I think that we all bring experience and knowledge with us in to the room via private or organized education or experience in life. If we were to limit ourselves to the therapy room itself the journey would be slow and not as expansive as if we work outside of the room. We indeed have our own experiences but I suppose I have been in more of an analytic environment that deals alot with what is going on within the room itself as well as what is going on outside the room. In early therapy with this pdoc he made it known that he thought that the drink I brought in with me was a defense. So.... for years... I stopped bringing a drink to facilitate our relationship...and to make it more genuine with fewer limitations. Simple things but oh so important.

I recall there was a time that I was telling him I was so dedicated that I would even stop wearing the jewelry that I wore while in session. Now we then thought that that was interesting but he said... go with it ...so for years I did not wear jewelry except for earrings...and when feeling incredibly bad or in need I would even take off the earrings. That, to me, was telling him that I would basically be "naked" in order to best be seen or bring in the least encumbrances...left my purse in the car...still generally do..and just bring in the keys. Him and I ... and our psyches..... at work... alone.

So... this analytic environment is where I came to the conclusions that I have... I actually began learning this way years before professional services....with family connections and college with Social Work major with Psych and Soc background as well. So it is not a matter of a lack of knowledge or experience or sometimes knowing what is or is not happening in there. Though I do not often know... and that is sometimes a good thing...lol...as the goal is to learn through the soul, the gut, the emotional brain.

It is a matter of developing trust and a connection with my pdoc and experiencing what is going on with just us...eyeball to eyeball ... gut to gut without defenses in the room or diversions to water down what is going on.

I think that if taking a book in to session is what works for you then go for it BUT it might be interesting to see what a session might be like without all of that protection and barrier with you. Could just be an interesting experiment.