180 Urban Wellness — Counselor in Washington, DC

She did everything that prior reviewer said. This lady first reminded me that I had sought Care out with them previously. Although I hadn’t remembered, it became an important fact throughout the intake. They are handpicking clients that are “easy”. In behavioral health of all fields. She will drill you on your prior adherence to treatment only to abandon the intake. Shouldn’t therapist having adherence to the clients that comes to them. Not here, they’ll drop ya like a bad habit. The therapist. You’d be better off going on Tinder. Get you a hinge therapist. AT LEAST they’re free. She said she was gonna send some resources and a referral and I waited for that before I sent this. She couldn’t be bothered. That’s why I took my time out to post. It’s one thing to think someone has more urgent needs than you can provide. It’s another completely unethical thing to not provide the connections to care that you so judgingly said that person needed. That’s unlicensable. I bet $ this practice has harmed people over the years.

I hope that this honest feedback about my experience inspires some reflection. People seeking therapy are being vulnerable and putting trust in a stranger with their traumas, experiences and perspectives. It’s important that we (those seeking therapy) feel HEARD, trust is built in time and that a safe space is provided when we have the courage to say we don’t understand certain questions or comments from our therapist. Or if we just aren’t ready to share something. I had more than a few sessions where I would try to ask clarifying questions or point out where a comment was an assumption made and not a fact. One example was an incorrect statement about my reason for seeking a specific surgery being tied to the male gaze. I shared honestly several reasons, none of which had to do with men. It was an uncomfortable conclusion that I didn’t understand how she came to at all. In that moment it no longer felt safe for me to discuss it with her and so I said it’s a decision I’m not seeking consulting on. Instead of acknowledging that the conversation was taking a turn, she continued to push the topic and then called me “controlling” for not wanting to answer any more of her questions. Her words made me feel immense guilt afterwards that maybe I had no right to not want to continue on the subject. That somehow, that boundary was unacceptable. But in the moment, I was hoping my therapist would receive me speaking up and just adjust the approach. But after more than one instance like this I would be accused of projecting or she would reference how she “acts as a mirror” to justify things she says. Or even justifying triggering other clients. I didn’t understand. But I realize now in retrospect that clients have the right to share when we feel safe to do so and the person providing care should understand that and adjust to our specific treatment. I continued therapy with this practice for some time. However, after a few months of me just accepting responsibility for her not fully understanding me during sessions, and me always following up with emails clarifying things that I took blame for maybe not communicating well during our calls… I just got exhausted feeling misunderstood every single session and realized it just wasn’t a fit. I’m giving 5 stars because I want this business to do well, but I have to give honest feedback so that it’s kept in mind so they don’t have that experience with future clients.