Have you tape recorded a session? When you go home and listen to it, how do you feel? How often do you listen to it?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ninn,

Hi Ninn,
I have never recorded a session (nor have I asked to) but there were a couple of pretty extensive threads on the topic I thought you might want to read:

Recording Sessions

recording sessions

I did however, once ask my T to leave a voicemail on my cell phone so I had his voice handy (I still have it.) He was totally fine with doing it. And since your T actually offered, sounds like she is too. I find it very helpful to hear his voice when I need a sense of connection but it's not rising to the level of contacting him. I used to listen to it quite often when I first got it (I was in the middle of a bad crisis at the time) but now I hardly ever do (feeling much more secure these days) but it's still nice to know I have it.

Thank you AG; sorry I didn't know how to do a search.

Ninn,

No problem and I hope you don't think there was any criticism implied. It also helps that I was around when these were written so I know that they are there in the first place.

I am working on a How To manual for the forum but it's slow going. But to do a search, you can click on the Brown "Find" button which appears at the top of any forum page. A quick search box appears and you can enter any search term OR you can click on the Advanced Search button in the menu, and select Advanced Search. That dialog box allows you to specify a whole lot of different search criteria. Just let me know if you need more detail.

AG

I have probably commmented on those threads but I thought I would add my thoughts here because I've now been recording my session for almost 3 years (a lot of hours saved on my computer I should really back them up). I have found it incredibly helpful. Initially it is odd to hear your own voice and if I were you I might ask if you could do it before your vacation so that you have a chance to listen to a recording and talk to her about it before she leaves.

Initially I found it helpful because I often had trouble remembering what was said in a session particularly if I was upset and trying to hide that from T and he would keep talking and I wasn't tuned in. Also sometimes he would touch on a subject and I was gone so listening gave me a chance to hear what I missed so so speak.

Then there was a period where I did hear most of what was said and listening to the recording didn't effect me as much and sometimes I didn't even listen to them. Then over the last year they have been much more important to me and I try to listen to each recording before my next session. I hear things differently when I listen to the session again. I often have other thoughts come up when I hear it again such as when T asks me a question and at the time I have no idea or no answer sometimes later while listening I realize what I think and I can go back and start the next session with that.

I hope it helps you if you decide to do that. I rarely listen to sessions multiple times or listen to them a long time after they are recorded so I don't find it an unhealthy thing although I certainly understand that concern.

AG, thank you for telling me how to search, and for pointing out the threads you searched for, for me. It helped to have something to read right away instead of waiting for responses in this new thread.

Incognito, thank you. I like your suggestion about recording it well enough before she goes on vacation in order to actually talk about the recording in a session. I'm still really nervous about it, but hearing your experience has helped.

I asked my T about recording sessions, but he says he doesn't like to do that. It seemed like he thought it would change the interactions by my knowledge that it was being recorded? That's probably true. Also, my reasoning for doing it was to 1) get to hear stuff I blank out on when I am badly dissociating (especially if other parts get involved); 2) have T's voice recorded to listen to. In the case of #1, it kind of bypasses the point of the parts having safety to do direct communication with T if there is stuff they're not ready to share with me. In the case of #2, I'm betting I could ask him to record a message or something if I really wanted to, but I am too shy so far. I think it's so awesome that your therapist is offering that! Really sweet and a way of feeling the connection over the course of the break. I'm sorry that you have a break though. (((Ninn)))

I met with a back-up T the other day and she suggested recording sessions. She said that she has done it for a long time with clients. She did say that she wants the recordings back and only allows a certain number "out there" at a time. I didn't say if I did or didn't want to pursue that. I think it could be very helpful depending on the situation.

i been listening to my T's voice recorded every session since February. it took awhile for me to stop cringing at hearing my own voice, but it has helped me so many times between sessions to be able to listen to her again. it helps soothe me. it helps me remember what we talked about. it helps me ponder. it helps me to experience T more fully when i can listen to her words when im in a different state of mind and more able to take in what she says. but admittedly i have spent many, many hours doing it these past months. would i have spent the time more constructively if i didnt have the choice? not always. sometimes i get so distraught that nothing would get done anyway. T says someday i will not need to record her voice in order to hold on to her in my heart and mind, but for now she is very supportive of it. i would encourage you to try it out if your T is willing, and it sounds like she is. good luck.

Hi Ninn,

I'd say have a go. I've recordeed my sessions for a while now and T is very cool with it and I've got quite used to it and forget I have the mic on It was quite wierd at first, but now it's fine ....lol I rarely listen to them though, that's a bit too far out of my comfort zone yet!

starfishy

Yaku, thank you, I was thinking a lot about *just* having T record a message for me. I'm feeling weird, like I wouldn't want to talk openly knowing I was *recording* it.

STRM, thank you for your support. It helps to know other T's *allow* the recording.

Cipher, I think I'd be like you, not necessarily doing anything else constructive if at the time I need to be listening to T's voice. Thank you for input, it helps.

Starfishy, I think, because like you said it would be weird at first, I might try to record a session soon and see how it goes, and maybe do it a few times. I have 12 sessions yet before my break, so a lot of time to practice.

I checked my Ipod Touch and it has "Voice Memo." I'm not sure how long it could record....I was researching on the Internet about it....somewhere it said you need 300mB for 1 hour of recording (this Ipod Touch doesn't have hardly any memory). So, I need to test it out. Let it sit and record and see what happens! Maybe I'll do it today.

Thank you again for your support

ETA: I let my Ipod Touch record for over an hour the other day, used hardly any battery and obviously had enough memory. So, I'm good to go with using it. Now to decide when to do it.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Ninn,