---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What saddens me is seeing patients who…"
description: "\"What saddens me is seeing patients who have been going to therapy for years and years with no change, but they keep going to the same therapist. To me,..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg"
---

#  What saddens me is seeing patients who have been going to…

![“What saddens me is seeing patients who have been going to therapy for years and years with no change, but they keep going to the same therapist. To me, that's not right.” quote by David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg)

> “What saddens me is seeing patients who have been going to therapy for years and years with no change, but they keep going to the same therapist. To me, that's not right.”

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Patients often stay with ineffective therapists out of habit, fear of change, or hope for eventual improvement.

**In simple terms:** Sticking with a bad therapist is harmful.

Key Takeaway

Seek a new therapist if progress stalls.

Themes

therapy habit change hope patient empowerment

Mood

frustration concern determination

Type

advice reflective

When to use this quote

- mental health treatment
- patient self‑advocacy
- clinical decision making

Key Concepts

psychology behavioral patterns therapeutic alliance

Questions to Reflect On

- What signs indicate therapy isn’t working?
- How can patients safely transition to a new therapist?

A Different Perspective

Therapist availability may limit options.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Mental health](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mental-health/) [Patience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/patience/) [Therapy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/therapy/)

## Related quotes

> [I don't know if speaking to a therapist is right for everyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur/i-don-t-know-if-speaking-to-a-therapist-is-right-for-everyone/)

[James Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur/)

> [“The process is important, regardless of the outcome, just ask Schacter. (...)mental health... is not a destination but a process. It's about how you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-shpancer/the-process-is-important-regardless-of-the-outcome-just-ask-schacter/)

[Noam Shpancer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-shpancer/)

> [I knew that there was an underlying thing there that I was never really able to come face to face with. There's a part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/latoya-jackson/i-knew-that-there-was-an-underlying-thing-there-that-i-was-never/)

[LaToya Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/latoya-jackson/)

> [In California everyone goes to a therapist, is a therapist, or is a therapist going to a therapist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/in-california-everyone-goes-to-a-therapist-is-a-therapist-or-is-a/)

[Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/)

> [Going to a therapist is not something you do when you're growing up as a street kid in Toronto.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/going-to-a-therapist-is-not-something-you-do-when-you-re-growing-up/)

[The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/)

> [The last five years I've really worked on my mental health and seeing a therapist - which, it's so funny cause I thought that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-long/the-last-five-years-i-ve-really-worked-on-my-mental-health-and-seeing/)

[Jessica Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-long/)

> [There's a stigma on the word 'therapy.' People relate it to big problems. That's something we have to change. Going to therapy can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-pablo-galavis/there-s-a-stigma-on-the-word-therapy-people-relate-it-to-big-problems/)

[Juan Pablo Galavis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-pablo-galavis/)

> [Theres a stigma on the word therapy. People relate it to big problems. Thats something we have to change. Going to therapy can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-pablo-galavis/theres-a-stigma-on-the-word-therapy-people-relate-it-to-big-problems/)

[Juan Pablo Galavis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-pablo-galavis/)

> [I love my therapist. When I have an issue that I need to work through, going to therapy gives me a bigger toolbox to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kristen-bell/i-love-my-therapist-when-i-have-an-issue-that-i-need-to-work-through/)

[Kristen Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kristen-bell/)

> [I would say that I began with a very edgy, very driven personality and after a sufficient amount of therapy over many, many years,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cleese/i-would-say-that-i-began-with-a-very-edgy-very-driven-personality-and/)

[John Cleese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cleese/)

> [I was in group therapy for years but it wasn't the same thing. It was more about growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-kellerman/i-was-in-group-therapy-for-years-but-it-wasn-t-the-same-thing-it-was/)

[Sally Kellerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-kellerman/)

> [I've done therapy over the years and it has helped me to be a better person and it pushes me to be a better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aroldis-chapman/i-ve-done-therapy-over-the-years-and-it-has-helped-me-to-be-a-better/)

[Aroldis Chapman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aroldis-chapman/)

> [I was in therapy for six years and then stopped. You get hardwired at adolescence, like a caterpillar that pupates and re-assembles itself as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grayson-perry/i-was-in-therapy-for-six-years-and-then-stopped-you-get-hardwired-at/)

[Grayson Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grayson-perry/)

> [The best therapists can do with sadness, anger, and anxiety is to help patients live in the more comfortable part of their set range.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-seligman/the-best-therapists-can-do-with-sadness-anger-and-anxiety-is-to-help/)

[Martin Seligman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-seligman/)

> [You know I think that going into therapy is a very positive thing, and talking about it is really helpful, because the more you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fran-drescher/you-know-i-think-that-going-into-therapy-is-a-very-positive-thing-and/)

[Fran Drescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fran-drescher/)

