</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
chaotic13 said:
</font><blockquote><div id="quote"><font class="small">Quote:</font>
Simcha said:
People that know you and love you would not ignore requests for emotional support by denying it, so we can rule out the thought that they might be withholding support so that you can "reach within" or whatnot. That type of person doesn't have your best interests at heart.
</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
I'd like to challenge this statement. Several people have made comments that their T's will not respond unless they explicitly state... I WANT/NEED A REPLY. T's that require this are in fact denying/ ignoring a patient's request for support simply because it was not in the "correct" form. In my case I have always comforted myself and have rarely sought support from others. I am trying hard to resist my tendency to withdraw and hide from others. However I often get confused about when I am suppose to reach out and when I am expected to manage things myself. I think it is this confusion that makes my requests for support less direct. I don't know it just seem like at least initially any attempt to seek a connection in times of need would be initially reinforced and then of course later refined into a more appropriate request.
I think IF my T read my email, there is no doubt in my mind that she was well aware that a simple reply would have help me a lot. So I am asking myself... Why would she make me beg for it?
</div></font></blockquote><font class="post">
<font color="blue">You really are talking about your T only then?
I haven't heard of emailing T's before I'd read threads in PC here... I still do not think it is that widespread. I would imagine this would be a tricky situation for them.
If a T has boundary rules and such in order not to reinforce dependency on the therapist, then I can understand why emails from patients have to be formatted in a specific way... especially considering that in my experience, therapists are busy bees. So much is lost in translation in an email, I would imagine a certain amount of directness is required to determine the immediacy of a situation.
I wish I had a better answer for you.
</font>