Posted by turtle on December 24, 2008, at 18:03:56
I'm so grateful for my therapist.
I live in an area that usually has pretty mild weather. Most years we see very little snow and not everyone knows how to drive in it. This year its a mess. In the last two weeks we've had what the newscasters are calling a 40 year record for our area. We have layers of snow and ice snarling everything and the snow just keeps coming. I work in a hospital, and it's been a huge struggle to get enough staff members in to cover the needed shifts. Many staff members slept at the hospital because they couldn't get back home. Wrecks and stuck cars are everywhere.
I was so disappointed about the snow storm. I didn't want to miss therapy this week. I had a little Christmas tree ornament to give my T and it would seem a little weird to give it to her after Christmas was over. Plus, we had planned to use that session to talk about preparing for the impact of seeing my family over Christmas since Thanksgiving had hit me so hard. The previous session we had also just talked about how I'm struggling again with an inner need to disconnect and run away from therapy, and time apart would make that urge more difficult for me. But a snow and ice storm, what could I do? My therapist is 60 and works part time. The thought of putting her at risk on the snow or her wrestling with tire chains was a bit horrifying to me and brought out protective feelings. Of course we would cancel our session.
The night before the session I didn't hear anything from her and I started to get a bit worried. When I checked in with her the morning of the appointment she said "Yes, I'm in the office today. I'll see you at 4, unless of course you can't make it in." She acted like it was just another day at the office, and she was already there! Two days before Christmas *and* in a snowstorm!
Isn't it amazing how much "being there for you" can effect you? When I really realized that she was *there* for me, and cared, it made me want to cry. I still feel very amazed and thankful. (It's all mixed in with some complex feelings of being unworthy and a little afraid of what someone being there for me means. Much to work on!) I feel very fortunate to have her for my therapist.
My Christmas mood just had a bit of "wonderment" added to the mix. (Thank you, T!)
I hope you all have happy holidays.
Turtle
poster:turtle
thread:870676
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081219/msgs/870676.html