Oh man a couple months ago I had to back off a topic because my therapist was obviously about to cry and just barely holding it together… I’m trans and was talking about my worries with how the US is going. They have trans kids and I think my concerns were hitting close to home for them. It was a difficult session for everyone x.x
In some countries it’s actually required for therapists to periodically see a therapist. To avoid getting retraumatized by their patients trauma and such
Unironically a good idea. I saw a lot of therapists as a kid, and many of them were more fucked up than I was.
I had one trying to help me “recover” memories of CSA by vividly describing her own experiences of CSA. 80% of the therapy I do now is to recover from therapy then.
I’m stuck at the tutorial boss (“how does that make you feel?”)
To this day I don’t understand this. My therapist used to ask this so many times and every time I was like:?? In my brain??? Where thoughts and feelings live???
Can someone explain?
Edit: the fact that you nice people here were able to make me understand this question and my therapist did not reinforces why I stopped going!
There’s definitely some physical manifestations of your strongest emotions. Strong feelings of fear or anger trigger musclular reactions in your belly, strong feelings of anxiety or tension in your neck, love and contentment in your chest, etc.
Perhaps they were trying to find those physical connections to gauge the emotion or intensity?
I think we sometimes tend to forget that our physical brain lives in a physical body, and the “abstract” thoughts and feelings we experience are very much physiological processes as well. The question aims at reminding us of this fact, drawing attention to any potential psychosomatic responses your body might exhibit to strong emotions. It is easy to repress awareness for these, so to me it makes sense for the therapist to try and dig a little deeper. They’re not doing it to annoy you, they’re trying to help you become aware of (or be more mindful of) your feelings and how they affect the physical body that is experiencing them.
It’s the physical manifestation thing. It also helps you try to be more mindful of your feelings. For instance, if you normally feel anxiety in your jaw, and you find your jaw tightening again in whatever situation you find yourself in, you might see if you can slow down and think of your next steps. Why am I feeling anxious? Should I take a break?
This only really made sense to me for the emotions that I strongly felt physically, like anxiety so bad I would get tunnel vision. For smaller physical reactions, not so much.
I was always annoyed by this question for the same reasoning. However, as another person already said, you can sometimes feel it in some part of the body. When feeling bad, it feels like pressure in my stomach, there a a few other.such connections. Now I find it somewhat useful as part of mindfullness.
I do still get annoyed when asked this question, partly because whenever he asks the question i do not feel it anywhere, also it seems irrelevant. But the main reason is probably defiance that this seemingly stupid question of him was sensible all along. So much I had to write this response.
unironically sat 2 hours in pure silence because there were no other inputs from both sides. so i rather just sit the silence out in isolation
I did this too! Started out as a “test” or temper tantrum, but afterwards it felt so safe he didn’t start talking, that it really was a space where I was in control.
Stupid clever therapist.
So if you lose therapy … you’re going to need therapy for that
I’ve been told by my therapist I have the worst case she has ever seen. Yes I’m winning it ;)
I made my therapist lose her shits, because I sat in her chair once.
The arrangement was a small table and two identical chairs on either side, with no indication who has to sit where, other than how we’d usually do it and no clear instructions.
She couldn’t handle it and couldn’t let it go weeks after that session.
Am I winning?
Username chacks out. You gave her an aunerism.
Edit: on a serious note that’s crazy. Like she should have fixed her issues
One of big hurdles with therapy is finding a therapist that won’t gaslight me with capitalist propaganda when I express political or career angst. Being well adjusted to an insane system is not the goal I’m looking for.
This really depends on where you are located and what degree/license the therapist has.
For example, I’m a licensed clinical social worker in the Denver metro area. I got a ton of education on the issues of power, oppression, and privilege in grad school. All my colleagues are aware of those issues and would fully support you in your view.
But go South, and it becomes harder to find a therapist who is aware and won’t push god and religion on you.
In general, if you want more anti-capitalist therapists, lean towards social workers and check out the https://www.inclusivetherapists.com/ directory.
