[Indie'sOK]

Hey everyone,

I know I haven't been around much, so I probably shouldn't start a thread of my own Ok, I'm sure we've had a thread about this topic before, so I apologize for bringing it up again. But I was at Walmart tonight getting dinner with my mom, walking through the isles alone. I swore I saw my T, and then my heart did a few backflips until I realized it wasn't her. After that, I couldn't get it off my mind, because I saw a few more women that I thought were her. You know that kind of anxiety that feels like your whole body is sweating? I felt that as well as really panicky for a while until I found my mom and headed back with her. Has anyone had this happen before? When I thought I saw her, I almost had a heart attack!

[zooropa]

yes! I have never SEEN my T, but I've thought I've seen her, or more often I think I see her driving, and it causes as similar physical reaction in me, too. If I ever did see her in a public place I don't know what'd I'd do, but it would freak me OUT, I know that. I don't even know why, really.

[Indie'sOK]

Originally Posted by zooropa

yes! I have never SEEN my T, but I've thought I've seen her, or more often I think I see her driving, and it causes as similar physical reaction in me, too. If I ever did see her in a public place I don't know what'd I'd do, but it would freak me OUT, I know that. I don't even know why, really.

I know, it would freak me out too! Weirdest thing that happened was this: one night after my appointment with her, my family and I went to Target. I went into the dressing room to try on a pair of jeans, and heard my mom talking with a woman outside. This woman sounded exactly like my T. I could feel the heat rising to my face because I was embarrased and didn't know if I should stay in the room or go out and say hi. I went out, but luckily it wasn't her. I spent the rest of the time looking for her, until my mom told me in the car that it wasn't actually her. I don't know why it would either, I think it would just be very awkward.

[lily99]

I swore I saw my T, and then my heart did a few backflips until I realized it wasn't her.

I know this feeling so well. Can't help but feel like an over-excitable puppy when it happens. Once I went to the park and I saw a woman who looked just like her sitting with her 2 kids - a baby girl and a toddler boy (just like her kids). The mother was playing with her children and cuddling them. Although I knew it wasn't her, it triggered all these jealous, needy emotions in me that definitely flowed over into sessions.

So yeah, I know how strong those reactions can be

[imapatient]

I cna rlte compeltely. I've had intense feelings like yours many times. It's tough in the oment, isn't it?

[mightaswelllive]

I know this terrible/funny feeling all too well. My first T has a very common momish haircut and I still sometimes think I see her and I don't even live in the same city as her anymore! It's so ridiculous.

[rainbow8]

I can identify with those feelings very well, but I've had to overcome them, sort of, because I DO see my T in real life. You probably know this by reading my posts.

By actually seeing her, talking with her, and seeing her as a "real person", I've gotten used to the fact that she actually IS a real person, and that I can say "hello" and interact with her briefly in RL. It's been a major part of my termination of therapy process. It's recently been a major part of my therapy, too, since I was majorly triggered seeing her with her grandchildren.

I think that panicky feeling is normal, but if it is something you could discuss with your T, maybe it would help. Just talking about it with her might make it less traumatic. Maybe knowing how she would react if it was really her. My T asked me early in therapy how I wanted her to act when she saw me in RL. She said some people don't want her to say hello, but to ignore them, and that's all right with her. She doesn't want to embarrass anyone. I'm the opposite. I feel very hurt if she doesn't talk to me when I see her, and I don't care if others guess that she's my T because I'm not ashamed of that fact.

[crystalrose]

hi i actually saw my pdoc at the beach with other people and some children. I don't know if she saw me but i freaked out and walked straight past. In a way i wish that she did see me and say hi but she never would, she takes my privacy very seriously.

[polarsmom]

I know if I saw my T outside the office I probably would feel nervous. I would probably give a quick smile with a little nod hello. My guess is that my T doesn't want to be noticed or want to chit-chat either. If he approached me to say hello I'd be fine with that if I was alone. I don't want to explain to someone I'm with how I know him.

I felt the same way when I saw my OB/GYNE while shopping at Kohl's. We both grinned and did the little nod hello but left it at that.

my t sees me around more than i see her...i drive a big huge obnoxious van...she a station wagon so i'm a lot more noticeable! we shop at alot of the same stores so yeah she has seen me and tells me...my main concern is that i'm not doing anything stupid.

if i saw her i'd like to think i'd be okay and not run screaming into the hills or anything.

about seeing her in walmart...i just hope i wouldn't see her in any of those "people of walmart" pix that make their way around the internet every once and awhile of fashion faux pas and such...now that would certainly screw me up if i saw my t in one of those pix...shopping in white sweat pants with smiley bikini undies shining thru and some other weird top that left way too much t skin exposed!

my friends call those folks and pix "walmartians"

DISCLAIMER: i like walmart. i shop there. i maybe even like martians..but don't know if i've ever actually met one or not. i like my t. not real fond of smiley white bikini undies with big smiley faces on them (big big butt..it would look like a billboard on me...sorry). not fond of white swests...2 dogs, muddy feet...why bother.

no offense meant to any of the above mentioned people, clothing stores, etc.


stumpy

[Dinah]

My therapist lived very near me for several years, so I had to keep an eye out for him at all the stores we both frequented. But the worst time was the first time.

