Was there ever a time that you opened up about something in therapy and felt that your therapist was not empathetic at all?
Did you address it or just chalk it up to an off day?
Thanks!
T.
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Constantly. I chalk it up to an off day not on the part of my T necessarily but on the part of my transference. She's really a great T.
My T has said some things that I didn't think were empathetic or kind or she has given me a look that I didn't think was nice.
Some of it I chalked up to a bad day and other stuff hurt my feelings, but I didn't say anything (one of my issues). Let's see....when I said I was afraid of the cash register she partially rolled her eyes and made a face. Kind of like...that's stupid...why on earth would you be afraid of a cash register? That is how I took it. My response could have been that I would panic about making a mistake with money and it's a problem effecting me at work and I need to work on that. I didn't say that though. I did work on it on my own and I'm soooo much better now!
Another time T just had a session that obviously didn't go well and she was talking a mile a minute when she walked in and was scribbling something in a folder as I sat down. I was just listening to her and waiting for her to stop talking and ask me how I was doing. She instead started the session by saying, "What, did you lose your voice or something? Why aren't you talking?"
The other time I remember is that I was talking about childhood trauma and I was talking about identifying the guy. I said something to the effect that I was worried if I got the right guy. And she said in a somewhat sarcastic and joking tone, "Someone should have pulled down his pants." I told her about 5 minutes before that the guy had some identifying marks on him. I just thought it was an insensitive remark from her when I was talking about one of the most disturbing things that I had gone through as a child.
Some of it I chalked up to a bad day and other stuff hurt my feelings, but I didn't say anything (one of my issues). Let's see....when I said I was afraid of the cash register she partially rolled her eyes and made a face. Kind of like...that's stupid...why on earth would you be afraid of a cash register? That is how I took it. My response could have been that I would panic about making a mistake with money and it's a problem effecting me at work and I need to work on that. I didn't say that though. I did work on it on my own and I'm soooo much better now!
Another time T just had a session that obviously didn't go well and she was talking a mile a minute when she walked in and was scribbling something in a folder as I sat down. I was just listening to her and waiting for her to stop talking and ask me how I was doing. She instead started the session by saying, "What, did you lose your voice or something? Why aren't you talking?"
The other time I remember is that I was talking about childhood trauma and I was talking about identifying the guy. I said something to the effect that I was worried if I got the right guy. And she said in a somewhat sarcastic and joking tone, "Someone should have pulled down his pants." I told her about 5 minutes before that the guy had some identifying marks on him. I just thought it was an insensitive remark from her when I was talking about one of the most disturbing things that I had gone through as a child.
yes there have been at least a couple of times - one in particular which was really hard. she did explain later and sort of apologised and although rationally i understood and i put it off as an 'off day' - i think there is still damage there that wasnt repaired... which i assume will come up sooner or later.
but this just made me realise it has had a big impact and it definitely hasnt and will not just go away. thanks for reminding me!
oh dear, athenacus - that's a bit of a worry! those are definitely very bad OFF days
puppet
but this just made me realise it has had a big impact and it definitely hasnt and will not just go away. thanks for reminding me!
oh dear, athenacus - that's a bit of a worry! those are definitely very bad OFF days
puppet