Keeping secrets from our T is counter-productive, I think. I reveal all to my T & pdoc. Been with pdoc about 10 years now & she hugs me before I leave after my appt. It is very meaningful to me as I'm not a physically demonstrative person & chafe when others get too close, but somehow the hug is so reassuring that we are in this together & there is hope & we will together figure out my path to healing & a better quality of life.

Funny, my internal med doc (I go to her for treatment of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, pernicious anemia, insulin resistance & for general yearly checkups) was actually kind of cold to me, but I knew she was a thorough & competent doc so I stayed with her. But after I had my OD a year & a half ago (& the hospital reported it to her as she was the doc on my records--I didn't know the hospital would do that), she became MUCH warmer! Who knew--all I had to do was OD & suddenly I became much more interesting than the run-of-the-mill patient, I guess. She even gave me her direct line phone # to call any time.

I think that your sensitivity to your student was amazing. Sometimes I think other vulnerable, sensitive or hurting people can pick up our "vibes" that we are safe to talk to since we have experience in these things.--Suzy