Question:
What are the most important things a therapist help you with?

Thanks for all the great responses. Looks like many of you feel the same way I do about getting this kind of support. I just wanted to add some of what I wrote to Barbara. No one, unfortunately, is more skeptical than I am about getting "good" care from my own field. And I agree that many otherwise competent therapists might not be great for us as a population because of the deeply ingrained personal and clinical prejudices which surround eating and weight disorders generally. That's where the list idea really pays off. We want to see the therapist's vita, know their philosophy and style of treatment and we want to know if they've had the surgery themselves. That's not to say that we would expect them to share all their personal trials and tribulations with us in treatment (it's not about them-it's about us)but it would mean that they have cut through much of the prevailing BS which passes for "wisdom" out there and really learned about this process the hard way. My hope would be that most therapists willing to list here would have had the surgery themselves and their treatments would be accurately and practically informed. They would focus on helping us get on with our new lives instead of dwelling on past nightmares. I'd love to hear any of your wish lists for what therapy might have helped you with if you feel like fantasizing about it a little. I'm thinking about trying to write some of this up for a presentation I agreed to do next year on this topic. Your ideas would be greatly valued. Thanks again for all your responses. Hey Eric, What do you think?? Can we do this?    — Carol M. (posted on May 20, 2000)

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