I'd just gone in for psychological testing, and now that it was over, I was curious what it meant. I was in Barnes and Noble with a huge armful of Psych books when I heard a familiar voice.

I ran like a frightened rabbit, ditching the books on the nearest shelf, and practically leaping obstacles on the way to the door.

It was indeed him. The next time I saw him I figured I'd better 'fess up, since he may well have seen my flight. He hadn't seen me.

Since then I saw him several times, but he never once saw me. I suppose my radar is more finely tuned than his. I figured out which vehicle was his, and checked parking lots to make sure I didn't go to where he was.

I *hated* sharing a drugstore with him. There are things at a drugstore that I just didn't want him to see me buy, and that I didn't want to see him buy.

[MickG]

This thread is sort of funny in that it is amazing how much our therapists can unnerve us if seen outside of the office setting.

If you think seeing your therapist out and about is creepy try seeing someone you’ve been in hospital with outside of that setting. It was very uncomfortable and to this day I’m not certain if my discomfort is due to us having been in the same psychiatric unit or the fact that they saw me in Walmart.

We smiled at each other by the way.

When I was in college, I babysat for a professor who was going out for the evening. Guess who he was going out with? My pdoc. He and his wife came in and we chatted for a bit. A little awkward. He also took his daughter to Burger King on Sundays after church when I used to work there. After awhile, I got used to it.

I've never run into my therapist. That actually surprises me because we live near each other. I don't think it would bother me though. We've known each other a long time.

[Indie'sOK]

Originally Posted by stumpy

...i drive a big huge obnoxious van...

LOL !! .......

[crystalrose]

don't know if i should tell pdoc i saw her on the beach. I'm afraid. What do you tink? I feel as though i was being invasive, i told my friend this and she said "you weren't to know that pdoc was gonna be there,"

[TayQuincy]

I saw my T standing in line at the movie theater! I immediately pretended I didn't see her and rushed through (she was several people behind me). Then I couldn't concentrate on the movie because I kept wondering if she was seeing the same movie as I was, and it was dark so I was wondering if she was sitting nearby. I felt very self conscious!

Originally Posted by IndieSoul

LOL !! .......

.i drive a big huge obnoxious van

okay...really its this huge...biggest conversion van ever made...teal and white monstrousity...that is now covered with bumper stickers......so much so that the other t's where my t works go out and read it to relax...i'll come out and find them standing around reading it and laughing...they'll comment on which ones they like or any new ones etc. (all time faves so far are "spay and neuter your pets & weird friends & relatives too" & "so eve had 3 faces & sybil had a few personalities...freakin' amatuers!" & save the ta ta's" ) it's pretty funny actually to find all these t's surrounding your van and laughing about it.

i stopped at my friend's day care center where i sometimes teach special classes ande the little kids all recognize it...they line the playground and yell..."miss stumpy's van is here! miss stumpy's van is here!" and the "is buster here?" (the singing basset hound)

so yeah the van is really obnoxious...i can never stalk anyone with it...i'm sure t sleeps better at night knowing that...i on the other hand have told her that i don't because she sees me all the time so i tell her SHE IS STALKING ME!

stumpy

[Indie'sOK]

Originally Posted by stumpy

okay...really its this huge...biggest conversion van ever made...teal and white monstrousity...that is now covered with bumper stickers......so much so that the other t's where my t works go out and read it to relax...i'll come out and find them standing around reading it and laughing...they'll comment on which ones they like or any new ones etc. (all time faves so far are "spay and neuter your pets & weird friends & relatives too" & "so eve had 3 faces & sybil had a few personalities...freakin' amatuers!" & save the ta ta's" ) it's pretty funny actually to find all these t's surrounding your van and laughing about it.

That is too funny!!

[deliquesce]

oh stumpy, i wish i could see pics!!!

i have never seen any of my Ts/pdoc about. i think the only person i would be awkward with is old-T because we terminated under bad circumstances.

austin-T was telling me about this recent nightclub he'd gone to. i used to go there frequently a few years ago. i think it would be hilarious if we ran into eachother there.

[googley]

My first T I ever saw (when I was a teenager,) I would sometimes see her around her office before my session. It was her lunch or whatever. I would have some free time since I came directly from school. Whenever I saw her I quickly left whatever store I was in to avoid her. Once I saw my Pdoc on the subway platform. He walked past me and said hi. It took me a few minutes to figure out who he was because it was cold and he was all bundled up. Sometimes I would see my T in the elevator when we went up to her office. That was totally fine because we just said hi.