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She's been my T for 2 years. She's been the person I have gone to when the rest of the world abandoned me, and now she does the same. I don't think I will ever understand what happened. I cannot imagine being over her anytime in the near future; if ever. She brought something into my life, showed me love in a way that I never knew existed. WE shared moments together that felt incredibly healing, but lines blurred and boundaries crossed. My needs became 2nd as hers took prominence. The hugs became too tight, a little too long and lingering. The words shared were too potent; too filled with emotion that we both never took the time to check in on one another's understanding. What did it mean when she told me she cared or that she loved me? What did I mean when I told her the same?

The complex situation we were in grew even more complex as our relationship progressed. I questioned her intentions. She cracked under pressure. All I have left are her final words, a secret between us that I will bury deep within my heart. I don't know what I am feeling. I cannot label the storm she created here in my chest.

Abandonment by therapist is devastating. I feel pain for those who have experienced this in any form. I especially feel for those who have experienced it abruptly, with no explanation, and when boundaries were SO far crossed that you couldn't tell which way was up.

I sat in shock today on the couch; I felt trapped inside my head. I wonder where she is? I wonder if she ever thinks of me?
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Oh JR, I am so sorry about what has happened to you. I understand your pain. I had a similar experience, my exT crossed boundaries that I wasn't even aware of being new to therapy. I thought I had found a best friend and I helped her with all her problems and family concerns and health issues. It ended abruptly. It was dreadful and it made me so ill. Her unethical behaviour made me hit rock bottom and I nearly did something silly because of her. She promised me so much and gave me so much not in an erotic way but in a practical and loving way of a close friend. She then denied it and said I had a serious mental health issue and was deluded. What she had given me she took away without a thought for me. She was like a different person and lied to protect herself.

Long story but in the end I had to take action and that is the only way I have healed. I don't want to go into all that as I don't think it will help you at the moment. Things are so raw for you right now and I feel your pain and hurt.

Your T has behaved unethically and unprofessionally. The therapy that you think was so helpful has been damaging. Sorry if this is harsh but it is true and one day you will agree. This all happened to me in 2010 and boy have I been through the mill since then.

If you will allow, please take a gentle hug from me.


Keep posting. I have been there. I have experienced similar to you and I understand.



Caroola xx
Thanks all for your replies. It helped to have gotten it all out here last night. I slept finally, but when I woke up this morning I felt that pain again. I can't believe how fast it hit me. As soon as I reached full consciousness, I was in tears again. She has broken my heart in so many ways. I will have to share the complexities of our situation. It's just very difficult to deal with. Yes, she was unethical. Maybe in a very sly, unconventional way. No sex or anything like that, but I was emotionally engaged with her and she with me.
Hi JR,

Wow, I'm sure what you're going through must feel very devastating. I feel for you. Perhaps I knew this all along but was simply afraid to admit it but for deep meaningful healing to occur we have to put our complete trust in out T, and that's a scary thing. Our T needs to be able to establish well defined boundaries and walk the tight rope between being there for us by offering empathy, compassion, comfort, and understanding while remaining well grounded, objective, and clinically focused. Perhaps this is the true mark of a good T.

I hope your able to soon find a T you can trust so that you can continue on your road to recovery. Take care.

LongRoad
Thank you all. I have some serious soul reflecting to do in regards to where I want to proceed. This has been excruciatingly painful. This therapist was an adjunct therapist, so I do have a primary T helping me work through this. I guess I am lucky in that sense. My primary T and I are having major issues, though, which also makes it even more difficult. I am working on abandonment of one T, and then the total rupture with another. I am trying to have faith and confidence in a therapeutic relationship, but when you've been abandoned by one, it's hard to have that trust in the other. Frowner
Thanks Catalyst & Keins for checking in on me. It's been difficult to accept this loss. For a while I couldn't give up on the possibility that she'd come back. I think holding out for that didn't allow me to grieve, or it didn't set me free into the grieving process. This past week I found some acceptance. This has moved me forward in allowing the loss to fully sink in and be processed. I think I was in a great amount of shock for a very long time.

I do ask myself "how is this possible?" But, it is. It happens in the therapeutic relationship sometimes. When a T cannot hold their boundaries, or even sometimes when life interferes in various ways, the therapy must end. It's heartbreaking for anyone who experiences it, and I do believe that sometimes it is even hard on the other side of the room. I do not hate my T for the behavior. We are both human. Mistakes were made. But, I do not want to hold onto the anger, pain. It doesn't do anything for me.

I'm trying to move on...

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