why i generally hate psychologists

So, let me see if I can do this in a way that doesn't violate HIPAA. (God knows, you don't want me to go to jail.) Assume a few details have been changed to make the patient unidentifiable.

I was reading through someone's neuropsych report recently. If you don't know what neuropsych testing is, it's a battery of written testing, such IQ testing, personality testing, etc etc, administered by a psychologist. It's the kind of thing you might have done if someone thinks you might have learning disabilities or other cognitive or memory problems or if they're concerned you're tending towards psychosis or if you've had a stroke or a head injury. Among other reasons. But, basically? If anyone ever shows you an inkblot? Unlike the the movies, it ain't a Freudian, it's a neuropsychologist.

Now, the subject of the neuropsych report I was reading is a woman who has had chronic and severe medical problems since childhood and now, as an adult, has more than one child with other, different serious health problems, as well as relationship problems that would seem unavoidable (because how many people would really be able to deal well with a partner who has a chronic disabling illness *and* difficult kids?) Do you get the picture? This is the kind of person who makes me look at my own life tragedies and problems and know I haven't had it *that* bad, okay?

Well, the neuropsych report discusses that her personality profile is common in women who have been abused and have PTSD. Seriously? Do you need a fucking PhD to understand that this woman's whole freakin life would give most people PTSD? Well, no, apparently having a psych degree makes you *unable* to conceive of that. Jesus wept. The lack of common sense, she is stunning. Sigh. (This, incidentally, is why I still mourn the loss of D's Swiss/Austrian/German therapist, because the guy was *so* not a douche, and everything he said made [common] sense. Do you *know* how rare that is in a psychologist/therapist?)

But, anyway. I can't help but chuckle--okay, laugh my ass off--at one particular quote about personality types. "...tend to shy away from direct assertiveness, but can be controlling in a dependent and submissive manner..." Oh, man. Have I known a few people I'd like to give that subtest to. Ha!

xoxo