Posted by Joslynn on January 21, 2004, at 10:23:59
Just venting about how transference can make even ordinary phone calls to therps overloaded with meaning for us.
I had to call my (male) pdoc (who does therapy w/ me) about an insurance thingie. I started out the convo saying, this isn’t a therapy-related call, this is an insurance call.
In keeping with my lead, he was all business-like about the insurance issue, giving me the info in a very matter-of-fact way. He was polite, and said thanks for calling about it at the end. He sounded a bit rushed (well of course he is, he probably had another patient in the waiting room).
During the convo, even though I was the one who said it wasn’t a "psych related" call, I felt like…where’s the love? You’re not giving me the love! LOL (I didn’t say that of course.)
So then I felt all rejected, as if part of me wanted him to say, "Forget the insurance issue…how are you feeling today? Let’s talk about all your problems now. I’ll just let all my regularly scheduled appointments pile up in the waiting room while I talk to you."
I know it’s ridiculous, because I am the one who started out the conversation on a business-y note, as opposed to an "I need to talk" note. Yet I wanted him to read my mind and talk gently to me.
I must ask myself, did I choose to call about the insurance at that particular time BECAUSE I wanted to hear his voice and get some TLC? Although it was a legitimate call, what were my secret motives? Not just about the paperwork thingie.
It’s just annoying that the transference makes everything feel so much more intense! I know it’s a male/female thing for me, because with my female therp, I would not read so much into her tone of voice during an ordinary phone call.
poster:Joslynn
thread:303690
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040116/msgs/303690.html