Posted by Dinah on December 13, 2003, at 10:11:20
In reply to That would be pieces -- not peace (long), posted by fallsfall on December 12, 2003, at 17:43:36
I'm sure he's not angry. Just figured he couldn't do much over the phone.
It's probably best to let him do the explanation for the as-if personality, and make sure you get him to explain how it applies to you. Because how he thinks it applies to you makes all the difference. I've had that problem looking things up sometimes. I think my therapist means things differently than how he's thinking about it.
Maybe you could ask him if you could take notes or something that would help ground you. And ask lots of questions the way they do, to make sure that you're correctly taking in what he's telling you. By being more active in the session, you can reduce the chance of blanking out and dissociating through it. Curl your toes tightly into the floor, rub your arm, do something to orient you to the moment. I ask my therapist sometimes to help me get grounded.
He apparently thinks that what he's trying to tell you is important, or he probably wouldn't have been so directive in the session. And apparently what he was saying caused you some anxiety. If he thinks it's important, he won't mind repeating it. My therapist told me yesterday that the conversation we were having was one we had had many times before. I reminded him that I don't always take things in or remember things or integrate things without repetition. He was really nice about it and not angry or anything.
Only two more days, and you can get some clarification on what he meant. And remember all the relaxation techniques your old therapist taught you too.
poster:Dinah
thread:289218
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031213/msgs/289359.html