Therapist Vacations

[josephc]

My therapist is leaving for vacation for the next two weeks. Pathetic on me to be upset afraid she is not coming back. I know she is coming back If she has anything to say about it. It is not like it has not happened before.

There have been two weeks in a row where I did not see her and not be upset. This time the sub personalities/fragments have been stirred up for weeks. Waking me up to write things. Coming out in session with her. Fighting with each other. Breaking rules that in the past would get them in trouble.

She (my therapist) gained my trust and the trust of the younger parts. The younger parts are breaking rules around disclosing feelings to T. Acting in ways that T has ok'd, thumbing their nose, flipping off the parts who normally bully them.

My T has empowered them to be allowed to be seen. I know I will survive but that does not change how I/they are feeling scared about her being away.

I promised myself not to text her on her vacation. Part of why I came to this site. The only ironic part of all of this is she is vacationing in Australia where I learned today this website is home at. I just had to get this out from between my ears.

 

[KrispyKreme]

Welcome Joseph!

I am so happy for you that you have a good T :) You are all very lucky that she is so good to you.

I am sorry you are having hard time that she is gone. Maybe if any of you feel the need to tell her something, you can draft a text or email and only send it when she comes back.

Wishing you luck.

Feel free to reach out here.

KK

 

[wolfie205]

Hey there Joseph! I know how hard it is when our therapists go on vacation but hang in there! My T is away for a month so I still have at least 2 weeks to go before I get to see her again. As much as I don't want to be dependent on my T, I really miss her when she's gone. Its hard though, dealing with PTSD alone, so you don't have to! There's a great community on here that's been really helpful to me so I hope you find the same help and support too :)

 

[maddog]

Hi Joseph, and welcome to the forum, where you will find lots of empathy and support and online company which will hopefully help you at least a little during the time that your therapist is away.

It's absolutely absolutely normal to feel anxiety and concern and turmoil when a stable safe therapist goes away. There are countless threads here on the forum, of various types, all discussing the same thing, which isn't to minimise your own personal experience, but just to reassure you that in spite of how many of us often feel, it is nothing to be ashamed or uncomfortable about. It is actually a positive, though a difficult, indication that you have a good and trustworthy therapist with whom you have formed a strong rapport, and that's a good thing.

Were you able to discuss your concerns with her before she left, including any tips or tools to help you manage the time until she's back? Many people have many different coping strategies, including writing letters or e-mails about current feelings or challenges (which you may or may not send) and focusing as much as possible on soothing and self care activities or positive distractions.

The forum is a great place to come and share during this time too, so I would really encourage you to do that if it feels safe and comfortable for you to do so.

Maddog

 

[Hashi]

Sympathy and support from me too. I hate therapy breaks. At the moment I've got only a one session/two-week gap (as opposed to your two session/three-week gap) and that's bad enough.

I find it very helpful to write emails to my therapist when she's away, only to write them and not to send them. It helps me get my feelings out. Posting on the forum too, is good.

The good news about missing therapists while they're on holiday is that it means we must be getting something out of seeing them. If we didn't miss them at all, that would be a bad sign! But it's tough, and I hope the time goes quickly for you.

 

[josephc]

Thank you KrispyKreme. She has been very good to me/us. Better than we/us have been to each other.

It must be hard Wolfie. A month thou is passing. You are half way there.:tup:


Maddog, I do see in various threads here where others have or are experiencing the same situation. It isn't that it has not happend before. There have been three T's before her. I see them like stairs. Each only able to enable me to go up as far as I am willing and capable at the time.

Hashi, I will write stuff in my journal. If I do text or email I might hit the send button. She would deal with it. In side thou some of the parts would be very upset. Way worse then now including me.:nailbiting: