Dr. Eric Bender

And then that opens a huge door where like, you know, that sounds really, really painful.

And I wonder if that's been behind a lot of what you feel.

Yes.

I've seen it in many different ways.

I've seen one patient start me years ago and they'd been in therapy before.

And then they said, after a few visits, like, so this is therapy with you, huh?

I said, this is how I work.

And they're like, I have no idea what I was doing before with the last person, almost in a flattering way.

Like, oh, this is, this is different.

And then I've seen the opposite.

This isn't working.

The last therapist did this and this and this with me, and I don't think this is a good fit.

And I'd say, I understand that.

I can look at some of those things, but the way I work is this particular way.

I use elements of CBT or elements of interpersonal therapy or elements of this type of therapy, but this is the way I am.

It's very much the way I'm acting with you right now.

I'm not acting, this is me.

I'm asking questions or responding to questions.

And some people are not used to that.

They'll come in and say, I used to have a therapist to be really silent the whole time.