Posted by Dinah on May 3, 2008, at 10:45:31
In reply to Re: Why do therapists let you walk into the room f, posted by Cecilia on May 3, 2008, at 1:36:57
I think that my therapist must have been out of class when they read that lesson.
Recently, after that therapist was killed in her office, we discussed therapist safety a bit. I mentioned some things I had read about therapists sitting nearer the door and mentioned that I'd never noticed that about him. That it always seemed that I was nearer the door. My therapist's responses made clear that he in no way saw his clients as potential criminals. I imagine most of his clients are high functioning. But his personal safety isn't paramount in his mind when seeing me.
In trying to picture where my therapist is when I walk in, I don't think he necessarily has me walk in first. It depends. He walks ahead of me down the hall, and if we're close together he might let me walk in first while he puts the do not disturb sign up and closes the door. But other times he's far enough ahead that he walks in and fiddles with things on his desk, gets my file ready, make sure he has blank receipts, then walks back to close the door after I've already seated myself. He never studies me as I sit down. That would feel weird.
Although I sometimes laugh with him about pillow placement. I like the pillows where I like him, and sometimes they're in a different position. I laugh that adjusting the pillows must be like marking behavior, and asks if he notes which clients do it and which don't. For the record, he says he doesn't.
poster:Dinah
thread:826888
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20080423/msgs/826984.html