I Am A Big Fan....

[duff]

.... of my therapist!!!

I've been working with her for three and a half years. I'm continuously impressed with how good she is at working with me. I sort of stumbled into the practice she is with, and glad she picked up my case. She is a trauma specialist but I was so oblivious that I had any trauma in my life when we started, but she never pushed or preached or cajoled or even brought it up before I did. It just unfolded so naturally - my realization/articulation of abuse and incest, and beginning to acknowledge and make space for my actual feelings. It is on my bucket list to cry in therapy!! Obviously I won't push or force myself, but I've been in therapy on and off for ten years now and cried buckets privately but never with someone who knows everything she knows.

I should stop before I gosh forever. I just wanted to start a thread we could fill with therapist love! (Of the appropriate and boundaried kind!)... Tell me some things about your therapeutic relationships that been beneficial and positive for you. What do you want to celebrate about the professionals who have supported you?

 

[scout86]

I don't know, I was kind of enjoying the gushing! LOL Good topic!

 

[duff]

LOL well, watch out, because I have a LOT of it inside of me. I like to call her my Gandalf-Dumbledore-GrandmotherWillow-FairyGodmother all in one. What it may actually be, is that I'm not sure I've ever had as positive, honest, or steady connection with any single person. It's a totally new experience for me. Like, she's brought me into this experience of actually relating to other humans that I just had no clue even could exist before we worked together. What is that?? Some kind of incredible magic?! That is really how it feels some days, though when I step back it's really just that she is a safe person who I have opened up to, and I never had that before in my life. I'm just really, really, really so thankful for her.

 

[Changing4Best]

I had a therapist for 5 years who was my fav I think. Her name was Alma and she was very similar to your therapist, I think, as she felt very comfortable for me to open up to. I was very sad when she left and went to another practice at the local hospital, counseling women who have breast cancer. I know they needed her and I understood, but I have never really had one like her since. She did Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on me, as I am Bipolar as well as PTSD.

She was very supportive of me and when I made major improvements in my life, like the parent I should have had, she said, "I am so proud of you". No one had ever said that to me before! Not even when I made the 95% Honor Roll in my Senior year of High School. Don't get me wrong, I loved my parents and still love their memory, but I guess what I am trying to say is that Alma always knew the right thing to say at the right time. That is such a precious trait.

My present therapist is not as easy to talk to, but then I am coasting along pretty well these days and only need to see her once a month. Probably that is due to how well Alma took care of me during those crucial 5 years of my therapy. I saw Alma once a week.

 

[scout86]

I would have to say mine reminds me more of Yoda. He's quite fond of making weird, cryptic comments that leave me wanting to ask him to translate it into English. Especially in emails. I just got one from him. It was only a few lines long, I spent 20 minutes trying to think my way through it (which, I suspect, was his point) and I'm STILL not 100% sure I know what he meant. LOL Yet, when I really need to know, he makes it pretty clear what he means.

 

[Hope4future]

I second all that's been said and will add that my T's unconditional positive regard for me, his belief in me when I don't believe in myself, and his unwavering commitment to helping me heal, have made all the difference. He's also incredibly patient, compassionate, and skilled. I know this is his job, but I'm glad he's so good at it, because this is my life.

 

[Changing4Best]

I am working on my finding of core beliefs from the article on that which Anthony wrote here. My therapist has agreed to help me with the last part, once I finish recording all my recurrent thoughts. Check out this article here and ask your therapist to do the same!