Posted by Dinah on September 10, 2009, at 17:27:11
In reply to Re: How would I describe my therapist » Dinah, posted by fleeting flutterby on September 10, 2009, at 13:20:28
I don't mean it in a personal sense. In context, it was because he was asking me to describe my parents in just a few words, and I find it difficult to describe anyone I know well in just a few words. I asked what words he would use for me. It wasn't until he seemed unwilling to answer that I thought about it.
Then more recently he mentioned something that he thought about me, that I hadn't known. That brought back my memories of the prior conversation.
It's probably nothing I haven't heard before in one context or another. But putting it together gives me a picture of myself from the outside. If he were really willing to do it honestly, it might lead to some pain and arguments, but I think it would be helpful in a therapeutic sense.
Because how we see ourselves, and how others see us are sometimes not all that close. Some of our best therapy moments have come from his pointing out that how I saw something about myself is not really how others see the same quality.
It's unlikely he'd be willing to be that honest though. My therapist walks a fine line between acceptance and change, and over the years the tilt has definitely been to acceptance. Which can be good in some ways, but not so good in others.
poster:Dinah
thread:916317
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090907/msgs/916381.html