how often do you visit your t?

I am unable to see mine only once per 4 weeks and then I only get a 45 min session. I am really beginning to be resentful of this and I don't feel like I am getting the help I need. Unfortunately, he's one of a very tiny handful of ts around this area, so I don't have many other options.

How often do you see yours, do you benefit from more often visits?

I see my T every 2 weeks (sometimes 3) for 90 minutes. I used to see him weekly. When we changed to every other week, I found the 50 minutes was not enough. It was very frustrating. We had trouble connecting, getting everything in--then we'd be cut off because the session would end. I find it takes us more time to connect when it is not weekly. To combat this problem, a couple of months ago T suggested we do 90 minute sessions. They are wonderful! They cost more, but I am finding it worth it. We can go really deep.

perpetuallysad, have you asked your T if you could see him more frequently? Monthly sounds really hard. I do find it easier to make progress when the sessions are more frequent.

i go once a week for a double session...which works for me.

I see my therapist every week for an hour. At one point I was going twice per week for an hour each and I liked that a lot.

I go 1x wk for 50min that usually is a full hour. Plus emails allowed. I really want more time with him but he stays packed. And my insurance wants me to see him less - 2x per month. But I think I would not make it right now without the closer contact. It is just way too painful during the trauma healing. So I am happy for what I do have with T and thankful he is my T.

I have a 45 minute individual session 1x/week and I also see my T in group 1x/week for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It works for me, although I sometimes get concerned about becoming dependent.

once a week for 50 mins, and I can call her if I need to, not for phone sessions but if I am in crisis or whatever. Lately I've been calling T a lot, ever since we started doing trauma stuff, it's been difficult and brought up so many flashbacks and panic attacks, etc. I can call her pretty much any time I need to when things like that happen. I do try not to call her, because like MUE I worry about becoming too dependent, worry about what will happen when I don't have T in my life any more, but...

I'm miserable with so few sessions and so little time with him when I do get there. He's the only t for several area towns around here and I see him the one day a week that he's within 50 miles of my house. (My visits are always the 3 friday of the month.) I am finding that I need more, but I know he has no more time to give. It hurts me that I need him more, but I cannot get the time with him that I need. I barely get out how my meds are going (he's my pdoc as well) and the visit is over. Right now, rather than working on anything, we spend most of the time talking about my repeated meltdowns and the fact that I cannot find a med combo that stabilizes me. I called him 2 days ago and he only had his receptionist call me back. THAT HURT. I have only called him maybe 4 times in 4 years and he didn't even call me back himself. I am really suffering right now and I feel like I'm left adrift on this vast ocean of suffering all by myself.

I am so incredibly jealous of all of you. I don't mean that in a petty way, just a longing to spend more time in the therapy that I so desperately need. I think its why I spend so much time on PC, I use you guys as my substitute therapy during the 30 days between actual therapy sessions.

Thanks everyone for sharing.

How often I see t varies with how I am doing. Generally it is once a week for a 50 minute session, but it isn't unusual to see him two or three times a week when I'm in the middle of an episode. When all is well, it's more like every two weeks.

PS... i know some people see their pdocs as Ts too, but typically pdocs aren't as good (again, typically they arent... I know some are good at and enjoy doing psychotherapy) and are a lot busier than Ts. I know you said where you are doesn't have a whole lot to choose from but maybe there is a t you could see even if it's 20 or 30 miles away like every 2 weeks and then it wouldn't be as painful to wait for your pdoc appt every 4 weeks. 4 weeks is a long time when you're talking about having trouble. It's also a problem if you're in crisis, especially if he's so busy he's unable to personally call you back. Just a thought, but it may be better for you to try to find another T but continue to see this pdoc for meds. Hope you can work something out! Hang in there!

I go every 2 weeks for 50 minutes. It used to be every week, and I want to discuss going back to that, because I hate every other week. So much happens in a week that I need to bring, and I feel that if something happens at the beginning of a week, I often lose it by my therapy week. So I'd like to go back to once a week.

I go once a week for 50 min It's costing me a fortune, but it's worth it.

I don't know where I'd be without my T - she's gotten me through some really tough stuff.

I see my addictions Dr. every 3 weeks for a private session (50 Min) and once a week for group therapy (( 1 hr 45 min)

I see my pdoc once a month for 20 min. Strictly meds management.

I sometimes feel overtherapatized but it's working for me.

--splitimage

Sad- That sounds like not enough therapy time. I would lose the "momentum" between sessions if you know what I mean. I used to see a T for 40 min every week. Not enough at all. Then I saw her from a few months 2x/week for 40 min each and she wasnt a better therapiast that way either. I left.

