Therapist on holiday

[Emotional Girl]

Hello this is my first post so I am a bit nervous.My therapist who I have been seeing for 8 weeks is going on holiday and I will not see him for 21 days.
I suffer from both PTSD and C PTSD and I developed some transference towards my therapist and at the moment I do not know how I am going to get through the next day never mind 21 days.
Today I have written him a letter and I have done the homework that he has set me.
Does anyone have any other tips on how to get through the next 3 weeks ?

 

[Lamename01234]

It is hard when t's take a break. You might try doing a search on this forum and you find a lot of previous posts about this topic. I found them helpful the first few times this had happen to me.

 

[WishfulThinking123]

I am in the same boat-My T will also be gone for 3 weeks. My T did suggest to me not to journal at all while she's gone just in case, since I was in a really bad spot a couple of weeks ago. I would stray away from working too much on anything T related just in case...journaling can be very triggering and if I got triggered again and went into another depression with SI without my T? Idk it would just be hard/unmanageable.

 

[Crow]

My T always leaves contact for a backup therapist. Is that an option? Kind of a stop gap to get through the three weeks?

I also found going to Emotions Anonymous or any of the other fellowships helpful. I rarely said anything. Just helped to be in a room of introverts sharing their feelings.

 

[Emotional Girl]

Thank you very much for your replies,I have found them all useful and informative and I will definitely take them on board.

 

[NightSky]

It's hard when they go away. Which is always baffling to me because although I've been with my T for two years and love her, I'm a nervous wreck every week before my session. So it should be a relief. But I think when they feel like a lifeline it can be hard to know there is distance between you.
What worked for me when mine went away for three weeks was keeping a journal to give to her when she returned. It helped me continue to process what we had been working on and remain cognizant of my mental state. But that wouldn't be a good idea if journaling is triggering. I also found books pertinent to my issues to read, and took notes to discuss when she returned.
One thing to remember-really big feelings are usually rooted in childhood. And children don't have the ability to see life as a big picture. So if you're triggered by his absence and feeling alone and abandoned, remind yourself that although that's how you FEEL, that's not the truth. Try to look at the big picture. If you've only been together 8 weeks you likely have a long time left and three weeks over that time span is a drop in the bucket. You will continue together and he's not leaving you. In the meantime, lots of self care, mindfulness if you can, and knowing you're not alone.

 

[Emotional Girl]

Thank you very much NightSky you are completely right about the childhood aspects as my dad left me when I was 8 and just recently I found out that he died so that was another abandonment issue.
I am doing the homework which my T recommend which is keeping me quite busy and trying to channel my emotions.
My T said he will be back after his holiday unless he wins the lottery and even then he would see out his contract so I shouldn't worry.
In my heart I just have to learn to trust him and that I will see him again.