My Support Forums - View Single Post - Bipolar check-in # 66

May 27, 2022 at 06:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Beth*

Thank you, Rainbow. Your perspective is very helpful to me. It's interesting, and ultimately wonderful, that you ended up really progressing with your second therapist.

I saw a therapist many years ago, was in therapy with him for 6 years. Neither he nor I ever missed sessions. And I mean never; only for his August 2 week vacation. That was through the Veteran's Admin. One day I went in for my usual session - I still remember - Tuesdays at 11 a.m. - and on almost no notice he had been stationed to an entirely different part of the country. We never had a chance to have any closure, at all. That session was our last. It took a long time before I was able to pick up the pieces. But, I had learned a tremendous lot in that therapy, and I made use of it.

One big problem with my therapy with Mary is that she keeps telling me I've made so much progress. Well, yeah, I've made some. A little bit. But every time she says it I want to say, "How could I make REAL progress when every time I start to work on something you disappear for weeks or months?"

It would be amazing to work with a T and make true progress.

Yes, she certainly knows I've been struggling. She thinks that I'll be okay until she gets back if I see 1 or 2 of her colleagues in the meantime. That's what she tells herself. I honestly think she'll be shocked and upset if I leave.

Thank you for reminding me that I don't have to agree to a closure session. That would be poison to me.

It's OK to feel grief over the loss over a therapist. Sometimes it helps to schedule a "me-hour" in the evenings to feel the grief. It is just a suggestion, but a few "me-hours" a week can make it possible to function in other areas at day time. It makes life go forward.

Best wishes!