Posted by Dinah on May 1, 2014, at 22:01:21
In reply to Re: Post therapy observations » Dinah, posted by Tabitha on May 1, 2014, at 19:22:02
> You refused to pretend anything was more helpful than it really was.
Boy, that's the truth. From the very first time I met him at a seminar he was holding on anxiety. He had us do some guided relaxation or positive affirmations or something like that. Then asked if we were feeling calmer. Everyone was obligingly saying yes until I answered that I really didn't. Then others said they didn't either.
Yet he still wanted to see me. :D
Some of what your therapist did sounds like what my therapist did. It sounds as if your therapist could be genuinely helpful. But that her personal beliefs were different than yours (and sound a bit flaky) and she just couldn't let it go and accept that you felt differently. And perhaps her ability to help ran out before your therapy did.
Maybe the conflicts between you settled into one of Harriet Lerner's dances. One of my therapist's better qualities was being willing to change the steps. Or maybe it was one of our therapy dyad's better qualities. I suspect either of us alone could easily got stuck in the traditional steps.
Have you been able to hold onto the good things? Like recognizing when you might be misjudging the motives of others? Do you ever find yourself doing that and needing someone to point it out to you? Or do you catch yourself and self correct?
I think ideally we're supposed to have to learn to do those things ourselves. But I suspect that under stress, I won't hold onto what I've learned very well and might need an outside point of view.
poster:Dinah
thread:1064984
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20140310/msgs/1065081.html