[Trace14]

What does that mean to you? I've heard that you should feel safe in a therapist office, do you?

[LostOnTheTrail]

Great topic for a thread, Trace. Feeling safe for me is about knowing that I can say whatever I need to with R (my counsellor) and I will not be judged for it. Feeling safe is about knowing that we don't have to rush through this process, that we can take as long as it takes. I feel safe with R, but knowing I am safe is taking some work.

In session, there's a lot that I want to say, but it all gets caught up and won't come out. I'm still working on situating myself fully in the room in session.

[SoupDragon]

Rationally I know I am safe with T. From past experience T is careful to make sure nothing physically changes in their office as in the past that made me feel unsafe.

[reb569]

I do feel safe in my therapist's office. It's about the only place I really do feel safe. Even home doesn't feel safe to me anymore. Strangely enough, I also feel safe in my daughter's pdoc's office, even though he's not my pdoc. I think its because he has talked me down from anxiety attacks a few times.

[Fuzzybear]

In a therapists office.. no I haven't experienced this ..

[SaharaSon]

Originally Posted by Fuzzybear

In a therapists office.. no I haven't experienced this ..

I feel safest in the wilderness, preferably with lots and lots of really big trees and wild animals. Probably because I grew up in the Sahara...... The further from the white coats the better.

[Trace14]

Right now I'm doing tele-sessions so the therapy office is my home and yes I feel safe here. But when I have to go into their office no. I don't feel safe with the therapist, or the people there.

[reb569]

Originally Posted by SaharaSon

I feel safest in the wilderness, preferably with lots and lots of really big trees and wild animals. Probably because I grew up in the Sahara...... The further from the white coats the better.

At one point in time my "safe place" would be out in the woods near my home. It's definitely not the wilderness, but a similar concept, the trees, the birds, other animals, the breeze. Even my backyard used to have that effect on me, especially when I have my pets out there with me (it's fenced in) and I could just kick back and zone out to all the stress and anxiety. Being able to take a quick swim.

These effects have worn off on me (now primarily the backyard because I have bad knees). I enjoy feeling the sun, but it no longer does anything for me mentally. I still go out there when I can, but the peaceful feelings, the safety, doesn't come to me anymore. I have been depressed, so that may be part of it, but I don't know, this started last year.

So I guess I feel safe with my therapist because she really was the key to helping me get through two crisis situations with my daughter last year, and my daughter's PDoc because, he has been able to talk me down from anxiety attacks about my daughter. Stayed on the phone with me for over a half hour one time when my daughter was in the hospital in October, and about 20 minutes just a few weeks after she got out of the hospital. Also several other conversations have gone way above and beyond what one should expect from a PDoc who is a one man shop, who makes call backs between appointments or during hours when he has no appointments.

[SaharaSon]

Originally Posted by reb569

At one point in time my "safe place" would be out in the woods near my home. It's definitely not the wilderness, but a similar concept, the trees, the birds, other animals, the breeze. Even my backyard used to have that effect on me, especially when I have my pets out there with me (it's fenced in) and I could just kick back and zone out to all the stress and anxiety. Being able to take a quick swim.

These effects have worn off on me (now primarily the backyard because I have bad knees). I enjoy feeling the sun, but it no longer does anything for me mentally. I still go out there when I can, but the peaceful feelings, the safety, doesn't come to me anymore. I have been depressed, so that may be part of it, but I don't know, this started last year.

So I guess I feel safe with my therapist because she really was the key to helping me get through two crisis situations with my daughter last year, and my daughter's PDoc because, he has been able to talk me down from anxiety attacks about my daughter. Stayed on the phone with me for over a half hour one time when my daughter was in the hospital in October, and about 20 minutes just a few weeks after she got out of the hospital. Also several other conversations have gone way above and beyond what one should expect from a PDoc who is a one man shop, who makes call backs between appointments or during hours when he has no appointments.

Reb,
I hear you. Point well made. I would not be alive on several occasions were it not for some very sharp docs , no doubt about it. There are alot of extraordinary medical personel out there. God bless the healers.
Shalom.

[Unrigged64072835]

I feel safe in my therapist's office. He's a gentle soul for the most part. I also feel safe with my pdoc, though with them changing it might be different. I usually feel safe when my husband is around. And, surprisingly enough, at my hairdresser's booth. That's about it.