((Raven)) thank you so much. Sorry you are feeling so similar this week - hoping for you too that the journey gets easier. Definitely one day at a time...Read More...

Raven I just want to offer you so much support. I know how it feels. I hope next week is better and that you can figure out what to do without having too much pain over it. Good luck. QuellRead More...

(((S))) So glad your P was able to be so present for you. I can't imagine what it must have taken to survive that as a baby and to re-experience it now. You're very courageous for doing so.Read More...

(((((LAURA))))) So glad things are looking up for you. You deserve it! HUGS< LieseRead More...

And, Alana, I would have trouble with the comment also, given your background. It sounded insensitive. Talking about it with her could be a good way to let her know what is going on in inside of you. LieseRead More...

Good for you Raven. Keep going. I want to one day feel something too and not look around and feel nothing at everything. I tried meditation, yoga, positive psychology. Nothing really worked and if they did, only temporarily and even that was dangerous. Every day we move closer toward the goal eh. xxRead More...

((((FREUD)))) Interesting dream. God, I love dreams. They are so illuminating, aren't they? I was wondering what messages your Mom gave you re: men. I thought your father was just as cruel as your Mom. Hence, he committed crimes as well but you loved him at the same time? Interesting that Laura's therapist said her mother was more manipulative and complex while her father's abuse was simpler/more direct. That rings true for me as well. Laura, my brother is 6 years older than me. xoxo LieseRead More...

Update Dr D is speaking to Dr B on Thursday. Dr D asked me how I'd like this to be resolved. Two years ago when we met after 7 years Dr B offered 50 minutes take it or leave it and then we were to never speak again. Who knows what Dr B is open to now. I've always dreamed of having full closure on it directly with her. Talking to her will be really hard. I have some big questions to ask her. I told him my ideal would be 3-5 sessions with one of the sessions in her old office. I wonder if one...Read More...

Thanks for the hugs Alpaca - They're great! Summer, what an experience you had with your P. I'm sure I would have just about fallen out of my chair as well. Sometimes our T/P's are not as attuned as we think they are. Thank you for continuing to encourage me to speak with my T around my feelings. It looks like that will work out okay. I am feeling much better today. I e-mailed my T this morning and she e-mailed me back saying that she was happy to hear from me and very pleased that I was...Read More...

xoxo, I PM'd you my response.Read More...

Echo, Since you have had a similar experience (but with somewhat better results)... you know it can be trying. Thank you for the multiple 's they were needed! kansasRead More...

Athenacus, I can relate with T needing therapy! I think it is ok to leave out some information and just hit important points. My T calls this filtering. While you are still in therapy you might ask T about disarming techniques to use with your X. Warm thoughts, kansasRead More...

Thank you everyone for your wonderful comments. I appreciate your understanding and care. T and I did talk about this for the entire session immediately after it happened. I called her this morning after a mostly sleepless night. And I am sure we will be talking about again during our next session. I was so affected by this there was no way I could have talked about anything else. I am sure she loved all of this great therapeutic fodder this encounter has created for us. The thing that T...Read More...

((incognito)) Gosh your way of relating to your T resonates very strongly with me. I feel like I can't start talking until I am comfortable and safe, and getting comfortable and safe occurs very rarely, so then I bring that up and it feels like, all I ever talk about is feeling safe in therapy when I know there is other stuff that needs to be dealt with. So, I have very little wisdom to impart since I seem (?) to be in a similar boat... all I can say is that, at times, I've resorted to...Read More...

Ninn - I've had what you're talking about with really good sessions followed by backlash sessions. I HATE that! I'm so happy to hear about your session it sounds very sweet and connecting - that's great! :heart blink: It's nice to have a safe place to express ourselves. I'm sorry you are sad right now... I find often (at least for me) connectedness brings on natural sadness (grief, I imagine) in tandem. Hope all goes well getting the right medication for sleep. My P has been trying to...Read More...

Sadly, You don't deserve that onslaught and character defamation from your former counsellor, nobody does - what a betrayal. Its tragic that there are individuals like her that are in the field. It is you that know's the truth though. In that you can rest. Stay strong, keep steady, we're here, you'll make it through. I'm glad that you also have the support of your current T. Do take care.Read More...

(((R2G))) Glad to hear it went well. I did know about the frying pan thing because my doctor told me when I was pregnant. I was also anemic at one point and my GP recommended using a cast iron frying pan as way to increase my iron. Plus, I must confess, I love cooking in cast iron. We have a HUGE cast iron skillet that is my husband and I's favorite pot. I hope the meds give you some immediate relief and they can get to the bottom of what's going on. Sorry to hear about yet another doctor.Read More...

(((Cat))) I'm sorry I didn't see your updates until now and that you've had such a hard time. I am SO happy for you (though I know is painful) that you reached out to your T and that you went to the session and had such a huge breakthrough. I hope that things continue to settle out and you are able to take in the feelings and events from the session. You are doing really great work.Read More...

There are a lot of people studying to become therapists and we did have one therapist who was posting for awhile, but as another therapy patient seeking support. Shrinklady does occasionally pop in, but it's rare. But the purpose of the forum is definitely a peer support group rather than a source of professional treatment. All that said, there are quite a number of people posting who are quite well read and have a lot of knowledge about therapy and how it works, so there's a lot of good...Read More...

((((INCOGNITO)))) So glad you were able to feel that T cares, at least for a little while. Keep working on that and addressing it as it comes up and eventually you will feel care from him all the time. I hope, anyway. That's what happened for me. We just kept chipping away at it. Sometimes it was me. (Okay, often). But sometimes it was him. I cried a lot last year for months and months. Unfortunately, I think it was all necessary. But then I went on wellbutrin and actually don't cry as much...Read More...

((((CAT)))) It was really nice to hear him say that. It was the first time in four years. IMO, it was long overdue. (((((SD))) Thanks for the cheers. That was really nice. ((((INCOGNITO))))) He says he seems to know how distressed I am. He thinks he is conveying empathy. I'm just so tone-deaf to it all. I think I have to learn the difference between indifference, rejection and dismissiveness. Maybe it's not him who is not listening to me? HUGS TO ALL BECAUSE I KNOW YOU ARE ALL STRUGGLING, LieseRead More...

I've been working out a lot lately. It really has been great for me mentally. A way of me taking care of myself. Anyway you sound very strong Jane. I admire and can relate to you.Read More...

Cat - the issue is actually that my cats have decided they like to punish me for changing my routine, so the change I made has caused them to "mark" my new territory, thus making it impossible to use. H has bought some sort of cleaning solution that is supposed to keep them from continuing to do that and is going to try that out for me. H is being TONS more supportive than he was last time and reassured me that I absolutely need to have my therapy as a place to work through things, even if...Read More...

Yes, yes Muff! I wish more parents were like this!Read More...

I think the reason some T's don't like to use the word "love" is because the client might interpret that as "need." Sometimes I think we really want "I love you" to mean "I need you." But our T's cannot need us because then it turns selfish and we get hurt. My T did not say "I love you" to me in the beginning of our therapy relationship, but now I hear it from her fairly often. And yet because of other things she says, I know that she does not need me. She loves/cares as an act of service to...Read More...