WIBTA if I reported a therapist after one session?

Imagine shelling out for therapy, ready to unpack a tough childhood, only to spend an hour hearing about your therapist’s kids’ favorite spices. This Redditor, eager for a fresh start with a highly credentialed online therapist, got just that—a monologue about museum trips and picky eaters, with zero space for their own story. Frustrated and out of pocket, they canceled their subscription but wrestled with reporting the therapist for being unprofessional. Was it a one-off flop or a red flag worth flagging?

This isn’t just about a bad session; it’s a clash between expectation and reality in therapy’s sacred space. The OP, childfree and clear about their needs, felt invisible, prompting a Reddit debate: is reporting after one session fair or overkill? The community’s got thoughts, and they’re as spicy as the therapist’s kid-repelling cinnamon. Readers are hooked, ready to weigh in on this therapy misfire.

‘WIBTA if I reported a therapist after one session?’

I wanted to start therapy because of my not-so-fun childhood, so I registered to an online site where I could pay x amount of money and get a certified therapist, have sessions each week. I was looking forward to our first session, read a lot about the therapist lady, she seemed to have great credentials.

However, during our first session, she did not ask any questions and whenever I tried to mention why I wanted to start therapy, she steered the conversation away.....to her kids. She told me their ages, favourite food, what animals they were searching for on various paintings in a museum, etc.

I am childfree and that was already mentioned in my introduction that I sent before the session, so it would have been obvious that I can't share similar stories. I just wanted someone professional to listen to me, but instead I got to listen to the 1 hour introduction of her kids.

Even when I mentioned something personal and disturbing from my childhood so maybe she'd ask 'what' or something, she just kept talking about the spices her kids don't like. I was polite and didn't complain, however I feel like I wasted my money.

I cancelled my subscription and pretty much gave up on therapy. Would I be the a**hole if I reported her to this site so they'd know she's not really caring about patients? Or am I just making this about me again and should have waited for more sessions to talk about my issues?

Edit/update: I sent a feedback to the site as many of you suggested, basically reported the conversation as unhelpful. I don't want anyone else to go through the same so I hope they will review her therapy style and give her some feedback. Thank you, you breathtaking humans for the support!

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This therapy flop is a masterclass in what not to do. The OP paid for a space to process their childhood, not to hear an hour-long ode to the therapist’s kids. That’s not just unprofessional—it’s a breach of therapeutic trust. “The first session should focus on building rapport and understanding the client’s needs,” says Dr. Ryan Howes, a clinical psychologist quoted in Psychology Today. His work stresses that therapists must prioritize the client, not their personal lives.

The therapist’s kid-centric tangent, despite the OP’s childfree disclosure, shows a lack of attunement. A study from the American Psychological Association notes that 75% of successful therapy hinges on the therapist’s ability to listen and adapt. Ignoring the OP’s attempts to share trauma for tales of museum animal hunts isn’t just off-topic—it’s dismissive. The OP’s decision to cancel was valid, but reporting could prevent others from similar letdowns.

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This story taps a broader issue: ensuring therapy meets client needs. Dr. Howes suggests clients provide feedback to platforms, as the OP did, to prompt reviews of therapist conduct. A factual report—detailing the kid-talk and lack of engagement—holds more weight than emotional assumptions, per GoodTherapy. The OP’s hesitation to report reflects a common fear of overreacting, but their feedback could spark change or even a refund.

Readers, consider how you’d handle a therapist who talks over your pain. The OP’s not wrong to feel cheated—therapy’s about healing, not hearing irrelevant anecdotes. They should keep seeking a therapist who listens, as finding the right fit, per BetterHelp, often takes a few tries.

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See what others had to share with OP:

Reddit swooped in like a group therapy session, dishing out support with a side of snark. The crowd’s takes are as sharp as a therapist’s notepad, unpacking this fiasco with gusto:

mckinnos − NTA. That’s not professional behavior. Maybe quarantine is just being hard on her? When you’re looking for therapists, it’s important to find someone that you click with, and someone who monopolizes the time does not seem to fit the bill.

I would report it, but if I were you I would just report what happened rather than making inferences about how much she cares about her patients-your complaint will be taken more seriously if it’s more factual.

Guido_Jones − NTA. You sure she didn't think you were her therapist? Very unprofessional though. I hope you reconsider therapy though, this is particularly bad experience but it is not uncommon that people have to look around and try a few therapists before they find one that they click with.

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PrehistoricSquirrel − NTA. Please report her. The service needs that feedback to make sure the therapist is providing adequate therapy. Please list specific things you learned ('Susie hates cinnamon', etc.) during this session.

Detail helps bring credibility to your complaint where 'talked a lot about her children' could be dismissed by 'child-free patient got upset even at a mention of children'. In some places therapists are trained to not bring 'themselves' into the therapeutic relationship - it should be mainly about the patient.

For example, if the patient is talking about a painful childhood and the therapist says, 'let me tell you about MY crappy childhood!' this would be considered inappropriate. So talking extensively about her children in the initial session is really inappropriate.

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She should have been trying to get to know you and plot out a treatment plan/guidelines. It's possible this person wasn't licensed or really trained properly. Please report your experience.

annesmity − NTA, your feedback is valuable. If you think she was tremendously unhelpful - which it sounds like she was - the site deserves to know

[Reddit User] − NTA. I’ve been in and out of therapy since I’m a kid. Some therapists are good, others not so much. You’re doing people a favor by reporting her.

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GrubGrower − NTA. This is about you, it's all about you, you are paying for it to be about you. Report her, but politely.

TracyMinOB − NTA - you paid for a service she didn't provide. Report her so either she makes adjustments, or others don't waste their money. And you might get a refund!

ArtificialSpin − Maybe the site accidentally matched two patients together, and you each thought the other was the therapist.

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max-derbyshire − NTA - my therapist has never talked about her own personal life unless she has advice on a shared issue/situation she has experienced. You’re the one seeking care and paying for it

MrRobertSox − NTA. don't wait. It's hard enough to find a good therapist when the whole point is that you are suffering, and everything in life is hard. Save somebody else by reporting them.

These Redditors cheered the OP’s instinct to report, calling the therapist’s kid-obsessed ramble wildly unprofessional. Some urged sticking with therapy despite the dud, others cracked jokes about mistaken identities. Do these takes hit the couch just right, or are they overanalyzing?

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This tale of a therapy session hijacked by kid trivia is a reminder that healing spaces demand focus. The OP’s choice to share feedback wasn’t about drama—it was about holding a professional accountable. Therapy’s tough enough without paying for someone else’s family album. Have you ever faced a professional who missed the mark? What would you do in the OP’s shoes? Share your thoughts and stories below!

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