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i am *ok* but todays session was just crap. i just wanna air brush it away from my memory. I regret. It triggerd me BIG TIME. Some of you might remember that i have kept a secret from my T- regarding his self-biography that he wrote some years ago, which i have read. (before i started seeing him for therapy) I never dared to tell him i had read that book, as i thought i had done something "wrong" reading it, and therefore knowing all that private stuff about T.

I told him about it in the last minute of fridays session,(i dont even remember why i did that) and brught it up again today. and i hate that i did it. : The whole session triggered all kind of old "punishment" memories from my childhood. I didnt even realize it, before now, one hour later, that i actually went into all this (obviously not) forgotten memories.

I dont even manage to believe my T, when he assured me that i hadnt done anything wrong, reading that book. BUT: it *FEELS* like he`s angry at me, both for reading it (and crossing his personal/private zoone) and for not telling him sooner. He just kept the focus on what i felt/remembered and therefore i ended up *remember* all kind of old, crappy memories, where i did wrong things and got punished big time...thats where he "left me". To sit with all this feelings alone.. I hate it. All those old memories that suddently appeares, like ghosts.. even the dream i told him today, he interpreted by linking it to all this stuff.. (in my dream my T`s house are placed in the "forbitten" erea outside my old school, in the woods where we wasnt allowed to go. But i did it, because i was a "bad" child.) I am angry at my T for all this, i feel like a child that have done something terrible wrong, yet i dont know what wrong i did.. Its like my T lies when he keep sayin that i did nothing wrong reading that book. Arrrg.. is this all in my head, am i makng up feelings or IS my T perhaps angry at me?? gosh..it doenst even matter. I feel what i feel anyway, thats REAL, and it hurts big time. I am not 8 years old anymore. Frowner Why would he on purpose trigger all this stuff. stupid T. Stupid me too. Frowner
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frog, i relate so much to what you are saying. feeling wrong emotionally, but really, logically, other than REALLY FEELING wrong and bad, having a hard time saying what you did wrong. seems it is a great trigger, although quite painful, but one to examine that (and believe me, i am not there) that we are not always what we FEEL.

yes, old triggers. fear, even paranoia for crossing a boundary, and i guess for me, the confession aspect, that i always feel like i have to TELL everyone everything i know, or i am lying. y'no??

i know therapy is supposed to be telling everything you know, but, still, do you tell your t that that yellow sweater he has on looks REALLY GOOFY??? (true story, t1...he looked like a homosexual grandpa...nothing wrong with that, but, i don't think it was the look he was going for)....y'no??

what you did, reading his book, was not wrong. what you did, not telling him sooner, was not wrong. yes, he may have been surprised, and may have tried to cover it up in awkward ways, but what you did was not wrong.

we gotta BOTH quit letting those old strings choke us...try to intercept an emotional idea before it drowns us...

i am working on it, but i had a major spill last week, building emotional thought upon emotional thought with only a small grain of truth in it...all stringing back to abandonment...my, and many's, biggest trigger.

hang on froggie!! jill
You did NOTHING wrong by read the book, Froggy.
I hate how the sessions that are the most important, most helpful in the long-term, most honest, ALSO feel the worst! What I mean is that I think you made some amazing progress, with being so honest, and bringing up all these childhood feelings, but it also feels like CRAP!!!

I know that you said you didn’t realize you had brought back all these forgotten memories, but the way I see it, it’s good that you did, because now they can be processed and worked though. Even if you didn’t think about it, these memories were affecting you deep down, but now that they are out, they can actually be destroyed instead of just buried deep down inside of you. Does that make sense? Sorry if it doesn’t!!
Blanket Girl, Jill and MacLove, it all makes sense and i does help ALOT to know that this "crap" (that i like to call it) is after all therapeutic and healing. Thanks for twisting it all into something positive! Its true that some of the most importnat session are those wh feels the worst at first... Good point. I am still feeling like crap, and try to think about everything but the session. Nothing is better than a good-old forum support! Thank you guys. And sorry that you can relate to this... Looks like i am not the only "bad" child here. I hope that things will look a bit different tomorrow, at last before next session, if not i am not gonna be able to speak in the session...or rather: i dont WANT to talk anymore. Its like i said WAY too much there already. I am embracing your words- i think i am just gonna re-read them again now..Sorry for a bit lousy reply. Dont have much words today.
And thank you for saying i did nothing wrong. I`ll have to try to belive that too. You guys kinda sounds like my T Smiler(thats a compliment btw!)Its just that i seriously think i messed up something when i told my T about that book... despite that he didnt say anything like that, i do feel that he is uncomfortable about knowing that i know all that stuff about him.. that i somehow ruined that sacral ("not suppose to know") wall between us. He didnt directly said he was glad either that i read the book.. hm, actually he did say: "If i didnt wanted you to read the book, i shouldnt have written it either then..." thats not that bad, right?
Oh Frog ((((((((((( Frog ))))))))))))))

