Quote:
Originally Posted by comrademoomoo
On a less sentimental note, LT is it possible to make a bit of room (pardon the pun) for feelings other than anxiety, dread, apprehension about the office move? I don't mean this to minimise the emotional disturbance you feel now because I think it points to really important stuff, but anxiety so often dwarfs other feelings and will muscle out other possibilities. On a really basic level, the physiological effects of anxiety (racing heart and breath, butterflies, agitation, etc) can also indicate excitement and anticipation and sometimes I think we ascribe anxiety when something else might be happening as well. I don't mean that you are incorrect in how you feel or that you should look on the bright side (ugh), but I imagine that you might have the capacity to feel curious and interested about the room as well as anxious. I think I mean something like seeing the whole picture of your emotions rather than allowing anxiety to have a reductive impact.
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Thanks, Comrade. I am a bit curious as to how he'll opt to decorate the office, though he said it should have a very similar feel to it with many of the same items. (I was afraid he'd opt for some totally different theme/vibe.) I doubt the fish will make the cut, but maybe I'll be pleasantly surprised.
And I think if this all goes OK, like if I adjust in a relatively short period of time and realize he's the same person (some may say that's a negative!) and that the therapeutic relationship is the same, maybe it will help me understand that this sort of change isn't the end of the world and that I'm capable of handling such things (as life is full of change).
That was a terrible sentence, but hopefully my point comes across! Also, aside from the initial conflict about the fish, Dr. T has been very patient with me and supportive about the move, despite having plenty of his own stress about it. I forget whether I shared this, but he said the other day that he feels like he's an ship captain in the 1800s trying to steer the ship through a hurricane. How I'm on the ship, as well as other clinicians (like R) who are moving with him (and presumably other clients, though he didn't mention them). But he's the only one who can steer it, and he only has some control. It helped that he shared that. Made it feel more like we're in it together, plus acknowledging his own stress (without diminishing mine).