Seperation Anxiety And Therapist

[Angelwings]

I am experiencing intense separation anxiety because my therapist is going to be out of town for a week or so. During the day, I usually go sit in her waiting room and do things on my computer all day. It keeps me from going in to flashbacks during the day. Having said that, my son's presence during the day keeps me in the present as well, and he will be home from school until after she returns. It sucks, dude, seriously. I hope my son and I have a happy holiday, despite her absence. EEEEK!!!

 

[digger]

Perhaps it will turn out to be a positive thing. It might show you that there other ways to cope than being so dependent on her. Hopefully :)

I think a lot of people will be finding the break from therapy difficult at this time of year. So much stress around and a major source of help and support unavailable!

I hope your son keeps you busy and you are able to enjoy the holiday.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

I think it's good that your therapist allows you to sit in her waiting room in order to keep yourself grounded. I'm sure you're aware that it's a temporary measure, so this break may actually be a good thing where you can learn to depend on other coping skills. I think it can be dangerous to learn to rely on someone or something to keep us safe and grounded, so think of this as a growing experience!

 

[littlelostchild]

Maybe your new kitten will help, too.

 

[anonymous]

My .02 wont be popular.

I think that spending the entire day in your therapists waiting room to be very unhealthy and I am surprised a therapist would allow something like that.

Yes, I do understand the need for grounding and less flashbacks. I get that part. But that is such a unhealthy foundation towards healing in the long term or even in the short term. That is a huge amount of attachment issues that your therapist is allowing you to have. It's just another issue in the pile of other things you already need to talk about.

There are other ways of dealing with grounding. More healthy ways. It's time that you talked with your therapist about more healthy ways.

 

[Jagged Angel]

I'm going to agree with Anonymous up there, and say that maybe it's time you found some other way of grounding yourself. There are a plethora of ways to ground yourself that do not involve dependence on another person's existence.

I also am surprised that a therapist would allow this. If my psychologist suggested this, I would find another psychologist, as doing this would be crossing the professional boundary by creating a dependence.

 

[Abstract]

Just looked this up after what was said on your other thread.

I have to say I also have concerns. Short time it wouldn't be a problem at all but t's shouldn't do anything that creates a dependence in a way where you aren't pushed to develop your own coping and grounding skills as well. If you were doing this 2 times a week then the rest of the week you would be working on new ways of grounding.

What would happen is she became ill and wasn't there? That would be devastating for most people anyway but if it is such an integral part of your life I have concerns. It doesn't mean that she is not wonderful in other ways but I do wonder about this.