Posted by Catmom on January 13, 2004, at 11:11:16
This is a general question and perhaps, an observation: How many people are going to therapy more than once a week nowadays? I am an older woman (53 actually) and when I grew up in a university town in the 1950s and 1960s, I recall lots of people going to their "analysts" 4 or 5 times a week. (I have no idea how they could afford it). When I read books about therapy, a lot of them, even recent ones, speak of patients who are in therapy 3 or 4 times a week.
Are these very wealthy people? When I read the models of analysis and transference in the literature, it makes me wonder how a lower frequency (once a week, or twice a month) can affect therapy, transference, the "need to see" the therapist.
My therapist has been flexible about seeing me for periods of once a week, once every two weeks, or once every three weeks, depending on my ability to pay. I first saw her in October of 2001.
She does "psychoanalytical therapy" and "psychodynamic therapy."
I wonder what the opinions are about frequency of sessions and how that impacts growth, transference, and the psychiatric dialogue.I often think that my therapist gets a really distorted view of my life since I don't have the time to spend telling her about the little things or the things that please me. I don't end up telling her about the social interactions that seem "functional" or healthy.
In any normal week, I will bring to her at least one bad dream, or at least one moment of discomfort, etc. I don't feel I have the luxury of time to tell her what feels right and decent about my life.
poster:Catmom
thread:300157
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040110/msgs/300157.html