I love therapy. I love it to bits. My therapist is kind and funny, and brings me out of my shell. Sometimes, though, she puts me on the defensive. I’m going to talk to her about it today, but I wanted to share with you guys while it’s on my mind.
Sometimes, at the end of the session, she tells me how I feel, or how I will feel later. Things like, “This was a hard session, so you’ll be depressed tonight, and that’s okay.” If her wording was just a little different, it would be great! I want her to go from telling me how I feel to telling me how I might feel.
This small change can make all the difference. Preparing me for negative emotions is a great tool, and one I value regularly. But predicting my emotions puts me on the defensive. If she says I will be depressed, my brain instantly says, “la-la-la-la-can’t-hear-you. You-don’t-know-me-ho!” All the hard work we put into the session has now been blown because my brain had to re-embrace my defensiveness and anxiety. #NotCool
So today, I talk to her about it. Finding a good therapist is a pain in the ass. I like her, and I want it to work. #FingersCrossed
zooey
Rory