nightfalls Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 (edited) Why does the therapist ask SO many questions regarding the "whole" sinario with info details about SI or thoughts it feels like to much info to give, like it really doesn't matter the full out story does it? Edited February 5, 2009 by nightfalls Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted February 5, 2009 Report Share Posted February 5, 2009 Hi nightfals,Yes, the questions do matter and that is why the therapist asks them. If they make you feel uncomfortable then tell the therapist. Tell the therapist what is on your mind. That is what therapy is about.Allan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paula Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 I am due to see my therapist for the first time on Tuesday! I would appreciate any feedback on the first visit if its not to much to ask for? EG What sort of questions am I looking at, that they may fire at me? what do I do?If it's anything like my Psychiatrist, then it should be fun! All we do is sit there and twiddle our thumbs. I won't tell him anything, that is my problem! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ASchwartz Posted February 6, 2009 Report Share Posted February 6, 2009 Hi Paula,Any good therapist will not "fire questions" at you but will talk to you and want to know how her or she can be of help. Of course, a lot depends upon what type of therapy the therapist uses, be it Cognitive Behavioral or Psychodynamic, etc. You have to wait and see but I doubt very much that it will be like seeing your psychiatrist. You have mentioned anger and depression and so, one of the things you can do is start by talking about those, if you want to. It is really up to the patient to decide the goals they want to achieve for themselves.Can others help out with explaining to Paula and reassuring her?Allan:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catmom Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Hopefully Paula will end up "clicking" with her new therapist and feeling truly understood by him/her. That is what happened to me in my relationship with my therapist and this has allowed me to use his input to take my life to a better place than I could have dreamed of a few years ago when I started seeing him.In saying this, I certainly don't want to give the impression that every session is delightful and pleasurable. Indeed, lately he has been giving me some honest feedback that is not easy for me to hear but because I have developed a deep level of trust in him, I can consider it without rejecting it out of hand.I am deeply grateful to have this relationship because I know of no other person in my life who would have the guts to tell me what I need to hear even though it is somewhat painful.This level of trust takes time to develop. Perhaps the best Paula can hope for right now is to at least have a little hope that this new therapist might be able to help her.Catmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 This level of trust takes time to develop. Perhaps the best Paula can hope for right now is to at least have a little hope that this new therapist might be able to help her.So very true. Paula, don't expect the moon right away. What you want to do is to emerge from the first few sessions feeling like the therapist is a decent person, someone potentially trustworthy, or that what is being recommended for you makes sense to you and feels like the right thing to do. It takes a while in any relationship before you can put weight on it and talk about stuff that maybe needs to be talked about but which is frightening to talk about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Posted February 7, 2009 Report Share Posted February 7, 2009 Nightfalls, The prospect of a client/patient committing suicide is awful to most therapists. They want to do what they can do to keep you safe, and that generally includes asking a lot of questions. Generally by the time the quetsions are being asked, you'd probably prefer to forget about the whole thing, but that is how you feel and you need to remember that therapy is a relationship; though one with you as the focus, it is not exclusively about your needs alone. The motivates the therapist may have could include genuine fear for your safety, desire to identity signs of SI in the future, or themes to explore that could reduce (possibly) SI in the future, and concern over being able to document what is happening sufficiently so that if a court of law ever demanded the therapy record that other therapists would look at your therapist's actions and say that she or he was doing the stuff she/he was supposed to be doing. Mark Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightfalls Posted February 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 8, 2009 OK thank you for your reply, Mark I see what you are saying, that makes sence. You are right to say that some of the things are past the time zone so it feels of no point to bring up to me, but I see the conection for future orientedness. It is my feelings of "they think I'm a iddiot" that makes me not want to say a thing, but you can't really get help or feel at all better when you remain silent.Paula, I hope your first appt. go's well I hope you feel comfortable with the T. I find alot of the first questions revolve around what is going on, history, stress in life, meds tried, why you are there ( I hate that question) so open, always makes me feel and think "ok maybe I should not be here, or see even he thinks I really don't need this!" it feels weird to have to say why you think you need therapy. I find the begining hard because of all the questions, that is where I am at the very beginning and so we are just getting to know each other and so I've had to go back and say the whole bit leading up to this. Anyways let us know how it go's, when is the appt.?thanks again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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