Pony
06-11-2007, 12:49 AM
*I really felt I needed to post this because I am tired of seeing people hurt by other forums. Support forums are good to a point but I wanted to share some of the damage they can cause. These are just my views but they came from much research and observation and well as personal experience.*
I had to come here and tell you about what I learned today.
One of my very close friends is a trained therapist and used to run a suicide support group. What he told me opened my eyes. For one thing most of the therapist and counselors in our area are crap. This I knew from experience. Second there are few suicide support groups locally and the one in a nearby town has a really bad reputation. Why? Because they are not trained.
So here is what I learned. To properly help someone experience is better than text book but you still need training. And you need to have dealt with and healed from your own problems. The worse thing that often happens with well meaning individuals trying to support others (and this includes trained counselors and therapist and pdocs and all) is they get triggered by the patient and this causes more harm. This is extremely common on the internet with all the various untrained peer support groups. They are causing way too much harm. More harm than good. And you don't hear about it because so many leave silently or simply kill themselves.
So I am going to get training and certification and work with a national organization with an online support community. I will share information as I get it including links. If a professional or non-professional is causing you more harm than good please get away from them folks.
I had to come here and tell you about what I learned today.
One of my very close friends is a trained therapist and used to run a suicide support group. What he told me opened my eyes. For one thing most of the therapist and counselors in our area are crap. This I knew from experience. Second there are few suicide support groups locally and the one in a nearby town has a really bad reputation. Why? Because they are not trained.
So here is what I learned. To properly help someone experience is better than text book but you still need training. And you need to have dealt with and healed from your own problems. The worse thing that often happens with well meaning individuals trying to support others (and this includes trained counselors and therapist and pdocs and all) is they get triggered by the patient and this causes more harm. This is extremely common on the internet with all the various untrained peer support groups. They are causing way too much harm. More harm than good. And you don't hear about it because so many leave silently or simply kill themselves.
So I am going to get training and certification and work with a national organization with an online support community. I will share information as I get it including links. If a professional or non-professional is causing you more harm than good please get away from them folks.