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Bad Therapy Session And Bad Last Few Days

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mytai

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Anyone else ever done this? How do you face your T after? Please bear with me if this is jumbled up and hard to follow in some places.

It wasn't my T's fault at all for this last therapy session going south, but nevertheless it went bad. I told my T about how I had been out of it (dissociating) all week, and it was going semi ok up until that point even though I was so anxious and scared. I went into that appointment feeling very suicidal knowing what decision I was about to make later that evening. Side note: I knew my abuser had taken photos/video a few weeks ago and I was very, very afraid of that. Reason being, in my job image is EVERYTHING. I couldn't risk letting these pictures/video get out. So my abuser told me that if I wanted to get rid of them and for him to leave me alone in the future I had to come see him the next two nights.

Back to where I was going with this. I went into my therapy session knowing that later that night I would most likely be sexually abused and beaten. I was terrified that my T would somehow see something was seriously wrong. During our session I asked if she could get me an ice pack (which helps to ground me) and when she left the room I literally ran out of her office. I was so afraid, I started getting emotional (which still feels unsafe for me to be in front of her right now), and I felt I had to escape. I ran and when she called me to find out what happened I ignored her calls, I didn't want to talk to her because I knew I would break down and tell her the situation I was about to put myself in.

I know most of you would tell me that I should have gone to the police with this and let them handle it, but I've done that and the police have told me several things in the several different times I sought help from them. "There isn't enough evidence", "He only likes little girls", or straight up "You're lying". So I had to handle this myself. I went and when it was going on I just went to my "safe place" in my mind. However, I know have a broken foot and more garbage to deal with.

I attempted suicide that night, obviously it didn't go as planned because I'm writing here. But my T knows that I made an attempt. I just got off the phone with her, told her what happened with the abuser. I'm not sure how to take our conversation though... She asked where do I want to go from here? She asked if I felt like she was even helping me... To me this is devastating, my greatest fear is being tossed aside right now when I feel like I've found a T who I can work with. I've also had a hard time up until this point talking to her about the abuse because I fear saying the wrong thing or sounding stupid. After our conversation on the phone I feel like I've done just that, that I've said the wrong thing and ruined this. She wants me to seriously think about whether or not I want to keep our next few appointments.

I don't know if I can face her after running out of her office. I don't know if I can face her after our latest conversation... I need someone's input. Please. Have any of you experienced this? What do I do? Do you think she is really trying to get rid of me, or am I completely taking this the wrong way? Have any of you ever run out of your T's office?
 
I am so sorry about this situation!

While I don't think you are overreacting, especially considering your situation, I do think your reactions are more about guilt and terror. Your therapist is there to help you, however, it is up to US to show we want and need the help.

You should know your bravery! My own trauma happened almost 3 years ago and my very FIRST therapy appointment is next Monday, I have been a coward for THAT long, at least you are seeking the help you need.

It sounds like your life at the moment is pretty terrifying, and only contributing more and more to how you feel horrified on a daily basis...I feel if I were a friend, I would ask you where you would want to go from here?

Clearly this situation is not helping you, and while you are doing your best to heal, there's continued terror that maybe is 'ripping off the scab' each time you have healed a bit?

I would suggest pulling all your strength together and going back to your therapist! If you feel safe and you have established a relationship with the therapist, it's essential that you continue...however, you should make it clear about your feelings regarding what the T said and how it hurt or scared you, that way moving forward the T can know certain 'triggers' for you.

I do hope you go back and wish the best for you! Please find a way out of this a users life!!!
 
Yes, I have run out of a therapist's office. I have also run out of support group meetings and... I am quite the runner... Best to let me run because I am downright nasty when cornered while in flight mode.

Without exception, every time I have gone back has led to a breakthrough.

Be brave, mytal. Healing hopes.
 
She is probably very concerned right now, wondering if she is helping you. That isn't a slam on you. She knows you are troubled and then to know what happened that night you ran out. Which she should know, but it sounds like you are making her or doing things that cause her to doubt herself in her efforts to help you, not doubt you. There is the distinction.

I am so very sorry you are going through all of this. I know if I was trying to help a friend and she ended up with the choices and making the choices she did I would feel as though I let her down. I wouldn't think that she let me down.

There has to be better solutions. Easy enough for me to say. But what?! How exasperating. In the US I believe there are laws if he posts those photos. My heart is with you.
 
