Posted by Lonely on September 27, 2004, at 12:03:40
In reply to Re: Thanks, and Follow up. » tabitha, posted by Dinah on September 26, 2004, at 0:56:06
I tend to identify with your experience. I used to find my mind drifting off to other places because the therapy really didn't mean much.
Therapy skills need to be explained and understood in their unique setting. That is, they shouldn't always be imitated in real world settings. For instance, in college, my counselor was always trying to get me to be more open. Well, that didn't translate well when I had a job at a summer camp, a camper said she was homesick and I said I was too! The owner went ballistic! There were other ways in which I feel I was "set-up" for failure. Not intentionally, but because of a strongly "I know what's best" arrogance on the part of the therapist.
My concern here is for Tabitha as her reaction is similar to some I've had. In a sense it's iatrogenic disease (doctor induced - evoked) and in my humble opinion that should not be happening. I'm glad she can see there's something wrong with the T's response to her. Now, if she can just find someone (probably a T) who will, in the emotional sense, provide an antidote to the toxicity she's experienced with this current T and help her to move on to a healthier plane.
> Clearly your therapist doesn't get around much. Or all her relationships are with other therapists. Trying to turn regular relationships into process groups seems like a sure recipe for people suddenly remembering a phone call they need to make when they see you.
>
> Even the skills I learn with my therapist seem to have little applicability in real life. Sure, sometimes they work, but more often they don't really. I think that most people are more comfortable with a certain level of superficiality.
>
> Not that I have a wide range of experience. It just doesn't seem that my skills have worked more than once or twice.
poster:Lonely
thread:393540
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040925/msgs/395753.html