastern Philosophies" I'm familiar with from practicing yoga. But my therapist is Jewish and the only time religion has come up was when we worked out a schedule over the holidays.
*I'm not entirely sure about this, but gestalt seems to me to be a little less goal focused than CBT. There are definitely overarching themes which are set by the client as part of the intake session, but therapy seems like more of an overall process than "how are you doing on that one thing you specifically came here to deal with". Though you may be able to structure your sessions that way if it's important to you.
posted by Sara C. at 10:00 PM on February 21, 2011
They are not phsychiatrists, however, so you won't be getting a diagnosis - however they are well equipped to evaluate you and refer you to someone if they think you have a specific pathology like ADD or whatnot.
It seems to me that gestalt is compatible with leftist politics (though I don't talk politics much with my therapist). As for wanting to convert you to Buddhism, I find that the ideas in gestalt are compatible with certain "Eastern Philosophies" I'm familiar with from practicing yoga. But my therapist is Jewish and the only time religion has come up was when we worked out a schedule over the holidays.
*I'm not entirely sure about this, but gestalt seems to me to be a little less goal focused than CBT. There are definitely overarching themes which are set by the client as part of the intake session, but therapy seems like more of an overall process than "how are you doing on that one thing you specifically came here to deal with". Though you may be able to structure your sessions that way if it's important to you.
posted by Sara C. at 10:00 PM on February 21, 2011
Sounds like you have ADD as bad as me, bro. I don't know about therapists in the area. I do know that I have adaptive behaviors and mind-hacks and stuff that helps me accomplish anything, otherwise I wouldn't be able to do anything. While you're vetting therapists, focus on therapy techniques that give you the tools to deal with the ADDness rather than trying to analyse the root of the problem. CBT might be a good thing to look in to, but make sure whatever therapist focuses on coping behaviors because honestly it could be a biological problem.
Other complaints about my current shrink that I would wish to avoid are that I feel like she's treating my radical leftist political stance as a symptom, and that she keeps suggesting I convert to Buddhism.
This is wack and a good reason to DTMFA. Evangelical Buddhism?! Shop around. You should be able to find a therapist that is more open-minded about political ideologies.
posted by fuq at 10:02 AM on February 23, 2011
Other complaints about my current shrink that I would wish to avoid are that I feel like she's treating my radical leftist political stance as a symptom, and that she keeps suggesting I convert to Buddhism.
This is wack and a good reason to DTMFA. Evangelical Buddhism?! Shop around. You should be able to find a therapist that is more open-minded about political ideologies.
posted by fuq at 10:02 AM on February 23, 2011
From what I've seen, a life coach or professional organizer seems to be as, or more effective at dealing with those issues, as a therapist. Despite the general lack of professional standards and the do-it-yourself nature of them.
And yeah, you don't necessarily have ADHD (did you have it as a kid? If not, then it's a no) but checking out the resources/therapists/life coaches who *deal* with people with ADHD is probably a good idea, as they'll probably be more effective.
posted by Elysum at 5:06 AM on April 1, 2011
And yeah, you don't necessarily have ADHD (did you have it as a kid? If not, then it's a no) but checking out the resources/therapists/life coaches who *deal* with people with ADHD is probably a good idea, as they'll probably be more effective.
posted by Elysum at 5:06 AM on April 1, 2011
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posted by Obscure Reference at 12:03 PM on February 21, 2011