Thanks @Mybirch12 . I initially started seeing this T for past abuse, but while I was seeing her the abuse started again.

there's continued terror that maybe is 'ripping off the scab' each time you have healed a bit
Yes this is EXACTLY what it feels like. It feels just like a scab being ripped off each time something new happens and I feel like this hopeless case that my T is going to get tired of and give up on because any progress we make gets back tracked when something new happens.


however, you should make it clear about your feelings regarding what the T said and how it hurt or scared you
In the phone call today she said to email her and let her know if I wanted to keep my appointments, should I mention it then so that we can talk about it more in my next appointment? Or just save it all until then.

@arfie that's good to know, because right now I'm humiliated that I ran. I'm not a runner in this sense, this is honestly the first time. But I get the same way when I feel cornered, depending on who it is I can get very nasty.


Which she should know, but it sounds like you are making her or doing things that cause her to doubt herself in her efforts to help you, not doubt you. There is the distinction.
@Britt.f7 That distinction is not something I can see myself, I need to be told that - thank you for being the one to do it. I tend to assume everything is my fault and that I've done something horribly wrong - I take it very personally. I feel very guilty for telling her because of the phone conversation today.


I know if I was trying to help a friend and she ended up with the choices and making the choices she did I would feel as though I let her down. I wouldn't think that she let me down.
My T talks a lot about being grounded enough to make good choices, and today she said something about me needing to be able to make good choices. I know in her eyes, and pretty much everyone looking in on the situation would say this wasn't a good choice - which I can see from their perspective, but from my perspective I did what I had to do to preserve my "image" at work.


There has to be better solutions. Easy enough for me to say. But what?! How exasperating. In the US I believe there are laws if he posts those photos.
I wish I knew of better solutions. I know there are laws in Canada too against posting these kinds of photos - however when the police refuse to help would you honestly trust them to do anything other than blame you if they were posted? Not to mention, as I said before image is EVERYTHING in my job. Especially since I was just promoted to a manager's type position this week, image is even more important now than before. If I look bad, the company looks bad, and that could cost them a lot of money. Can you see where I'm going with this? My job is my only constant right now, other than my pets. It's the only thing I know I can trust in right now, I have my job, I do my job, and I see the positive benefits from doing it.

I feel like I'm living a double life right now, I have my work life - which if you were my co-worker you would have zero idea that my life is anything less than peachy, and then there is my personal life... which is in shambles, I check out of my personal life frequently because I need a break.

I just don't know where to go from here. Today's conversation with my T hit a sore spot for me. I've been to therapy many, many times over the years. Some T's I have chosen to leave because it wasn't a good fit, some we mutually felt like I had peaked in their office and there was nothing left to do, and some have gotten rid of me because I was too much for them. So when my T suggested that she refer me to someone else if it isn't helping I just felt like she was getting rid of me, that I'm too much. She is the first T I've had in 10 years that I feel ok with, that I feel like I connect with her, and that I can trust in. So I guess my question is, when I email her to tell her that yes I am keeping my appointment on Wednesday, do I bring up how I felt about our phone conversation?
 
She is the first T I've had in 10 years that I feel ok with, that I feel like I connect with her, and that I can trust in. So I guess my question is, when I email her to tell her that yes I am keeping my appointment on Wednesday, do I bring up how I felt about our phone conversation?
Yes I think that would be the best thing for you to do right now. It will give her the opportunity to clarify what she meant by it and save you from possibly giving up a bond with someone who can help you over a misunderstanding, which would be a shame
 
We need to have to learn to have a healthy relationship with our therapist before we can go out in the world and develop healthy relationships. My heart goes out to you myti. You are still in an unsafe situation. I hope you will seek help. How about contacting and talking to someone with domestic violence? They might offer some help.
 
I think that you should talk about your phone conversation. I know it will be difficult, but it will help her to help you better.

There is absolutely no judgment here regarding the decision you felt you had to make. I hate that you were in that position and that you will probably be in that position again. Perhaps you can record him making that threat? I wish the police were more helpful. That is their job after all! It may be time to get a lawyer or legal adviser.
 
So I sent the email. I don't know how this will go. A lot stressed out right now about it actually.

@Britt.f7 I'm hoping that I don't see him again. I moved over an hour away to escape him, the only reason I went back the last two days was because of these photos/video. So in regards to the recording, I can't see myself actively putting myself into that situation by choice again, so there would be nothing to record.
 
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