## More by David D. Burns

> [A poor self-image is the magnifying glass that can transform a trivial mistake or an imperfection into an overwhelming symbol of personal defeat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/a-poor-self-image-is-the-magnifying-glass-that-can-transform-a/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [Most people do surprisingly poorly when dealing with a relative who is hurting, depressed, or anxious - we get defensive and try to solve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/most-people-do-surprisingly-poorly-when-dealing-with-a-relative-who/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [The first principle of cognitive therapy is that all your moods are created by your 'cognitions,' or thoughts. A cognition refers to the way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-first-principle-of-cognitive-therapy-is-that-all-your-moods-are/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“In one sense, depression can feel even worse than cancer, because most cancer patients feel hope as well as self-esteem.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/in-one-sense-depression-can-feel-even-worse-than-cancer-because-most/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [More often than not, the belief that you are bad contributes to the "bad" behavior. Change and learning occur most readily when you (a)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/more-often-than-not-the-belief-that-you-are-bad-contributes-to-the/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [Guilt is not the best way to remedy your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/guilt-is-not-the-best-way-to-remedy-your-mistakes/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [I had the fear of heights when I was young, along with many other fears and phobias, including the fear of dogs, bees, horses,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/i-had-the-fear-of-heights-when-i-was-young-along-with-many-other/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“The attitude that depression is necessary strikes me as destructive, inhuman, and victimizing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/the-attitude-that-depression-is-necessary-strikes-me-as-destructive/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“know about the brain's hardware and software. How does the firing of a nerve or a series of nerves get translated into a thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/know-about-the-brain-s-hardware-and-software-how-does-the-firing-of-a/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“There was nothing dreadfully wrong with me, I was just upsetting myself with my irrational thinking. I just couldn't admit it until I knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/there-was-nothing-dreadfully-wrong-with-me-i-was-just-upsetting/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“Aim for success, not perfection. Never give up your right to be wrong, because then you will lose the ability to learn new things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/aim-for-success-not-perfection-never-give-up-your-right-to-be-wrong/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“And most important, nobody could love or relate to you. It would be impossible to feel any love for someone who was flawless and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/and-most-important-nobody-could-love-or-relate-to-you-it-would-be/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [Negative thinking patterns can be immensely deceptive and persuasive, and change is rarely easy. But with patience and persistence, I believe that nearly all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/negative-thinking-patterns-can-be-immensely-deceptive-and-persuasive/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [“Many research studies, as well as my own clinical experience, have confirmed that severely depressed patients who appear very "biologically" depressed with lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/many-research-studies-as-well-as-my-own-clinical-experience-have/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

> [Assert your right to make a few mistakes. If people can't accept your imperfections, that's their fault.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/assert-your-right-to-make-a-few-mistakes-if-people-can-t-accept-your/)

[David D. Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

[Explore all 108 David D. Burns quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/)

## More Been quotes

> [When I was trying to come up with a stage name, I thought 'Lord' was super rad, but really masculine - ever since I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorde/when-i-was-trying-to-come-up-with-a-stage-name-i-thought-lord-was/)

[Lorde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorde/)

> [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/)

[Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/)

> [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/)

[Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/)

> [Here's the reality. The image of a white Jesus has been used to justify enslavement, conquest, colonialism, the genocide of indigenous peoples. There are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/here-s-the-reality-the-image-of-a-white-jesus-has-been-used-to/)

[Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/)

> [I would have done well as a gypsy child, I think. A circus baby. I coulda played a great street urchin or ragamuffin. Or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/i-would-have-done-well-as-a-gypsy-child-i-think-a-circus-baby-i/)

[Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/)

> [A lot of people have been saying 'The 100' reminds them of 'Lord Of The Flies,' 'Lost' and 'Battlestar Galactica,' and all of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marie-avgeropoulos/a-lot-of-people-have-been-saying-the-100-reminds-them-of-lord-of-the/)

[Marie Avgeropoulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marie-avgeropoulos/)

> [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/)

[Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/)

> [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/)

[Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/)

> [I've seen guys come along with more ability - they've been faster or bigger or stronger - but they never worked hard to develop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-largent/i-ve-seen-guys-come-along-with-more-ability-they-ve-been-faster-or/)

[Steve Largent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-largent/)

> [I have always been a big meta guy because I think the way journalism is practiced in Washington, and the way everyone sort of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-leibovich/i-have-always-been-a-big-meta-guy-because-i-think-the-way-journalism/)

[Mark Leibovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-leibovich/)

> [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/)

[Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/)

> [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/)

[Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/)

> [I have never been in, nor have I had any strong particular desire to be in, what is termed a costume drama, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-freeman/i-have-never-been-in-nor-have-i-had-any-strong-particular-desire-to/)

[Martin Freeman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-freeman/)

> [There has always been a feeling with people that they love my singing but not always the choice of material.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-moyet/there-has-always-been-a-feeling-with-people-that-they-love-my-singing/)

[Alison Moyet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-moyet/)

> [I've always been a believer in research. It's great to have an instinctual human reaction to a character, too, of course, but it has…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/i-ve-always-been-a-believer-in-research-it-s-great-to-have-an/)

[Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/)

Browse all 13,699 Been quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "What saddens me is seeing patients who have been going to therapy for years and years with no change, but they keep going to the same therapist. To me, that's not right.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David D. Burns"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-have-been-going-to-therapy-for/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Been"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-have-been-going-to-therapy-for/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d75/david-d-burns-4607_been_what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-h_451320.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“What saddens me is seeing patients who have been going to therapy for years and years with no change, but…” — David D. Burns",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David D. Burns",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-d-burns/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "What saddens me is seeing patients...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-have-been-going-to-therapy-for/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-d-burns/what-saddens-me-is-seeing-patients-who-have-been-going-to-therapy-for/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
