How do you tell your....

[StarEyes]

Psychologist/Psychiatrist that you are an empath? I am going through a difficult point right now where I am severly depressed and I think it is time for me to seek some professional help with the depression. Ideally I would be seeing a psychologist so that I am not innundated with drugs that I can't take. But it leads to an interesting dilema. How does one tell someone they are an empath and expect to be believed. Not only that I am empathic but that I have a link with another empath whose emotions and physical pain I frequently experience? Any ideas?

[Jolixte]

You could just tell them that you are very empathetic, but I'm not sure how I'd explain the link to them.

[Tanemon]

I pretty much agree with Joli du Mort.

Also, I think I would go to the new-age bookstores and cafes and ask around about a therapist or counsellor who is respected and trusted among those people who believe in ESP and that sort of thing. There is a growing number of such therapists or psychologists. They sometimes call themselves "humanistic psychologists" (although some of those don't believe in such things), and pretty well all who call themselves "transpersonal psychologists" do believe in ESP, mystical experiences, etc.

Best of luck in finding the right therapist. There should definitely be some in the Seattle area.

:sunny: Tanemon

[Pesha]

Why do you see the need to tell the therapist anything other than why you feel you are going into a depressive state. The idea of finding one who is sympathetic to your spiritual path and therefore possibly more understanding is very good. We don't have to announce ourselves all the time. You could just say you feel that you are sensitive to others feelings alot of the time and leave it at that. MY POV only.

[Bethra]

I agree with DS here there is all too much preasure on going out and telling the world I'm this and I'm that. Why do you need to tell your therapist that you're anything. Infact to be honest honey a Psychologist/Psychiatrist is ment to form his/her own ideas about what you are. Thats kind of what you pay them for. On the whole they don't want you to pre label yourself that would be like turning up with a self digagnosis book at your doctors. Leave the analasis to them let them work out for themselves what you are you just tell them how you feel.

Just a side note but generaly when you tell these sorts "Oh by the way I'm an empath" they will inverabley write you down for delusional right from the start and then you've got a lot of hard work trying to get them to think otherwise. So yeah don't try sticking labels on yourself for the therapist to read off its their job to form their own findings about you and its best to leave them too it :D

[LostSheep]

I'd agree with the above, but I would say that as most of the medical profession would probably not know about it or if they do, they'll probably think it's some new age claptrap, so they'd probably come to a different conclusion about you than you would yourself. That might be useful, to see things from another perspective, but you might find it frustrating. Maybe if you do want to tell them, some of the links to information around here might be useful in helping you to explain it in a way that they wouldn't think you're irredeemably new agey and hippy?

[Johnathan Brisby]

I agree with DS here there is all too much preasure on going out and telling the world I'm this and I'm that. Why do you need to tell your therapist that you're anything. Infact to be honest honey a Psychologist/Psychiatrist is ment to form his/her own ideas about what you are. Thats kind of what you pay them for. On the whole they don't want you to pre label yourself that would be like turning up with a self digagnosis book at your doctors. Leave the analasis to them let them work out for themselves what you are you just tell them how you feel.

Just a side note but generaly when you tell these sorts "Oh by the way I'm an empath" they will inverabley write you down for delusional right from the start and then you've got a lot of hard work trying to get them to think otherwise. So yeah don't try sticking labels on yourself for the therapist to read off its their job to form their own findings about you and its best to leave them too it :D

I agree:fpraise:

A sympathetic and experienced therapist would be able to tell on their own:idea:

[Incendia]

Just a side note but generaly when you tell these sorts "Oh by the way I'm an empath" they will inverabley write you down for delusional right from the start and then you've got a lot of hard work trying to get them to think otherwise. So yeah don't try sticking labels on yourself for the therapist to read off its their job to form their own findings about you and its best to leave them too it :D

Exactly!