Is there some way you can distract yourself? I’m so sorry you are struggling so much with the stuff that’s come up for you in your session - it’s so clear that telling your T about reading that book has hooked right into some pretty devastating memories for you.

I know this is purely intellectual and right now your feelings and fears are the only truth - but can I say that from what you’ve said about your T’s reaction to your disclosure it’s pretty clear that he is totally accepting of you (still!) - so that kind of means you’re probably attributing to him your own fears and expectations (transference - of the negative kind.)

Can you hold onto the rational sense you have that what you are going through now is important and ultimately healing, and that the one person who can help you with this is your T? Do you think you can hold on until next session (is that Wednesday?) or even contact your T for an earlier session if you can?

I really hate to think of you sitting there in so much pain that the only relief is through hurting yourself - please know that I’m thinking of you and sending you as many comforting hugs as you need.

((((( Frog )))))

LL
Oh, dear Froggy, I am so sorry you are in such a lot of pain about this. As LL has so wisely said, you did nothing wrong, and also it is clear that your T also doesn't think you did wrong. But I do understand how intense and real those feelings of fear of your T disapproval and judgement feel, well, I went through long months of that and it is just a hellish place, where thier words do not match anything you feel. Froggy it is very true that T should not have written that book if he didn't want you and other patients to read it...and he wouldn't have. Yes, as LL says try to hang onto the rational thought that he means what he is saying...even though I understand very well, it doesn't feel that way. Frowner Be well, be gentle with yourself, little froggy...you are doing very well! It will be ok... keep talking to us as well.

Love,

BB
dear you guys, i came in to this site again abit to late, its still night over here. I did some SH-stuff and hate admitting thas, - espescially after all this amazing support.. sorry guys, i think i was kind of beyond that place were i could have changed my mind about it. Frowner Yet, this day is gonna be much better, (it has to) my appt is thursday. i manage to wait. i am not gonna do any more SH, i feel so guilty for that. thanks again so much and sorry too,
Frog,
I knew there was another thread I wanted to respond to and overlooked, I'm sorry.

You did nothing wrong reading the book. Your T knows its out there and that people can read it. He knew that when he published it. I remember when I told my T about goggling him, that I felt really upset that I read all of his grandaughter's blog, that I was invading his family's privacy. Part of his response was that his son and DIL knew that it was on the web and available for anyone to read. It's your T's boundary, he chose to have the info out there and you didn't do anything wrong by reading it.

And I hate those sessions that leave you feeling like this. I am sorry that you ended up self-harming but only because I hate to see you hurt more, even by yourself. NOT because I think you're some kind of horrible failure for doing so. Frog, we all turn to old ways of coping sometimes when things get stressful. It just so happens that for me it's a big bag of chocolate chip cookies. Please try to be compassionate with yourself. You're human and it's ok that you slipped up this time. OK? No apologies necessary! I hope you're able to feel better soon. ((((((((((Frog))))))))))))

AG
AG, i couldnt sleep this nght and woke up and read your poster! That was a good start! Your kind words are precious now. I know i havent done anything wrong reading that book...not really. Like you did, i told my T that ifelt i had invated his personal life. Lol, it actually makes me laught right now- this is such an obvious irrational fear. He has written a public book to be read, i read it feel guilty for a comitting a crime. *Sigh* Its so stupud. Looks like all sorts of triggering stuff happened yesterday, not *just* the session.
AG- Thanks for telling me to be compassionate to myself.. i am gonna try to be jut that this day. Thanks again
(((( BG, Bebs, Lamps, AG.)))))
Janedoe, thanks for both the hug and the empathy of your words. I am sorry you do relate to this. The thing is, i dont even use to SH, its not my "noramal" cpoing mechanism, what frightning me the most about it, is the fact that I DID it. I am so shamful and the anxiety keep escatlating again. I concider callig T today, but thats a major thing for me to do, i hardly ever call him, and i dont know if its a good idea. Confused Then i`ll have to tell about the SH too, and i tend to think everything i say now only causes more harm. Maybe i just have to distract myself and focus on somehting different than me and my feelings, go to school and stuff. Its like verything is triggering to me now, also being here on forum in a way.
Thanks again Janedoe, your genuin care comes across very well.
Frog - aw, I'm sorry it's still really tough and things are not getting better.

