@Brian
You must have been reading my mind about the court ordered part :). That’s just not a good sign.
But most people seeing therapists are doing so because they have enough awareness to recognize that they need help sorting through their issues.
The only deal breaker for me would be someone with significant addiction problems.
I’ve already put in my time in the salt mines, so to speak. I grew up with two addict parents so getting into a repeat of that pattern would just be tremendously self-sabotaging for me. I’ve spent enough of my own time in therapy to recognize that just wouldn’t be a good fit.
Yes, I’m aware that sounds pretty selfish but when you’ve spent your entire childhood being a parent to your parents and younger siblings, learning how to be selfish in a HEALTHY way is one of the goals of therapy.
The main life lesson I’ve learned FOR MYSELF about dealing with or becoming involved with addicts can be summed up quite succinctly:
DON’T.
Of course they need help. But that’s somebody else’s job, not mine. I don’t have the necessary objectivity to be helpful.
But that’s the primary deal breaker for me.
Therapy for most other issues wouldn’t be a problem for me and I’d basically view it as a positive self-growth effort on his part. I’d be fine with it and actually encourage it.