What kinds of attitudes have you encountered from therapists?

Thank God, I found my present therapist 16 years ago and she has been my therapist through periods of self-injury and periods without it (9 years until this one). She would never threaten me or give me an ultimatum over the behavior. MANY previous therapists completely freaked out about it, and ended up traumatizing me one way or another. [female, age 39, 27 years SIB off and on, BA]

The therapist I had for three years wouldn't deal with it; she would just frown and ask me if there wasn't something else I could do instead. So I started drinking. [female, age 23, 5 years SIB (some at age 8, though), four years of college]

The first time I cut myself, I called my therapist because I was scared that I couldn't/wouldn't stop. She seemed ok and calm with the situation that night. I always had difficulty expressing myself and I was totally intimidated by her, so for me to even call her and admit to my foolishness was a big step for me. Unfortunately, she "dumped" me the next evening by saying that she couldn't give me the help she felt I needed. I now know that she was somewhat panic-stricken, but I felt even more worthless than ever... I'M SO SCREWED UP THAT EVEN A THERAPIST CAN'T HELP ME! I still feel that she was a coward about the whole thing. [female, age 34, 2.5 years SIB, teacher]

I almost lost my first [psychotherapist]. She tried to use my cutting as a boundary. She told me if I cut again she would not see me anymore. She did not see me for a few weeks till I called feeling very out of control. It was out of her frustration with me. [female, age 27, 3 years SIB, BS]

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