Posted by Dinah on August 2, 2003, at 14:02:16
In reply to Re: I lied to my therapist today » Dinah, posted by judy1 on August 2, 2003, at 9:55:09
Hmmm. I would get more clingy because mixing up my scheduling and not telling me until I got there would be an abandonment issue. That would cause anger for a lot of reasons, but mainly because it would stir up abandonment fears. When my abandonment fears are stirred up, I get way more clingy. That's why my therapist encourages phone calls between sessions, etc. Because it's counterproductive to him to stir my abandonment fears.
And yes, I would have told him how angry I was, probably in a phone call to his machine as soon as I left his office. Then I would have called and retracted the anger, then I would have called and retracted the retraction. Ok, I've gotten a little better about it now. I'd probably have done it all in one call now. "I'm angry and feel abandoned, I'm scared of telling you I'm angry for fear you'll abandon me, but I'm still angry that I can't count on you." Does that count as progress in therapy? :) And in the next session we'd discuss it as necessary.
Let us know what you decide.
By the way, aren't some of the sessions not harrowing? I think the irregular positive rewards of therapy keep me going through the rough sessions. A lot of sessions leave me feeling stirred up and agitated. Really wrung out. Draining as you say. But often enough, sessions are restorative and affirming and leave me wrapped in a blanket of comfort. Don't you ever have those sessions? If not, I can see why you take long breaks. Those are the payoff for the hard work ones.
poster:Dinah
thread:247102
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030711/msgs/247602.html