Posted by cmcdougall on May 5, 2002, at 18:09:50
In reply to Re: therapy dread.... never dreaded it!, posted by waterlily on May 2, 2002, at 18:44:12
Dear Waterlily,
You asked...
> How long is "prolonged talk therapy"? I don't know when I should stop. It's been a little over a year now and although I dread it at first, I usually feel good afterward.IMO, ten or more sessions is "prolonged" unless there are NUMEROUS issues to deal with. If you find yourself going over and over the same issues and not getting any concrete solutions, its not working. If the therapist is giving you the same solutions over and over, then YOU are not doing the work (unless your therapist is offering crummy advice).
My experience w/ therapy was just the opposite of yours. I would look forward to going, then feel pretty bad after the session, usually because I gained insight into some stupid behavior and I would get mad at myself or feel regret over it. The bad feeling never lasted more than a few hours because I felt good that I was able to see my errors and vow not to repeat them.
I have a real appreciation for "Cognitive Behavioral Therapy" (CBT). This form of therapy is popular because it is fast. It teaches you to recognize distorted thoughts, then gives instructions how to change the destructive behaviors. I took an intensive 10 day (3 hours per day) CBT program last year. It was in a group and I learned a LOT.
Maybe you could do something like that and put therapy behind you for a few years.
Love and luck,
Carly
poster:cmcdougall
thread:22904
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20020430/msgs/23144.html