Posted by Dinah on January 19, 2006, at 20:01:43
In reply to I don't think it's pathology. I think it is hope., posted by madeline on January 19, 2006, at 17:07:20
The session tonight was a lot, although not all, about this.
He doesn't want me to lower my expectations, or to do my second choice, which was to say no to any plan that involved him remembering to call me. He says he thinks we've entered a more collaborative phase of therapy, and that I should take more responsibility for getting my needs met with him. He wants me to call if he doesn't call me if we had discussed meeting, and ask if the meeting was still possible or if circumstances had changed, instead of waiting and getting angry. He says my usual strategy for dealing with disappointment and hurt was to lower my expectations, and he'd like me to try another one.
I guess that's no worse feeling than lowered expectations (although it seems a variant of lowered expectations to me). But it will be hard for me to overcome the feeling that I'm being a nag or pest, when he's the one with the higher position of authority. I'll try.
He also wondered aloud if his recent therapeutic strategy of increased therapeutic transparency was the wisest choice given the fact that I took what he said about another situation and applied it to me. I'm glad he has a thought out plan regarding it. I wasn't sure. I still don't quite understand what he said in that regard. But as long as he has a plan, I guess I'll trust him to know what he's doing.
poster:Dinah
thread:600494
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20060110/msgs/600840.html