Virtual/Video/Telehealth Sessions

[Wendell_R]

There's a new side effect of therapy.

Glad you caught it early! I'm lucky that my body has an immediate and painful reaction as soon as a tick bites me, so the few I've had I've gotten off me quickly.

 

[Rainman8772]

There's a new side effect of therapy.

Glad you caught it early! I'm lucky that my body has an immediate and painful reaction as soon as a tick bites me, so the few I've had I've gotten off me quickly.

I spray my pants with permithin but had one I missed that stayed a couple days on the backside of my leg at the crease of my ass cheek. Usually get a few that I sweep off my clothes while walking. Now have a nice red bullseye on my leg. With a 102 degree Fahrenheit fever to go with it.

 

[whiteraven]

I officially hate this. My T thinks we should put big stuff aside (like why I'm triggered wearing a mask, which is a necessary thing any time I go out) while we're doing therapy online, which means all we talk about it how the week went. Truthfully, I don't want to talk about it, but if I don't do it now I won't at all. That's not being difficult; when I have something that is bothersome and don't address it right away, I forget about it or don't see any point. It's like, if it's not bothering me when someone wants to discuss it, it's invisible to me. These online sessions are worthless to me.

 

[Skywatcher]

@whiteraven I have that same mask issue. My therapist also didn’t want to go there even though it keeps popping up. Luckily, I have other family that can do most of the shopping/mask wearing. I’m just trying to work up to more than 20 minutes wearing a mask to handle some basic lab work and eventually, attending therapy in person. Today, we did a flash emdr containment exercise. I put the trauma related to masks in the “container.” Now I’m dealing with panic waves and jumpiness. I hope that your therapist will figure out some sort of method to help you cope.

 

[Warrior Chicken]

I’m on the same train @whiteraven.
Had a lovely several weeks of numb and dropped every healing routine/support I’ve gathered over the last few years. Now not seeing a point to working on things.
My brain seems to have chosen right now to deconstruct a difficult memory, one that I don’t know how to talk about at all, and especially not over video or phone.

So, feels a bit like going backwards to how I was for many years. Just surviving. I was committed to learning or at least trying to learn how to thrive. The only option I can fathom at the moment is to arm all my defence systems and keep everyone out.

This phase could pass when things around us change, or could be how we change to adapt to what we’ve become.

I dunno. Wishing you well though, despite all of it.

 

[whiteraven]

I have that same mask issue. My therapist also didn’t want to go there even though it keeps popping up. Luckily, I have other family that can do most of the shopping/mask wearing. I’m just trying to work up to more than 20 minutes wearing a mask to handle some basic lab work and eventually, attending therapy in person. Today, we did a flash emdr containment exercise. I put the trauma related to masks in the “container.” Now I’m dealing with panic waves and jumpiness. I hope that your therapist will figure out some sort of method to help you cope.

I'm sorry you're dealing with the same. Pretty sure I'm going to have to figure it out on my own. Doesn't sound like he's going to be much help on this one. :-)

This phase could pass when things around us change, or could be how we change to adapt to what we’ve become.

I know, right? Glad (but not really) I'm not alone in this.

 

[whiteraven]

Sorry to keep coming back to this. I'm doing therapy every week online and, while it's going ok - no technical issues, no real anxiety - I feel really lousy after and that feeling sticks around for days.

I like the process of online - I normally have to drive 40 min for a 50 min session - and he is doing this pro bono until I get back on my feet. In those regards, I feel very fortunate. We didn't really start talking about anything important until today and it was still surface stuff.

I understand the necessity of these online sessions, but I sometimes feel less "substance." I honestly have no idea how to describe this. When I see him in the office, I have to drive there, he has to drive there, and he's completely focused on me while I'm there. I can see what he's doing, am not worried about family standing outside his door (which is actually not a door, but a curtain), and because we haven't really been dealing with hard stuff, I worry that I'm just sort of an after-thought.

But also struggling with the in-between. And in a much different, more intense way than when I was going into the office.

 

[blackemerald1]

My T has this automated system where I get a number of texts & emails confirming & needing me to re-affirm the appointment date and time. So I can go along with that - she's got other clients who need her. Totally get it. So no sudden cancellations. But unlike my psydoc who sends one text requesting confirmation & a link via email for the 'room'. That's it.

Now, this morning despite four texts saying it's on - it's not. I got that text 10 minutes into trying to connect. ...shrug... technology?? It didn't work so well today.

(which is actually not a door, but a curtain),

^If that's worrying you - and it would worry me. Can you ask for more privacy?

 

[whiteraven]

My T has this automated system where I get a number of texts & emails confirming & needing me to re-affirm the appointment date and time.

Oh wow. In all the decades I've been going to therapy, I've never gotten reminders.

she's got other clients who need her. Totally get it.

And I get this, too, But...I am one of those clients and sometimes I feel dismissed.

Now, this morning despite four texts saying it's on - it's not. I got that text 10 minutes into trying to connect. ...shrug... technology?? It didn't work so well today.

Grrrr. Don't even know what to say about that. :-(

I am not sure how I feel about the curtain. Privacy in terms of my job and my family is critical but in terms of his family? They can't/wouldn't do anything to hurt me (I am of no interest to them) and that's how I tend to judge privacy issues.

 

[whiteraven]

Heard today that my medical doctor is opening his office back up on the 18th. But my T? No. I mean...grrrrr. So frustrated.

 

[Wendell_R]

But my T? No. I mean...grrrrr. So frustrated.

I am trying to imagine how we can possibly go back to in person sessions in the foreseeable future. When we are doing intense EMDR work, I go through a big pile of tissues. Tears and mucus flowing quite a lot. It's hard to see, how in a tiny office, we could keep the virus from flying about.

Maybe we do the intense work virtually and the less intense stuff at her office? That sounds backwards, but it's the only thing I can imagine right now.

Not that it matters immediately--where I live is a COVID-19 hot spot, and we're not going anywhere!

 

[whiteraven]

I am trying to imagine how we can possibly go back to in person sessions in the foreseeable future. When we are doing intense EMDR w

Yeah, good point. But not any more of an issue than with MDs.