The Decision: A True Story

Part Three Of A Series On Psychotherapy Once you have made the decision to find help, be wary of "fast-food solutions," the "McDonalds" type of psychotherapy such as glib call-in radio shows, simplistic magazine articles, or motivational tapes that promise to instantly heal your deepest wounds. It may only take thirty days to tighten a tummy, but soothing a troubled soul may take considerably longer. While there are helpful remedies for depression, obsession, anxiety, or a host of other psychological problems, there are no instant cures for the upheavals and stresses that are all too common facts of life. The social norms of the twenty-first century are convenience, precision, and speed. But when it comes to healing a hurt heart or suffering soul, slow and steady can win the race.

On the other hand, if all you really need is help in making a decision about a new job, a sick relative, or pre-marital counseling, be careful not to commit yourself to a trek up Mt. Everest, when all you may require is a situational solution. Sometimes less can be more. If you have never sought help, you may be wise to open the door a crack and look around before crossing the threshold.

Once you have differentiated between a crisis and a non-crisis, you still are faced with myriad choices within the mental health care maze. Even professional health care practitioners need help sorting out all the options. Several years ago, I supervised Susan, a talented and well-trained psychiatrist, who also happened to be a working mom with one teenage son and two younger daughters. Divorced for five years, she had recently remarried. The girls were delighted to have a new dad. However, her son Ryan felt replaced as the primary "man" in her life. Ryan became increasingly vocal about how much he hated the new intruder. He felt displaced, and in a way that can be typical of teenagers, he demanded attention by "acting out.