(((((((((((((((((((hangingon))))))))))))))))))))))

I hate when something that "seems" small FEELS so big in therapy....I have been there so many times

I don't know what you should do...whether you should give her the letter, or just talk about your mom today. Both things seem to be pushing at you.

For me, I usually address that kind of thing with my T, and it takes us where we need to go. If his response isn't helpful, I TELL HIM, and we go from there. It totally sucks, and things don't always get resolved during that session, and it's hard. But for me, if the relationship and the connection aren't totally secure and solid, I can't really work on anything else anyway.

I keep thinking that maybe she has never left a message like that before...maybe no one has asked for that...so perhaps it's outside of her experience, and she didn't "get" that it would feel different from an e-mail. My guess is that she felt like an e-mail would give you the same sort of thing that a phone message would (obviously, she was wrong). Maybe she's not comfortable leaving messages, and it's something she won't do (like so many Ts who don't do e-mails). I know my T HATES doing e-mails, and will often respond to an e-mail with a phone message (when I really prefer writing and reading, and would rather have an e-mail in some of those moments). He strongly prefers talking over writing. I wonder if you can somehow back up and look at the possibility that it's not personal...just something she doesn't DO?

I really, really hope your session gives you what you need today. Will you let us know how it goes??