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I have an issue with psychotherapy as a 'profession' because you can't call it that. They seem to govern themselves. If I wanted their credentials they would show me a certificate. What about important stuff like success rate? Patient satisfaction? Whether they found it helpful at all or value for money?

It frustrates me because I have recently come to see it as helpful, slightly through my new therapist. But mainly through by my own research into it and then analysing my past myself.

The issue with therapists is a lot believe in free association. In theory, they let the patient talk until they start to repeat the same problem, which would be what needs to be addressed. However, the theory doesn't add up to me. It implies ALL people voluntarily will eventually start talking about the worst parts of their lives and trauma.. I mean, people avoid thinking and talking about these things because they are painful and upsetting. It's masochistic in a sense to willfully drive yourself to talk about those things... it is also IMO the place where the answer is because it is the only place you havent looked!

It takes a skilled and experienced therapist to drive you into those subjects in a subtle way without it becoming overwhelming. But the vast majority I have experienced seem to just let you talk and avoid whatever the real problem is (because youre are not goin to willfully talk aBout your shitty past). Free association my arse. They don't have to deal with anything of any importance or responsibility, and still get payed and you keep coming back because there is 'more to be done'. Of course there is because nothing is being done by a lot of them!