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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 18 of 18. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 18:34:19
I'm so happy. :)))))
Even better, he called today to see if I could reschedule. And I told him NO!! Because the time he wanted me to reschedule to would have been inconvenient for not only me, but my family as well. So we worked out other arrangements.
Ordinarily I would have said yes, and juggled things around.
So maybe the break was good for me. :)) (Now that it's over.)
Posted by noa on July 15, 2003, at 18:36:34
In reply to My therapist comes back tomorrow!!!, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 18:34:19
Woohoo, Dinah! Watch out, therapist man!
Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 18:52:49
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Dinah, posted by noa on July 15, 2003, at 18:36:34
Posted by fallsfall on July 15, 2003, at 20:26:46
In reply to My therapist comes back tomorrow!!!, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 18:34:19
:: Sigh of relief ::
Happy Happy Joy Joy
Good for you for speaking up when he wanted to reschedule. So what time to you see him (and what time zone)? - so I can think of you.
Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 22:57:15
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Dinah, posted by fallsfall on July 15, 2003, at 20:26:46
8:30 am eastern
I can barely remember him. But I guess it's like riding a bicycle. (And not remembering someone after a week's absence is definitely part of my problems).
Posted by fallsfall on July 16, 2003, at 9:29:57
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » fallsfall, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 22:57:15
Oh dear!! I slept through your appointment. I hope you didn't!
I hope the appointment was comforting to you (or whatever you need your appointments to be). Sometimes on days like this I am so busy being relieved that I can't think of anything else.
I almost hate to ask, but was this in the new office? How was that?
You did a really good job of making it through the week. I'm proud of you, and you should be proud, too.
Posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 9:33:17
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » fallsfall, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2003, at 22:57:15
How did it go??? I know you're relieved to have him back!!! I know how glad I am that my therapist is back in town. It just makes things so much easier.
Happy for you. :-)
P
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 11:51:54
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Dinah, posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 9:33:17
Kind of dull really. We talked about ideas to increase my productivity, including the scheduling of appointments. We debated the wisdom of trying nortryptaline.
But the important thing is that he's back and I don't have to worry about needing him when he's not around. Until the next trip. I hate his second job!!!!
Posted by fallsfall on July 16, 2003, at 12:01:31
In reply to My therapist comes back tomorrow!!!-Fallsfall » Penny, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 11:51:54
I'm so glad he is back. You made it. Good for you.
So he has 2nd job absences AND vacations? Aren't you getting your "leave taking" practice!
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 13:00:15
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!!-Fallsfall, posted by fallsfall on July 16, 2003, at 12:01:31
Aren't I the lucky one? He said today that they really liked his work and wanted to have him come again. Now what do I say to that? I think I said something like "I'm very pleased for you." and left unsaid "D*MN*T".
Posted by Tabitha on July 16, 2003, at 14:57:49
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » fallsfall, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 13:00:15
good for you-- you survived therapist break. Mine is back, we're still processing how her absence affected me. How I had totally different outlook toward the boyfriend in her absence. Once she's back my outlook changed 180. I have to rake her over the coals about the guidance she gave during the relationship. She seems a little tired. I hate therapist conflict.
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:18:08
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Dinah, posted by Tabitha on July 16, 2003, at 14:57:49
I hate therapist conflict as well. I feel really fortunate that my therapist and I are currently on a crest of our relationship. But as with all relationships I'm sure a trough or two is ahead.
We didn't do much processing of his absence. Probably because my main reaction to his absence was to send my emotions largely underground and get hyper-rational. I'm sure I'll be back to my normal irrational self soon, and we can process it then. Although honestly, he's been so nice lately that it's hard to get mad at him.
Have you ever had a relationship where there is a little, not a whole lot, but a little, resistance? And a large part of the relationship is pushing up against that resistance and being pushed back? Then suddenly the resistance is gone, and there's nothing to push against? That's sort of where I and my therapist have gotten. He's totally accepted my dependency needs. He came as close to promising me therapy for however long I want it as a person can honestly promise. Forever as long as it's in his power therapy. He's apparently decided to find my stubborness amusing, and seems to regard it rather fondly. All the resistance, all I've butted heads about for eight years, is suddenly gone. It's kind of odd, but nice. So now I'm far more inclined to drop my defenses and seriously consider what he says about my relationships with others in my life, and my problems with life, with an open mind and without a stubborn reaction. So we're really progressing on my real life issues.
I don't know what's going on, but I like it. I hope it lasts. Of course, I'm sure it won't.
Posted by fallsfall on July 16, 2003, at 18:35:22
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Tabitha, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:18:08
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 18:57:45
In reply to Forever Therapy (nm) » Dinah, posted by fallsfall on July 16, 2003, at 18:35:22
Well, a bit short of that. He did remain honest. :)
Posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 19:03:07
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Tabitha, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:18:08
> He's totally accepted my dependency needs. He came as close to promising me therapy for however long I want it as a person can honestly promise. Forever as long as it's in his power therapy.
That's good, I think. What's so bad about dependency? If they can't handle it, they should think about changing careers. Of course, I'm also in the line of thinking that they shouldn't really take vacations either, but, hey...
I told my therapist what a friend of mine said to me, which was if she wanted to spend the rest of her life in therapy getting to know herself better, so what? I can't really imagine being in therapy the rest of my life, but, at the same time, I can't imagine life without therapy right now. I said to my therapist early on: You're not going anywhere anytime soon, are you? And she said no, she was here to stay (minus things beyond her power). I don't think she has a problem with me being in therapy as long as I need to be, and I feel like I will only want to be as long as I need to be.
That's my hope anyway. Of course, this may not make much sense at all as my mind isn't working very well at the moment.
P
Posted by Tabitha on July 17, 2003, at 0:42:04
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Tabitha, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2003, at 16:18:08
Wow, you mean he resisted your dependency needs up til recently? I thought therapists all expected to become your surrogate parent for as long as needed.
Posted by Dinah on July 17, 2003, at 9:53:15
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Dinah, posted by Tabitha on July 17, 2003, at 0:42:04
You mean there *are* therapists who expect to become your surrogate parent for as long as needed? Mine is mostly short term CBT so I don't think that was his initial plan. lol.
I don't think I explained it well, mainly because I don't understand it myself. I detect a change in him, a lowering of some defensive barrier that was there before, but I have no idea (of course) why. He would say that it is my perception of him that changed, but I don't think that's right. He says he hasn't made a conscious choice to change how he relates with me. I dunno. Maybe he's grown to trust me (as Allison said, we can hurt them too) or maybe his perception of me has changed or maybe he's just decided to accept what he can't change. I don't know.... But I hope it lasts.
Although honestly, any change bothers me a bit. I go to push, and there's nothing to push against, and it feels like I stumble because of it. Go figure.
Posted by Dinah on July 17, 2003, at 9:56:11
In reply to Re: My therapist comes back tomorrow!!! » Dinah, posted by Penny on July 16, 2003, at 19:03:07
I can easily imagine being in therapy for the rest of my life. I guess that's because barring any breakthrough in pharmacology, I expect to feel bad off and on all my life, and I need help with that. I feel bad and I see him and I feel less bad. If I know I'm going to see him soon, I can put off the urges to do self destructive things. He says that one day I'll internalize that feeling of safety. I don't know. I don't know what it feels like to have an internal feeling of safety.
This is the end of the thread.
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