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I was seeing a therapist for four months and then she unexpectedly went on personal leave. No termination session or anything. Just a cancellation. So now I have been given a replacement therapist. This therapist has read all the notes written by the last therapist. The first session wasn't too bad; I talked more than usually for a first session.

Now onto the second session, this is where the issue lies. This is hard for me to write because I feel so hurt and I'm considering leaving therapy for good so please bare with me.
This therapist ask me what I would like to gain from therapy. This is fine with me, it is a reasonable therapy question. I found it hard to spill the beans but with enough time, safety and space I think I could have answered. He then takes my file and says, "you have seen such and such (people I've seen), and what is the common factor between them?" Making me feel that it is my fault for the outcome of therapy and not being able to open up.
Then he goes on to ask, "what risks I have to take or give up to achieve the goal in therapy?"
He has read my file so he knows that I find it difficult to open up about my struggles. I even said it is hard for me to open up. These two questions are my homework.
This last question makes feel that I have to wave a magic wand on myself to force myself to talk before I experience a safe, trusting relationship with this therapist before I can open up as much as he would like. I feel I am expected to delve into everything before I feel safe. If things were easy to talk about, would I even be in therapy. I feel alone and unsupported.
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I don't know Bluesky. There are a lot of different style of therapists. If you have not made alot of progress previously then maybe a more challenging style might help you. I know when I saw my current T the first time I was a little surprised. She was not nearly as warm and fuzzy as my previous T had been. And she assigned a homework task for me. I decided to give her a try for a few sessions. What I've found is that she won't let me weasel out of talking about difficult topics (I'm really scared of talking about some things and that fear makes me just want to be silent) . She pushes me. And that hasn't been a bad thing.

Maybe you should give him a few more sessions and then evaluate how it is going. I know it seem scary right now but this might be just the push you need to start making some progress.

I do think it is odd and sad how your other T just disappeared. Sorry about that.

Jillann
hi bluesky,

that sounds really tough! i also have trouble opening up and talking in therapy and i cant even imagine having a new therapist just assigned to you after your previous T just disappeared! it sounds like such a bad start!

i wasnt sure what his first question meant - the way i read it i thought it was about the previous T's, maybe they werent right for you? but i wouldnt feel comfortable with this type of questioning. i think its also your time to do some questioning and find out if this therapist is right for you. and you can't force the feelings of trust and being safe, he has to earn it too. its really early days i guess, but it doesnt sound like he's doing a good job earning your trust.

i think that if you werent able to open up it would definetely be your therapist's fault too. its their job to provide that safe space and then its your job to use it. but its only the beginning though, just test him for a while and see how you feel, whether its possible to trust him eventually. good luck and let us know how it goes. if its not going well at all, is it easy for you to go and find another therapist?

puppet
Thanks Jilliann your post, I feel that being challenging if that is the approach he is taking doesn't feel right for me, wouldn't that be better if rapport, trust, and safety have been built.

Puppet - your response has calmed me down and I feel a bit more confident in handling the issue now, so thank you! The way you explained how the sense of safety is built by therapist and what we do with the space is up to us. I think you nailed it. I just feel this strong sense that with the right therapist, in time it will happen. Feeling that I am to blame for not feeling safe to talk is hard for me to deal with. I don't have much a choice who I see because it is the public system.

Hugs to you too, Draggers.

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