My T doesn't tease me at all. It's interesting a number here have said their T teases them. (makes me wonder now why my T doesn't...) I've realized recently that I tease my daughter a lot and also that she doesn't like it. I don't know why I do it so frequently with her. She is just fun to tease! But I'm trying to lay off because I know she doesn't like it. That just makes me wonder, tigergirl, if your T knows you don't react well to his teasing? I don't think it is an essential piece of therapeutic communication. How would it be if he didn't tease you?

It's interesting to me that your T tries to lighten things up by jesting when things get really intense. I wonder why he feels the need to do that? Usually Ts are better equipped to handle moments of intensity than their clients and are not the first ones to pull away. Usually it is the client who can't tolerate the intensity. I am wondering why he chooses moments of intensity to make jests instead of sitting in the intensity with you. It might make it easier for you to tolerate the intensity if you have him there with you. Just something that struck me as unusual about what you wrote.

In general, I find that the more I think about what a person might have meant or implied, the further I stray from what was their true intention. So it's best if I don't ponder too much what T might have meant, but just save myself some trouble, and ask him the next time I see him. Hearing a person explain what they really meant can help us not misinterpret the next time they say something that sets us wondering.