Difficult therapy versus a difficult relationship
Talking about painful experiences can feel uncomfortable even when therapy is helpful. A different problem is feeling persistently dismissed, unable to raise concerns, unclear about boundaries, or unsafe. You do not need to decide which it is on your own.
Try naming the problem
If it feels safe to do so, tell the therapist what is not working: perhaps the pace is too fast, you do not understand the approach, you feel judged, or you need more structure. Ask what can be changed.
If it still is not working
Ask the therapist or service what options exist for reviewing the treatment, changing approach or clinician, or raising a concern. Availability and processes vary. If you believe professional conduct or safety is a problem, use the service’s complaints or safeguarding route rather than feeling obliged to resolve it privately.
Write down the things you most want remembered. You can read from your notes, show them to the clinician, or use the free appointment-prep tool to put them in order.
Open appointment prep →Trusted sources
NHS: mental-health assessments and reviewing care ↗General information, not a diagnosis or personal treatment plan. Exact processes vary by service. Reviewed 8 September 2026.