The red flags in therapists are judgmental or shaming behavior, boundary violations and breaches of confidentiality.
Boundary violations in therapists can involve inappropriate personal sharing or personal touch.
Other warning signs and red flags in therapists are the therapist is talking more than listening, frequently interrupting their patients, having a lack of empathy or even forcing their own agenda instead of focusing on their patients goals.
Major red flags that are cause for immediate concern in therapists include.
Lock of proper credentials like the inability or even refusal to discuss their therapist license or expertise.
Unprofessionalism, like using phones and computers during therapist sessions, being consistently late, falling asleep and even constant interruptions.
Dangerous behavior like shaming or blaming or criticizing their patients.
And even breaching ethics like inappropriate physical touch, or attempting to become friends and romantic partners and violating confidentiality.
Other clinical red flags and ineffective treatment in therapists include.
Pushing products and trying to sell you books, supplements or additional services.
Fixing instead of guiding, like offering quick fix advice, telling you what to do, or acting as an expert in their patients lives.
Having unclear goals, like no treatment plan or inability to explain how therapy will help their patients.
The therapist talking about themselves, like excessive self disclosure which makes the therapy session about the therapist.
Imposing values and disregarding their patients cultural or religious values.
And poor listening or lack of empathy, seeming distracted, bored or invalidating your experiences.
If you consistently feel worse, misunderstood or judged after your therapy sessions or if the therapist is overly rigid or trice to force a specific modality like CBT which does not work for you or they rush into trauma work without establishing trust and safety then you may want to consider finding another therapist.