Thread: Session update
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Old Aug 09, 2007, 05:15 PM
Caramee Caramee is offline
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Member Since: Jun 2007
Posts: 98
Daniel Stern would say your therapist missed a "now" moment in therapy that can never be recovered. I need to dig up some article on that for you.

I'll get on my soap box now. You did absolutely nothing wrong. In fact, any statement of the truth of your feelings is your job and exactly what you must do. I commend your bravery! This is my opinion on what happned on his end: He was misattuned and acted on his feelings of countertransference. Perhaps he felt he was too "encouraging" last time, or perhaps he was momentarily worried when you mentioned qualities of a partner. Whatever the reasons, those are his issues. To deal with them, he resorted, consciously or not, to using "boundaries" which he knew would trigger you. The shame of it was that he did not stay present with you and acknowledge how difficult it would be for you to share such things. Further, he didn't encourage it as it was such an important step and such an act of therapeutic progress. I am sorry that his reaction thwarted that. Therapy should be a safe place for practicing expressing such deep important things and having them met sensitively. You should have had a soft, empathetic landing. It should have deepened your connection and attachment and work. There was so much there he could explore with you, to find out where those feelings come from, how you could use them in other relationships, etc. Instead, he made you shut down and shamed you. I think this happens a lot with therapists who don't have a handle on their own internal feelings and who struggle with being the object of their clients' attachments.

I hope you can tell him how he made you feel. I know that would be hard. I would have had the same reaction you had. I've read a lot of articles about this kind of misattunement. Can I send some to him?

Do not take this on as your fault. Throw it back in his lap where it belongs. I have often asked my T how he would feel if he were in my shoes when he has said something totally asinine. I would tell him you are well aware of the boundaries of the relationship and are not in need of a lecture on that. However, you are in need of reassurance that being connected and attached is acceptable to him.
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