Posted by Dinah on February 7, 2003, at 9:51:29
In reply to Re: fickle therapists, posted by heather66 on February 7, 2003, at 2:03:12
Heather, Admittedly it's frustrating. And perhaps you don't have the right therapist for you. But there are things you can do to make it easier.
Between sessions you can keep a journal. That can help you figure out what's on your mind that week. You can bring entries from your journal to the therapy session to help you start talking earlier in the session.
I have trouble accessing my emotions, and I also have trouble turning them off. So I always try to prepare myself mentally before the session. My ideal strategy is to keep calm and open as long as I can before the session, then arrive a few minutes early to focus myself and empty my mind of the rush rush of everyday life. I focus on whatever is on my mind. My therapist helps me out there, as he is usually at least ten minutes late. I usually arrive five minutes early, so that gives me fifteen minutes to prepare.
When there is five or ten minutes left, I start to lighten things up, so that when I leave I'm more or less together. Of course, it isn't always that easy, and I sometimes leave while I'm still upset. If that happens, I'll sit down in the car until I feel safe to drive home.
But again, the problem might be that you don't have a good "match" to your therapist.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
poster:Dinah
thread:35870
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20030201/msgs/36553.html