Have any of you asked for a double session? how did it go?

[UnicornSightings]

I just emailed my t requesting one as I have a long list of things I want to talk about and we barely make it through a fraction of them because I like to spend the first 15 min shooting the $hit (or else I’m not comfortable enough sharing). I’m feeling really nervous waiting for a reply like he will be horrified at the thought of TWO hours with me, even though I logically know that’s likely not the case. How did a 2 hour session work for you? Did you get more out of it? This likely will only be a one-time thing but I want to see if giving a bit more space to vulnerable topics will allow me to feel more when I’m there and deepen the therapy. Thoughts?

 

[expectingbetter]

To me it's very useful, but too painful unfortunately. Extremely.
Before I was able to go out after therapy, spend time out, this way I am only capable to curle up and grieve in my bed. Extremely hard.

Also that's why I get into tears more often.

But I am grateful for the time as otherwise I wouldn't be able to go over a tiny bit of things with her. This is actually like a gift for me. A gift that hurts for a better tomorrow.

 

[barefoot]

I had two hour sessions for a few months with my T quite early on and then 90 min sessions for about a year after that. I’m now back to doing 60 min sessions - which is because she is expensive rather than for any other reason! If I could, I would probably prefer to do 90 min sessions now.

I loved the longer sessions and it helped a lot in building our relationship and in me getting used to “doing therapy” as it was totally new to me and it freaked me out a lot. Tbh, I liked spending more time with her too.

I don’t know that I was more productive with more time though. I sometimes think having less time gives me more impetus to get on with it and stop procrastinating :)

I like to spend time shooting the shit (ha! Love that expression!) at the start of sessions too. I feel I need time to warm up, get a feel for how I’m doing and what she/the space feels like, reconnect with her etc before we launch into more important topics. So, yes, longer sessions allow for more of that. I think the danger for me with that was that, with a longer session, I would tend to just spend longer shooting the shit! Perhaps that depends a bit on your time management skills!

A longer session also provided more time and opportunity for grounding at the end. I used to dissociate a lot in sessions, so longer sessions gave me more time to get back in the room before leaving. Having said that, a longer session really also just meant more time to potentially dissociate! :rolleyes:

The other thing is that two hour sessions can be really exhausting if you’re working on heavy stuff. It’s a long time to sit and focus and remain present and feel/process difficult, painful things.

I can’t see that your T will be horrified at the prospect of spending two hours with you. I wouldn’t really see any reason why a T would say no to a longer session if their diary can accommodate it. Well, only that it’s a long time for them to sit and focus and be present with someone without a break too so maybe some of them would prefer not to do that? But that would be about them, not you.

Hope he can accommodate a longer session and that you get what you need from it. Whatever the result, well done for asking :)

 

[RoadtoHappy]

I am so glad you asked this and fair play to you for asking your T. I am interested to see their response. Please keep us updated on how it all works out. Sorry I have no advice but have been wanting to ask for a longer session too, I dont mind paying at all but wasn't sure if its something T's did.

 

[UnicornSightings]

I had two hour sessions for a few months with my T quite early on and then 90 min sessions for about a...

Thank you for all the information!! I don’t think I would waste more time with 2 hours although that’s a very good point!! I think I could set a 15 min limit again on small talk and once I’m rolling with other stuff then I can keep going. Well, except if and when we land on the harder material. But I think it would be cool to just see what I can say about it and sit with whatever is showing up for me. We are both into mindfulness and that’s been brought up before so it would be cool to put it into practice. Explore how I’m feeling after I say something and before I slip into avoidance.

I wonder if there’s a pain-in-the-a$$ surcharge for doing 2 straight hours. I’ll have to ask him. That’s a lot of focus he will need.

I am so glad you asked this and fair play to you for asking your T. I am interested to see their re...

I’ll definitely keep you posted! I expect that he will reply today yet if it will be a yes or no although he has taken a few days to reply before but usually not for scheduling.

 

[AnD]

I have done 90min sessions a lot and I prefer that when I am having a lot of symptoms.

I think I dissociate more during longer sessions

 

[barefoot]

Sounds like your time management skills are much better than mine @UnicornSightings ! If you can stick to your usual 15 min warm up chat and if you and your T have both got the stamina for a two hour session, I think it sounds like a great idea and you’ll be able to cover loads. And, yes, time and opportunity there to practice some mindfulness in relation to some of the harder stuff.

@AnD Yes, I always dissociated more in the longer sessions. Not sure whether that was because of the longer session or whether it was just because it was earlier on in my therapeutic process. I do wonder though whether knowing I had more time, somehow made it ‘safer’ on some unconscious level to let my head get sucked away. Because I had more time to get lost there and more time to then try to ground myself before leaving and more time before I had to brave the real outside world and get myself home again etc. Not sure whether that makes any sense at all...I know what I mean! :D

 

[Friday]

When I’m paying for sessions, I almost always do double sessions. Unless we’re both seriously distracted by what’s going on in the room, there’s usually a 10-15 minute intermission in the middle (bathroom, cigarette, quick run, etc.). I get about 8x more done in a double session than a single one.

 

[UnicornSightings]

When I’m paying for sessions, I almost always do double sessions. Unless we’re both seriously distra...

This is exactly what I was hoping to hear! And cool, I was wondering if a break in the middle might be good. Was there more charged for a double session? Like I mean I imagine it’s just twice the price but since it’s so much focus I’m not sure of how that might be charged. I’ll obviously ask my t when he gets back to me.

 

[Friday]

Was there more charged for a double session? Like I mean I imagine it’s just twice the price but since it’s so much focus I’m not sure of how that might be charged

Totally depended on the therapist.

Some simply booked 2 sessions back to back, others had flat rates that usually ran along the lines of 120 single 180 double 240 triple. Yep. Done 3+ hour sessions as well.

 

[UnicornSightings]

Totally depended on the therapist.

Some simply booked 2 sessions back to back, others had flat rates t...

Whoa! How did the even longer sessions go???

 

[PeppermintTea]

I see my T twice a week (Mon & Wed) and every other Mon I do a double session. I get WAY more out of the double sessions and my T and I both prefer them by far. I was scared to ask for it too, but he didn’t think anything of it when I did.

As far as payment, my insurance only covers the first hour so I pay my copay for the first hour. For the second hour, he charges me only what the insurance would pay out for an hour ($75) as opposed to his normal hourly rate ($175). I hope that made sense. I’d imagine the fee structure would vary from T to T though.