My new T who Ive seen now for over 4 months is supposed to be 50 min but I am never there less tha 1 hour. Often it is 70 to 80 min sessions if she doesnt have anyone after me. I feel like this is enough, though I could talk for hours.

PS, I'm sorry you feel so alone. Have you talked to your T about this? I have to travel to the nearest bigger city to see my T, it's an hour away each way, but it's so worth it.

((((((((((((PS))))))))))))) I like zooropa's idea.

It sounds like you are really suffering...4 weeks between appointments is a LONG time. It does feel like you would have time for meds and maybe crisis management, but no time get into anything else. It sounds really hard.

Some churches have counseling available. Have you looked into that?

What if you asked your t for a referral to someone with more availability?

I'm sorry it's so hard.

I actually am traveling to "the closest big town" (with a whopping population of maybe 30,000). I attempted visiting a t in my town after a referral in the very beginning. I went to one visit. The man was my age, his office was filthy dirty (literally trash piled everywhere) and he acted as though my talking to him was the most boring thing he ever suffered through. It was very hard for me to talk to him in the first place. He really didn't ask me many questions or anything. I made an appointment for the following week, I showed up on time, HE NEVER showed up. That hurt. I called back the next day and the lady at the desk said he shouldn't have made appointments for that day because he had it scheduled off for months in advance. I know its childish, but I felt like he did it on purpose. OR in the very least, he could have called and apologized and rescheduled with me. I waited and he did neither thing. So, I gave up. I quit going to therapy, I quit seeing my pdoc (I felt like him referring me to this guy was his attempt to get rid of me in the first place). That lasted for about 8 months, during which time I took myself off of xanax and effexor xr 450mg all by myself. I ended up needing to be in the hospital by the time I dragged myself back to my pdoc's office. (He never called and checked on me either.) He immediately put me back on meds (this is when I was still just diagnosed as severely depressed) and told me sorry that the t acted that way. Then he asked if I would like to see him for therapy. So that's how he started being my t too. He has 2 psychologists in his office, but they charge $100 per 50 minute session. This is astronomically out of my ability to pay. As a matter of fact, another reason i quit my pdoc for those 8 months was because my med management visits were costing me $75 each and this was when I crashed and lost my last job, so I couldn't even afford to go back if I had wanted to (which at the time I didn't). When my pdoc asked if I wanted to do therapy with him he told me that I should never be without therapy even if I couldn't pay and now he charges me only $10 per visit. He's a good man and I find we get along really well, but he's stretched very thin. He has a private practice and is the pdoc for 3 towns' community counseling services (which take up 3 days of his week). I know that there is one other lady here in my town who is a therapist, but she happens to be the mother of one of my son's classmates. I do not feel like I could open up to her because of this very reason. God, I feel so ****ed up.

Perpetually Sad,
Geez - you're not f***ed up - it sounds like everyone else is f***ed up!!!

I can't believe the T behaved that way. What a jerk.
And yes, it is nice that the pdoc is going to be your T too, but if he is stretched too thing, it is because *he* has stretched himself too thin. Any professional (mental health or otherwise) has to make the decision between providing quality help to some people or half-***** help to everyone who wants it.

So it sounds like resources are painfully limited. That really sucks, and I don't have any great ideas for you - I wish I did.
Have you talked to the lady who is a T (the mom of your son's friend)
She might be able to point you in the right direction, or give you some ideas. You could even say you are asking 'for a friend' if you don't want her to know it's you.
Have you looked into online therapy or phone therapy? From what I've heard this isn't as good as face-to-face interactions, but it could be better than the help you're currently getting.

I'm sorry that it's such a struggle for you. Please don't blame yourself though. You deserve to get the help you need. I hope it works out for you somehow.

Thanks darkrunner. I needed the hugs for sure.

I found out yesterday that I will be seeing my T 1x a wk for 1hr for 6 months

Thanks Sky. Honestly, the lady is very nice, I will try very hard to get the courage up to talk to her. I still feel very uncomfortable with the idea because the one area of my life that I try to be "normal" at is things with my son. The poor thing has to go through me being a weirdo at home, I don't want him to be subject to anything negative because of me.

Can you tell I worry myself near death?

AHHHH. Sometimes the thought of just shutting up my brain is so appealing...ok, all the time the thought of shutting up my brain is appealing.

PS- do you have insurance that will cover your sessions now or do you still pay out of pocket?

If it is financially possible to see the lady therapist in town you should go for it. Don't worry about whose mother she is. She probably has other moms from your son's class as patients too and you just don't know it. Seriously, don't let THAT be your reason for not making an appointment with her.

I have to pay out of pocket for everything I do. Ug.

I am letting the idea of seeing her sort of sink in.

Just a thought...
You might also contact her and tell her you are looking for a T and ask for referrals...there may be other T's nearby that you aren't aware of.