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Originally Posted by Elio
Which is why my T doesn't subscribe to the ones a week 50 min format. She does do the hour format, and meets with people as many times a week as she feels is appropriate and agreed upon. As well as allowing for outside contact for those she feels would be helpful. My T says yes as much as she feels is appropriate with me. She doesn't say yes all the time and she rarely offers things - I have to ask for pretty much anything/everything. Currently we have daily contact - email or session. She recently took a week off and didn't mention anything about our emails - I had to ask her about them.
I have found that talking about things - events, feelings... whatevers does seem to change them. Often it's not a one and done thing, I seem to need to talk about them from several different places/parts depending on the event/impact and so on. And sometimes, for me, it's been about sitting with the grieving part, without talking about it.
Has it been retraumatizing?? at times I think it has felt that way when in the middle of the mess. I think seeing her multiple times a week has helped move through things in a way that kept it from becoming retraumatizing. (my opinion on how things have felt for me)
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This has been my experience too. We have an hour's session a week and often two if the need arises and I can afford it. T also offers contact in between sessions although it isn't unlimited and she only gives short, to the point replies. But all of this helps me retain a sense of her being around which settles the younger parts of me that struggle.
I've also found that talking about the feelings and needs and associated events/experiences where relevant is the key to lessening their intensity and working through them. I'm much more aware of a consistent adult in sessions with her and not such intense need which is very different to how it was when I started with her. When the needs do arise from a younger place, it is very noticeable and we work with them.
In the past I've only ever had 50 minutes with therapists and very little or no contact in between sessions and while the sessions were helpful, I only ever got so far.
Everyone is different and for some extra sessions and in between contact might make everything worse/ more traumatising. I can only add my experience that rigid 50 minute weekly sessions seemed to hinder me. Of course, the nature of the relationship with the therapist will make a huge difference too.
Therapy certainly can be re-traumatising if the needs and feelings aren't being worked through in a caring, compassionate and understanding way, at a pace that feels manageable.