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Anne2.0
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Default Apr 23, 2019 at 07:09 AM
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ashleypenwren View Post
I fell right into the trap and backtracked and more or less poured my heart out saying I was attached and wanted to stay in therapy and the "pulling away" and discussing the end was just posturing.

Then said said, I know. I did that knowing that it would help you see.
I guess I don't see it as an unhealthy kind of manipulation, if indeed it was, because of two things:

1) most destructive manipulation goes something like this (outside therapy, at least I hope): "Sleep with me or I'll break up with you." It's motivated to get something one person doesn't want to give because of the fear it invokes of the punishment from the other. In this case, she manipulated you to see the truth and acknowledge it, that you wanted to stay in therapy. You were the one saying disengenuous things, lying to yourself. I'm not trying to be judgey or critical, just saying, would you have prefered she let you wallow in b.s.?

2. The impact of her words was to help you, not to hurt you. I am lost as to how this could benefit her or how there could be that favorite word, counter transference, involved here. I think her words were more truth than not, because she can't really have a substantial stake in whether you stay in therapy or make progress. I'm sure that is what she wants, because she thinks that it will help you. But the bottom line is that if you want to go, she's got to let you go.

Also, she didn't have to tell you that she knew her words would have the desire effect-- to prompt you to be more open about the truth. This was a level of honesty that she didn't need to up. So she didn't try to "trap" you, as you put it, because traps imply she's trying to cage you up or otherwise harm you, and instead she helped set you free from your own b.s.

However, I also think that it is worthwhile for you to discuss it with her and your upsetness. My guess is your feelings may be prompted by feeling "fooled" by other people in the past. I think you also should connect to your own sense of ownership in the sense that not being straight with your therapist may be more likely to produce these kinds of not-straight responses. You can also say you don't want to be manipulated like this again, as you're the client. But regardless of where you land on what might happen in the future, it seems like a good thing to be thoughtful about how you want to do therapy and what it all means. I think there's a lot to unpack here.
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