This is self-work and I'm Dr. Margaret Rutherford at self-work. We'll discuss psychological

and emotional issues common in today's world and what to do about them. I'm Dr.

Margaret and self-work is a podcast dedicated to you taking just a few

minutes today for your own self-work.

Hello and I'm so glad you're here today at self-work. We're going to be talking about choosing

a therapist and that's what I am. I'm a clinical psychologist. I've been in private practice now

for 25 years in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

And I'm here to really share the wisdom of the patients that I've seen, the things that I've watched

them go through and learn from them about how you get through very, very difficult times,

through depression, through anxiety, and through grief and loss.

Today we're going to be talking about a particular aspect of choosing a therapist and

this question actually came from a listener. How much does your therapist need to be

like you? How much do you need to believe that they've experienced

what you've experienced? And how could they possibly understand something that

they've not experienced? I have some things for you to consider at least from

my perspective after doing this for 25 years and remember I've been on both sides of

the couch I've been a patient in fact I often say that I'm a therapist because I got good

therapy. I've been the patient several times in fact and I've been the psychologist. I've had some recent experiences with people asking me

some questions about my own life that have really highlighted this particular issue in

our culture today.

Then our listener email today is from someone who had listened to

Podcast 69 on Victim Savior relationships

...