This is a really serious conundrum because three facts are simultaneously true:
- there are poor therapists out there
- for the most part, laymen clients (and even some with years of experience) are not really able to judge competence vs incompetence, because of point #3
- incredibly skillful and effective therapists will make change inevitable; and a part of your unconscious is TERRIFIED of change; as a result, it will coerce your rational mind into concluding that “this therapist is doing me no good” as a bid to justify escaping the threat
The above is absolutely true … but it’s also possible that this therapist is unskilled. My suggestion is to focus on TRUST. If you trust NO ONE, then this is a useless test for you. But if you do have people in your life that you trust deeply, scan for the same bodily sensations with this therapist. If they foster your trust, stay with them. If you distrust them, then find a new one.
Dewey Gaedcke’s answer to What are the benefits of seeking therapy?