Therapist timekeeping

[joeylittle]

My question about the clocks was like this.... I can always see a clock so in my mind I always know how much time I have left, and won’t jump into a deep topic near the end of a session. It’s about regulating what I talk about and when, not about making sure the session ends on time. I never stop until she says the session is over. It does sometimes go over by up to five minutes.

Me too. I'm not sure what I'd do if I couldn't see the clock, now that I think about it. I'd probably feel quite anxious and frustrated.

Me being able to also see a clock helps make the process of winding down the session a joint effort between me and my therapist.

 

[scout86]

And, as an example of how everyone's different, if I can see the clock it's so distracting I can't really stay engaged in the conversation. My T has several clocks in his office (because he has trouble keeping track of time). The latest one he got is behind where I usually sit. It ticks loud enough that I can hear it and that's REALLY distracting sometimes. (He knows. We've talked about. Dealing with it is good practice. Not dealing with it is a great excuse for not staying with the topic. LOL)

 

[jaccat]

I'm not aware of any clocks in my T's office, which isn't to say that there isn't any seeing as the only part of her office I ever really see is the carpet. But she's not the best at timekeeping, and we often run over. It used to really bother me because I felt like I didn't have a right to be there after my allotted time, and T used to have to reassure me every time that it was fine, and that it was her choice, but it's taken a very long time for me to be comfortable with those run overs. In my case it's a little different, though, as I'm usually her last appointment of the day.

I do wear a watch, but I'm so tense in session that I never look at it- hence the staring at the carpet!

 

[Sandstone]

to update:-
I raised it, she was very apologetic, and admitted that this an ongoing weakness her supervisor has been pushing her to improve. She said that after last week she had been full of resolution to change, but it had got away from her again, she'd been late for me and she wasn't even sure if the same woman was booked in immediately after me this week. (I'm a bit puzzled about that, as I'm her first client of the day, and the room was ready and she had clearly prepared. )
I've been feeling ill for some time (earache) so suggested the answer was to finish promptly, which would allow me to go home and lay down, and her to check her diary.

We talked about the timekeeping problems I had with T2, and about her dishonesty around it, which became a huge problem when I challenged it. I did say that if the gate was locked I'd go home, because I don't need to be reminded that it even exists, and she accepted that. I'm happy that we have resolved this with honesty, and pretty confident it won't get in the way. There was another issue I wanted to clarify, based on a passing comment that I'd been brooding on. That was also cleared up, and then we got on with some real work. It is such a relief to be working with someone vwho is direct and honest, and allows me to be the same

I will need to watch myself, to check that I don't take on an area of responsibility that isn't mine, but I do genuinely think that it won't be a problem. I doubt she is going to become perfect, but I'm happy that the positives far outweigh the negatives.