I sat with my Counselor of some 11 years today talking about some Meyers Briggs testing that was done on me in 2003 and a similar test done on me in 1966. In records that were with the 2003 tests was a test that said that I am an INFP (Meyers Briggs Personality Type). I can say that the assessment describes me perfectly and as she read the information, she somehow interpreted it to mean that I could react violently to certain situations. At the time I thought nothing of it but upon reflection simply can't figure out where she got that. Though we must always remember that sometimes our therapists have bigger problems than we do, and in this case that is most certainly true.
Mental Health providers are trying very hard to identify people who might be violent; trying to prevent these mass shootings that happen. This I understand perfectly. I just can't figure out how, from my record she could ever find a reason to believe I might become one. In response, I'll be much more circumspect with what I tell her in the future. I feel sort of violated.
I have a long history of helping others in various ways and have never been aggressive with anyone. Though like most people if I see someone being attacked, all bets are off and I see that as normal human conduct. Just be careful OK?
Comments
a healthy dose of reality
1) EVERYONE is capable of violence.
2) EVERYONE will become violent during certain conditions.
3) NOT everyone will be exposed to those certain conditions.
4) anyone that denies these facts is LYING.
5) It is not against the rules to question your therapist at any time to ensure they have not become biased. (Yes, I have reverse interrogated my therapist.)
quidquid sum ego, et omnia mea semper; Ego me.
alecia Snowfall
Simply confronting an attacker ...
I have confronted attackers of others a few times but stopped short of violence; twice nearly used lethal force, but did not have to. No I am not going to use that certain word. We all know what lethal force is. I was Military Police but did not go on to civilian police because so many people hate cops. INFP folk can be perfectionistic, but do not generally have a high need for order or authority.
Is there anything you could
Is there anything you could do to question that claim because that is a big thing to hold against you and from so long ago that it is ridiculous if your therapist can't see that it was either a wrong assessment or it was an assessment made based on outside factors at that time.
I'm told STFU more times in a day than most people get told in a lifetime
Having studied psychology ...
Right now I see challenging her on the issue would simply draw attention to it. Rather, I will simply hope that she forgets about it, and gradually end seeing her in the next year.
She wants me to be part of the LGBT thing and is mildly offended that I assert that I am Intersex and not part of that whole phenomena. We've had this discussion and she does not get that my sexual drive is very small, almost non-existent and I am XXY. It is anoying that even people who are supposed to know us as individuals and confirm that, at the same time seem to try to put us in little boxes.
One of the problems of
having to talk with therapists is that they are 'mandatory reporters'. While they are covered under confidentially clauses, they have to report when they 'believe' that someone is a 'danger to themselves or others'. It's based on what they THINK, not what they KNOW. Anymore a professional's beliefs outweigh facts and that can land an innocent person in jail, or worse.
to misquote
"...anything can and will be used against you ..."
Learned that lesson while when they kept me from getting green light for HRT ...
Besides that everyone has their limits and have never met anyone that was so pure to be non-violent at every moment. Also a difference as to where that violence is projected on. Mine ends up on walls, chopping wood, ...
Lynne
Shrinks, and Doctors
Be very careful, a determination of a potential of violent acts or depression is enough to have that old .22 rifle or dad's shotgun removed from your house.
Karen
I hope you are mistaken but...
You should confront her perceived assumption of violent tendencies. Tell her flat out how you feel you are not a violent person.
This once aired should clear the air between you and get you back to a trust. That having been said... if you think your counselor is holding onto that assumption she could inadvertently hamper your progress and you should consider asking for a referral to another counselor instead of hiding or guarding what you say/do.
When I was a patient at the local "Gender Identity Clinic" as they were called... I had a confrontational relationship with my assigned counselor. I didn't know I could request someone else. So for 5 months we talked about my penis.... not a fun topic as I'm sure you know.
I finally broke down during my visit with the group shrink who reviews your progress... and I begged him to reassign me (I learned that the counselor had me earmarked to be removed from the clinic). He did and I finally began to make progress.
I transitioned and got on hormones very quickly as the new counselor (not a shrink) listened as I explained that I DID WANT TO TRANSITION(!!) and eventually have surgery... New counselor authorised the transition letter that very next week.
Dayna
Other areas, too
I picked up a DUI many yonks ago and ended up with a counselor as opposed to jail. My counselor was apparently a "big name" in what was then the emerging field of therapy treatment as an alternative to incarceration. He was a long time AA member and fully subscribed to the idea that anybody that denied being an alcoholic was actually the worst kind of alcoholic. With several papers published nationally what he said was what happened. Based on a 30 minute discussion he tagged me as a alcoholic because I drank alone or with others. I tried to protest this judgement, pointing out that anybody that drank could only do it either alone or with others.
As the counselor defined your status and determined when you could return to court and have the record expunged, I was being forced into things I found revolting. I was seriously considering go back and taking the jail time rather than putting up with his holier than thou "I'm the expert, I'll tell you how you feel" attitude.
Then one day I went in for my mandatory counseling session Dennis was not there, and I had a different counselor. We talked for awhile, seemed like a good guy and when asked I flat out told him I felt the entire process was a waste of my time. He flipped through my records, asking "He had you do all this?" I confirmed it and he pulled out a piece of paper, signed it and handed it to me instructing me to give it to my lawyer.
At my puzzlement he said "You're done, you should have been released six months ago. You're about the twenty-fifth one of his clients I've kicked loose in the last couple of days." He hadn't returned any of his clients, what was supposed to be a six month program had gone on for more than two years in one person's case. He was the person doing the oversight, there wasn't anybody doublechecking him. Fortunately he got a job offer from some prestigious group back east, and now the agency was having to clean up the mess he left. A couple of months later the agency terminated the program.
Even having gone through the required counseling for SRS, I was still stupid enough to think that if I was honest there was a benefit to the treatment. Sadder but wiser now, I filter everything I say to anybody in the medical/mental health fields. Name, rank, and serial number, anything else gets nothing.
I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.
After reading many of the comments to this....
It brought back memories of how I once was. So when I came back from an incident over seas it was determined I had some mental issues that I needed help working through. I was ordered to stay in the mental facility on base until the doctors decided I was okay with what had occurred. I will never forget one session with the 'quack' when he asked me if I had any imaginary friends. I thought his question over, If I really did have any "imaginary friends" then I would not know they were imaginary would I? But if I answered yes, that would be telling him that I knew they were imaginary (if I really had any which I did not). So thinking I would have some fun with this, I looked down to my left at the floor, nodded at the floor as if some small creature was standing there, then turned back to the 'quack' and told him, "No I do not have any imaginary friends!"
They eventually realized I was screwing with them, although the 3 month vacation from normal military duty was pretty nice.
Big thing to remember is that psychiatry is NOT an exact science. I've taken the same test and I got INTP which I do have to say described me pretty well although I was never told I was violent from those results and I was really REALLY violent back in those days. People used to say I would rather fight than F**k back then and they were right.
Sounds to me this shrink you are seeing has some agenda they are trying to prove, my suggestion is find someone else.
We the willing, led by the unsure. Have been doing so much with so little for so long,
We are now qualified to do anything with nothing.