My Support Forums - View Single Post - Bipolar check-in #71

Moose72 · Dec 11, 2022 at 06:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by *Beth*

I'm hoping some of you see this and will give me an opinion. I could post on the Psychotherapy board but you guys know me here and I don't want pages of opinions, just a bit of feedback.

I mentioned, a page or 2 back, about my most recent session with Mary (therapist). She spent 3/4+ of the session talking about her cat, the vet visit, the high cost of the vet care, how she had to "dip into her savings," and that she thought of me and what would I do because she knows I don't have the money for that kind of care for my cats. (She's correct and she knows how much that worries me.)

I was terribly upset (triggered) by the session, her personal disclosure was not only common, but very inappropriate. I sat there, frozen. I left upset, I'm still upset. I'm scheduled to see Mary tomorrow. I don't want to go to the appointment. I'm tired of setting out for a session with an agenda of topics I want to discuss only to spend the session listening to Mary chat about her personal stuff, as if I'm her girlfriend.

I could go tomorrow and tell her that the session was very upsetting for me. I could take a break and cancel. It's a bit ridiculous, because her birthday is Thursday and she will be working. I'd feel weird to skip tomorrow then go in on Thursday and bring up such a negative issue on her birthday.

I'd appreciate hearing any ideas. Thanks.

I had a case manager like that- she only wanted to chat with me like we were best friends and not do any work. I couldn't bring up the important topics that I needed to discuss because she would come back with stuff about her day or week or whatever. I wouldn't worry about it being Mary's birthday. You're not responsible to celebrate that with her. That should be her private issue. I don't think I've ever had my PDOC or a therapist or case manager tell me it was their birthday nevermind expect me to celebrate it with them. That must be very frustrating for you to have you list of important things you'd like to discuss and to have Mary sitting there talking about her cat!

I think you need to mention these things to her, or nothing is going to change.