Posted by Meatwood_Flack on March 8, 2013, at 4:13:36
First of all, I truly appreciate your welcoming attitude. It definitely helps to break the ice and start things off on a positive note. I appreciate you asking questions that seek to get to the heart of my distress. I applaud your goal-oriented approach to my case. Your obvious empathy helps to put me at ease. However, these hard-won gains are quickly lost when you don the p*m p*ms and become my personal cheerleader. Using words like "awesome" and "amazing" only serve to make me wonder if you've actually been listening to me. Also, if I've already told you that nothing brings me pleasure, don't tell me to go do something fun. I will be the first to acknowledge that yours is a difficult job. But exuberance is no substitute for listening. And saying things like, "The fact that you were able to make it here is something to be proud of," only makes me feel like you're peeing on my leg and calling it rain. If all I needed was for someone to give me a "Rah, rah, rah!" I have people at home already doing that. I don't need my ego inflated, I need you to listen and formulate a plan that I can follow. There is a fine line between support and condescension. Sometimes, less is more.
poster:Meatwood_Flack
thread:1039837
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20120922/msgs/1039837.html