Annoying Therapy Questions

[anthony]

When I get qualified, I plan to incorporate walking in the park and talking, finding isolated places for discussion, and use a lounge room setting, not office, as part of PTSD therapy sessions.

The worst part I ever despised about therapy, was sitting in a stuffy, uncomfortable atmosphere, so formal... which only increased my tensions, not decreased them. I think therapy for PTSD needs to be more today, a little more retro and modern... without obviously breaching patient confidentiality... but I plan on getting people outdoors more than indoors to get them more relaxed.

Sometimes indoors, privacy, is appropriate, sometimes its not. That is my plan...

 

[KP the nut]

Sometimes indoors, privacy, is appropriate, sometimes its not. That is my plan...

Great idea and a good plan. Whatever is comfortable for the client and if open space does that all the better.

 

[No Folded Hands]

Good plan, Anthony. That approach actually has a name now, though I beleive it isn't entirely accepted in mainstream psych yet? Eco therapy or nature therapy. I heard about it when I mentioned that my self-care often involved being out of a strictly urban setting, if only by sitting under the downswept branches of the huge conifer tree across the street for awhile, or perching at 3 am on the top level of the tallest multilayer free sculpture fountain in the ornamental fountains series three blocks from my room when I did my internship one summer in a large city. The sound of flowing water and no way for anyone to come at me without being seen = relaxation.

 

[anthony]

There are strict rules on privacy concerns, however; that is also an excuse from any therapist who uses it, because there is an exclusion to this, being the patient accepts to want to do the therapy elsewhere, outside an office, and accepts any risks associated that they could be over-heard or such.

I was told this years ago when I wanted to sit outdoors, where I felt more relaxed, could smoke, as I did at the time, which helped me, etc etc... the therapist told me they couldn't, and it had to be done in a private room, which was terrible.

IMHO, I don't do the whole nature BS, naturopathy all that well, and a lot of it is hocus pocus, however; I do do commonsense, which says if the person feels better sitting outside on a bench table, having a coffee, smoking, feeling more relaxed, then chances are they are going to be far more receptive to listening and talking.

I also plan to integrate a lot of the exposure therapy into sessions, being travelling to locations and helping people with exposure exercises, putting the therapy loop within it for them, so they can then practice and improve in their own time, knowing exactly what to do, what is normal, when the time is right to turn around, etc.

 

[Reclusive]

"So, if I just said what you said to me to you, what would you tell me to do about it?" My answer - see a therapist. DUH.

 

[angel2write]

The one I really don't like is the one they ask you just to keep you talking. I HATE that. They don't want to know. They haven't stopped to think about the last thing you said, but they're playing conversational ball and they want to keep it rolling.

Personally, I would like a little moment of silence now and then so I could collect my thoughts and possibly introduce the topic of conversation that I came to the office thinking of that week.

I'm going to try so hard not to get caught in this trap with the new lady.

 

[intothelight]

I was told this years ago when I wanted to sit outdoors, where I felt more relaxed, could smoke, as I did at the time, which helped me, etc etc... the therapist told me they couldn't, and it had to be done in a private room, which was terrible.

Definitely follow the patients lead. Some of my best sessions have been "walking" sessions. I was too anxious to sit still, so my therapist and I walk the building or outside. She now keeps her tennis shoes handy for my appointments.

 

[Nighthawk]

The most frustrating thing is when my T answers my questions with one of my previous answers.

Why cant you concentrate on just one thing? ....... stay with me.... :eek:

 

[KP the nut]

The one I really don't like is the one they ask you just to keep you talking. I HATE that. They don't want to know. They haven't stopped to think about the last thing you said, but they're playing conversational ball and they want to keep it rolling.

My T allows me time in my mind. To think about what I am thinking before speaking. Sometimes I narrate my trauma verbally at other times I do it in my mind. He will then ask me to describe feelings. I was stuck trying to work something out in my mind during the last session. He didn't rush me (he could probably hear as well as see the wheels in my mind turning), then he just asked what I was thinking, just to tell him random bits, not to make sense of it.

 

[Heather]

I was too anxious to sit still, so my therapist and I walk .

My therapist and I have done this too. We've met for coffee, gone for breakfast and when the weathers nice gone for walks. It's better than sitting in his office all the time.

 

[BloomInWinter]

"Why do you think that?"

I know I always take this question like I'm back on the witness stand, but....

OMG.

DING! THAT is EXACTLY what it feels like! Like the witness testimony thing against my teacher!

 

[mamachick]

I feel very fortunate to have a great therapist and I relate to the irritating questions. Over the years, I have heard many questions that I thought were idiotic-and I would say some still are. There were some I didn't understand at the time though and later became evident. Early childhood, siblings, how everyone related, etc. Even in the absence of abuse, I eventually learned more about family communication styles and avoiding or addressing issues.

Once I had a therapist tell me to take a job at McDonalds and drop the food on the floor, deliberately be incompetent. (I was too serious at the time). She told me to pour ice water on my ex when he went back to sleep because his work woke me up everynight. She told me that he had no empathy-she was right. I did not do it but it left a visual. Funny how the most irritating things can bring insight-sometimes. Other times-not so much