Quote:
Originally Posted by Apteryx
How can I expect somebody to respect me if I display emotion in front of them at a regular basis? Not to mention when I tell him all the shameful stuff I think I will have to tell him? And if he doesn't respect me I don't see how I could tell him things. I'm not sure if that's another sign of weakness in me, but there it is at any rate. I don't expect that he'll like me, and by "respect" I don't mean that I expect him to think particularly highly of me, but I want to be seen as a potentially well-functioning adult, capable of making good decisions and able to deal with my emotions. Simply put, I don't want him to despise me.
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Absolutely, I recognize that in myself. In one of my very first sessions, I talked to T about it. He assured me (and has repeatedly shown with his actions) that his respect can't be diminished one tiny bit by any display of my emotions. In fact, I think he respects me more now than he did in the beginning, in part because I have been willing to let my guard down with him and he knows that happens with very few people.
Really, talking to him about is the way to go. I know it's hard. Almost everything about therapy is hard. But I think you'll find it very reassuring if you do.