Posted by gardenergirl on July 6, 2005, at 10:50:05
In reply to Re: What do you call your Therapist? » Tamar, posted by Jen Star on July 6, 2005, at 0:49:43
I call mine Dr. last name. I can't imagine calling him by either of his first names (he has a first and middle name, but for whatever reason, he goes by something completely different.) It gets to be a mouthful at times. I always tend to shorten multi-syllabic words and names if possible. But I don't with him--probably my way to try to keep some distance to protect myself from hurt. (shrugs)
On the other hand, I almost always say in the first session, "Please feel free to call me by my first name." I don't have my doctorate yet, and Mrs. X sounds so weird in a therapy environment. In any environment, actually...even after 10 years of marriage!
When my hubby and I were dating, I called his parents Mr. and Mrs. Hubby for five years. I don't recall them ever saying it was okay to call them by their first names. I think they assumed I would, but I was brought up never to unless told it was okay. Even when an adult neighbor said, "please call me Barbara" when we first moved to the neighborhood, my mom nixed that idea. So finally, my husband must have said something to his parents, because 2 months before the wedding, his mother FINALLY said to call them by their first names.
I hate that dilemma.
Oh, and at school it depends on the professor what we call them. Some I wouldn't dream of calling by their first name even if I think of them that way. Others insist on it.
sigh...avoiding is good.
gg
poster:gardenergirl
thread:523728
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050706/msgs/524222.html