Posted by Dinah on October 7, 2005, at 5:13:01
In reply to Re: Therapy Experts!!?? » Tamar, posted by rainbowbrite on October 6, 2005, at 19:18:19
I think Tamar's right (as usual). But my therapist has subtle ways of communicating why he's silent.
A half smile or eyebrow quirk usually means "Did you hear what you just said? Would you like to have time to think about it?"
A very still silence means I've surprised him and he's thinking about what to say.
If I've just expressed emotion, it probably means either "It's good that you expressed that emotion, and I think you should sit and experience that instead of pushing it aside like you usually do." or "Maybe you have something more to say about that and I don't want to distract you."
It's the latter ones I don't like, and I might like them better if he developed signals that indicated which meaning his silence has.
Hmmm... And I manage to detect all that with my eyes closed. I see much better with my eyes closed. Subtle shifts in posture, changes in emotional temperature, that sort of stuff.
poster:Dinah
thread:563698
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20051001/msgs/563977.html