McKell, sometimes I will skip things because when it gets to the moment, that thing is actually as important as I thought it was earlier to talk about, and more pressing things are coming out. So I am always re-prioritizing, even as I sit in T's office. It's impossible to fit everything in a session, so the most in the moment stuff is given priority.
Other times, I skirt an issue based on subtle (or sometimes not so subtle) feedback from T. Sometimes I may raise a topic, or hint at one, and I get vibes from him that he doesn't want to talk about this, so I don't. Sometimes he changes the topic and it can irk me. And then in the future I feel why bother bringing that topic up, he hasn't wanted to talk about it on other occasions. (This whole sequence happens most frequently around my divorce, when sometimes it seems like he is most fixated on wanting to talk about that, as if it is the only thing going on for me.)
Sometimes there are topics I have been embarrassed to talk about or ashamed about (like abuse). I think these shame topics require great trust with the therapist and you shouldn't force them to come out before you and the relationship are secure enough. Just skip over them. Their time will come.
Lately I have felt I have a topic I really want to talk to him about but I am afraid he will think I am a lunatic or starting to lose my mind.
This is a current problem. I have a session today and am torn over whether to tell him this issue.
This is similar to another group of stuff I might not want to talk about--maybe he would think ill of me if I did. But this tended to be earlier in therapy and I am pretty much over this feeling and have shown him many aspects of myself of which I am not proud.
I have also felt on occasion that I shouldn't share certain stuff because I have waived my right to confidentiality and he will go blab it to other people.
And then there is the stuff that I keep from him because he is also my divorce coach and I don't want him to think I am unfit to be a mom.
Wow, the list is endless.