Quote:
Originally Posted by SkyscraperMeow
I think the very fact that so much emphasis is put on boundaries in therapy is both a) indicative of how infantalizing it can be (with the therapist putting in firm rules and explaining them much like you would to a small child) and b) strong evidence for how much power they have.
There's no other relationship where you'd tolerate someone having this many 'boundaries'. In fact, if anyone acted like a therapist did, you'd probably recommend they get therapy! Therapists actually act like prize weirdos most of the time.
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I laughed when I read your reply, thanks.
But then I thought--lots of things we do in therapy would seem freakish, unnatural, or just strange. had they occurred outside of therapy (eg, discussing, examining one tiny little thought for 1/2 hour in all it's possible meanings; talking about the meaning of a sexual fantasy or a dream).
Luckily, none of my recent therapists used the word 'boundary' in such discussions, although we recently had a discussion about my need to contact him more often than I should.
But yeah, some of these conversations can sound like a grade school teacher to his 2nd grade class! Actually, I had a boss talk to her staff like how you described. But not my therapists.
In therapy, many things, including interactions of the relationship, are put under a microscope and examined in ways we'd never imagine doing in relationships outside of therapy. I think some may benefit from such discussions. I am not one...we naturally learned each others' boundaries as in non-therapy relationships. They were not 'explicitly' stated. It is more of a learning experience when it happens that way, imo.