just my two cents, you can take it or leave it. But I think both calling your T and trying to distract are a good idea. Maybe try distracting today and if it doesn't help as much as you need, then try calling your T? or the other way around? I think it's certainly ok and a pretty good idea to call your T. Sounds like you are struggling and if your T is a good as he sounds, he will want to know how you are doing and how you are struggling...

just want to remind you, you aren't bad for being in a bad spot...

and if you have the option to call your T when you are in crisis or in a tough spot - then use that option. This sounds very appropriate to call about, even if you rarely ever call. This sound slike you are struggling in a way that is not very common for you, and even if it was, still sounds like a good time to call.

you are very strong to even be reaching out even by posting here. I'm really proud of you for doing that. Takes so much courage. You are doing lots of very good things even in a very tough spot and through a lot of pain.

wish I could just be there to give you a big hug in person! Hang in there.

sorry the forum is triggery too for you right now. if you need to take a break, that's ok too. please know you have done nothing wrong here too by posting - just in case you were concerned. You are doing some very good stuff and some very hard work. I'm really impressed. really. keep hanging in and fighting the good fight to recover and heal. I believe so much that it will get easier and I believe in you very much.

will be thinking of you today...

~jane
Hi Frog,

Sorry I have come to this thread late and that you have been feeling so much pain. I can really relate to the overwhelming need to hurt yourself to relieve some of what you were feeling. It was very brave of you to reach out here for some support...I really admire that.

I want to say try and be kind to yourself...but I know that may be easier said than done.

quote:
Maybe i just have to distract myself and focus on somehting different than me and my feelings, go to school and stuff.


Frog this is good for a short term distraction but your feelings will still be there underneath it all. You say you are considering calling your T but are not sure because you hardly ever call him...only you know what is best for you...will it make you feel better to share this with him now or hold it until you next see him? Maybe also as you say you hardly ever call your T will realise just how much this is all affecting you and be able to help.

Take care of yourself Frog. (((Frog)))

Butterfly
janedoe and butterfly- you guys are the best. all of you. I am distracting myself big time now, i am at school and its truly the best thing (belive it or not) i can do right now. Its not good for me to be alone and isolate right, like i tend to do when i am in this state of mine. I feel more stabile now though, and the urge to call T have faded, at least for now, but maybe the need to call him will appear again. Hope not. Next session is thursday, and one part of me wants to be strong and just manage and wait until i see him. I hate bothering him about this, espescially since we have foucused so much lately about my progress, and "celebrated" all the good work..

Right now i seriosuly just try to distract and "forget" about the past night/day.
Dunno of i can be so much here on forum now either, as i feel so vulnarable and easaly triggered. Hope that doesnt sound like i am not thankful. I am.
Thanks again everyone. Its healing itself to be "met" with such acceptance, when i did what i did, and wrote about it. I am still shameful. But better.
*more crap is comming*


I had a small panick-attac today. Frowner I met a school-teacher for a meeting to discuss some practical stuff, and then *bang*. I had to ask for premission to have my pracsis in this town where i live, because of my therapy. I shouldnt have said that. The teacher- became totally worried because i had to tell her i couldnt leave town because of "my 3 sessions pr week in therapy".So, i ended up sending a LONG text to T, told him about the panick attack and about the conversation with the teacher. Now, i am right back in the black hole because my T doesnt answer the text i sent. Its been 1 hour only, and it still makes me go nuts. seriously. Whats up with that? Cant focus, cant do anything. Its the dumbest thing to do, really, sending a text to T, because he doesnt even handle his phone and yet i expect answer.. oohhhh- why do i never learn this? I hate waiting for that reply. I hate my T right now.

janedoe- thanks btw so much again for your support. Didnt mean to ignore your reply, just so much crap building up this week.. Its all my fault.
Yay Frog three cheers for your T! That is so good he texted you with the right words - reading your previous post I was getting really worried so I’m really glad you heard from him.

It sounds like so much is coming up for you at the moment - and that’s putting you in a very vulnerable place. Hope your session tomorrow goes really well for you and that your T is able to give you all the reassurances you need right now.

(((( Frog ))))

LL

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