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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 20 of 20. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
How many times a week do you go to therapy? What is the most effective way? What helps you most? Why do you go that amount?
Posted by Miss Honeychurch on February 24, 2005, at 15:40:07
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
I go twice a month. Used to go once a week for about a year, and have now been on twice a month now since October. My T calls twice a month "maintenance." The next step is once a month and then quarterly.
So far so good.
Posted by mair on February 24, 2005, at 16:39:35
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
I go twice a week and have been on this schedule for at least 4 years, if not longer. My T feels it's essential if you're trying to do what she calls transference based therapy. Part of the idea is that if you're going less, you tend to spend all of your time on whatever the issue of the day is, and you never really get back to the historical stuff. This was definitely true of us when I was only seeing her once a week. I think it's also necessary for me because my tendency is to fight off the T-client attachment. It's harder to do that when I'm seeing her as often as I am.
Even at twice a week, I have a hard time holding onto what we talked about from one session to the next. Either my memory is nonexistent, or I just happily suppress. It's difficult to maintain any continuity.
mair
Posted by annierose on February 24, 2005, at 18:38:15
In reply to Re: How many times a week?, posted by mair on February 24, 2005, at 16:39:35
I go 3x per week, since December (2x prior). I like going more often. As Mair said, you tend to work on core issues instead of what happened during the week. Some days it's hard because I feel I have nothing to talk about. Those are the sessions my T feels are the most productive. And she'll ask more probing questions and I'm often surprised at the place where we'll end up ... a mysterious journey.
Posted by rainbowbrite on February 24, 2005, at 18:56:50
In reply to Re: How many times a week?, posted by annierose on February 24, 2005, at 18:38:15
i used to go every other week and then I started weekly and now it has become mostly not going and sporadic.
Posted by pegasus on February 24, 2005, at 19:07:59
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
I've been going once a week for a couple of years. I started out going every other week, because it was so expensive, but as soon as I got into bigger issues, that just wasn't enough. When we're working on really sensitive topics, I'd love to go more often. I think having more visits helps you keep the momentum up, and prevents the defenses from developing too much in between sessions. But it's hard to afford.
And sometimes, having a week in between is helpful, because I have to figure out ways to adjust to ideas on my own. If I was seeing my T more often, I might just save things up for my sessions, and spend less time integrating them into my independent life. It's just a thought I've had a few times. Maybe total bunk.
pegasus
Posted by Dinah on February 24, 2005, at 19:26:36
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
Twice a week therapy is a whole different animal than once a week therapy. They aren't even comparable. There's a completely different feel to it. I like twice a week, it seems to suit me.
I've been going three times a week, or more, since Daddy's death. It doesn't feel all that different from twice a week. I won't be able to afford it long, I can't really afford it now. But I guess it's among the cheaper of the alternatives.
For me, twice a week is about right. It keeps the momentum going, and I can usually just continue right on with the previous session's thought.
Posted by littleone on February 24, 2005, at 19:57:09
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
With one shrink, I was going once a fortnight and I was really going insane with that. I just couldn't handle it. Too much obsessing and not enough connecting.
When I started seeing my current T, I was going once a week, which was a huge improvement on once a fortnight, but was still a problem for me.
I've been going for twice a week for almost a year now and it has been a lot better. Sometimes I have gone 3 times a week and contrary to Dinah's experience, this felt a lot different for me. It's only with the 3 times a week frequency that I truly have a flow happening and stay connected to him. But I can't afford that frequency on a week to week basis. It's for emergencies only.
Posted by Dinah on February 24, 2005, at 20:09:06
In reply to Re: How many times a week? » Angela2, posted by littleone on February 24, 2005, at 19:57:09
I think it's the "stay connected" part that's the key for me. I seem to be able to keep him internalized at a maximum three days of not seeing him. Longer than that, and I lose him. So going from two to three doesn't make a lot of difference in "feel". There's probably a lot of individual variation in that.
But going from once to twice was like stopping "once a week therapy" and starting "twice a week therapy". It didn't just feel like adding a session.
Posted by 10derHeart on February 24, 2005, at 21:36:51
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
I go once a week, but to be perfectly honest, would prefer twice a week if my T. could adjust his schedule and I could afford it. Since mine is a fairy new relationahip (3 months), I think it would build faster and be more productive, for similar reasons everyone else mentioned.
We haven't discussed it yet. Once is *almost* enough, but just not quite right.
Posted by littleone on February 24, 2005, at 22:55:27
In reply to Re: How many times a week?, posted by 10derHeart on February 24, 2005, at 21:36:51
Posted by daisym on February 24, 2005, at 23:58:34
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
I'm officially going 3x a week but have a standing check in call on Fridays (he doesn't see clients that day) and the past 6 months have frequently added in a 4th session.
And then there are the weeks I travel and can't go at all. No balance here.
For me, it has been talking about something hard and then processing the session and its impact on our relationship. I'm monitoring his reactions closely. I need the frequency to keep it together and to give all the issues and voices time.
It's almost analysis but not quite.
Posted by morning*bell on February 25, 2005, at 9:25:53
In reply to How many times a week?, posted by Angela2 on February 24, 2005, at 15:30:22
I go twice a week, which is a whole lot better for me than once a week. There's less time to fall apart. I like to think of it as "damage control". When I'm haveing an awfully hard time (which is not unusual), I'll add a third session, which is usually on a saturday/sunday, or possibly a phone session.
Posted by Dinah on February 25, 2005, at 14:58:22
In reply to Re: How many times a week?, posted by 10derHeart on February 24, 2005, at 21:36:51
Is that a viable option? I was considering that when my life blew up.
Posted by 10derHeart on February 25, 2005, at 15:29:50
In reply to Three times per two weeks? » 10derHeart, posted by Dinah on February 25, 2005, at 14:58:22
It might be. He's a flexible person overall, best I can tell. You're thinking like one week - twice, the next week, once, and so on, right? Which I suppose turns out to average about 4.5 or 5 days in between, over a month's time, instead of 6.5 or so.... oh dear, I get all caught up in math, don't I? (This T. does no weekends and nothing after 5 pm - health issues, I believe, after a serious auto accident in 2003.)
Thanks for reminding me of another option. Now the emotional part kicks in...I'm really okay, why would I need that (my life is NOT blowing apart..only the demons deep inside some weeks), I don't deserve it...blah-blah-blah blek.
Posted by 10derHeart on February 25, 2005, at 15:31:10
In reply to fairy relationship :) made me smile (nm) » 10derHeart, posted by littleone on February 24, 2005, at 22:55:27
Posted by Dinah on February 25, 2005, at 15:48:05
In reply to Re: Three times per two weeks? » Dinah, posted by 10derHeart on February 25, 2005, at 15:29:50
We were thinking Mon-Fri-Wed on a two week cycle. But my therapist isn't one who has regularly scheduled session times. If he knows you usually come in at Friday at 9 he tries to keep that in mind, but each week you schedule the next week. It's bad in some ways, but it's good when trying to schedule Mon-Fri-Wed, which probably wouldn't work with a therapist with set session times.
Posted by annierose on February 25, 2005, at 16:35:37
In reply to Re: Three times per two weeks?, posted by Dinah on February 25, 2005, at 15:48:05
Really? I would find that so difficult to have to schedule new appointments each week, especially going 3x per week. I would think it would be easier for the T as well. For me, and my job, and my kid's schedule, I need to know my schedule at least 2 weeks out. Having set appointments helps, AND, she is flexible if I need to change something, 90% of the time it is doable. And I have helped her out twice last year when she needed to change, but only would if I could switch times. Just find it surprising, that's all.
Posted by Dinah on February 25, 2005, at 16:41:05
In reply to Re: Three times per two weeks? » Dinah, posted by annierose on February 25, 2005, at 16:35:37
It's annoying in some ways. But in general he knows what times I usually come. It's the days that are variable. He keeps the days he thinks I'm going to come in open at the time I usually come. Since that time has been 8 am lately, it's not generally a problem. :)
When I used to go mid-day, my time could change by an hour or two or three, especially if we changed the day. He knew what times I *couldn't* come in, and he'd generally try to keep something open. But it was annoying enough that for a long time I scheduled a month in advance with him. Which was annoying to him, because at the time he was also going out of town frequently, and an appointment was more of a suggestion. We were rescheduling all the time.
Posted by 10derHeart on February 25, 2005, at 16:56:35
In reply to Re: Three times per two weeks?, posted by Dinah on February 25, 2005, at 15:48:05
Yeah, that's kind of what I meant, but couldn't visualize (I'm so terribly verbal and not visual at times...but I've grabbed a calendar..) I love the 3, then 4 days in between. Sheesh, it's soothing just imagining it on a calendar. Hmm, guess I'm getting settled in with this T. if I feel that way. yikes, that's scary.
I aleady do Wednesdays, so if every other M/F were to open up for him (perfect for me right now) it might be possible. Harder as he does do a set schedule, but maybe not out of the question. He's not seeing that many people, from what my old T. implied. Keeps his schedule mostly full but not packed.
I'd find a way to scrape up the extra money. It's so worth it to me. Thanks for clarifying.
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