sitting on the floor in therapy

I've read a few people mention they sometimes sit on the floor with their T during therapy.

I'm curious--how does that come about? Does your T say, "let's sit on the floor for a while," and then you do it? Or do you just go in one day and sit on the floor, and your T joins you? Who suggests it or takes the lead? Howy is it helpful?

I have never sat on the floor with my T at therapy nor thought of doing that. It isn't in our routine. But two sessions ago, at the beginning of the session, T sat on the floor and talked to me from there. Now I am wondering, was this an invitation to me to sit on the floor? Perhaps to make it easier to go back to my younger selfs? Was I just so oblivious and wrapped up in myself that I missed this "suggestion"? Was I totally dense? After a while T got up and sat on the couch again. Should I have asked him, "why are you sitting on the floor?" My assumption was he needed a different position for variety (sore back?) and chose the floor, and I was fine with it, so didn't comment.

I think I asked T once if we could sit on the floor, and we did. His office isn't that big, and it ended up feeling kind of cozy and quiet down there. We were sitting down there the first time I told him about SI and he was soooooo gentle about it and somehow that gentleness and quietness and the floor are all mixed together in my head now.

I know the younger parts of me like the floor, so I think there are Little Tree sessions on the floor sometimes.

T suggested the floor once. I can't remember what was going on, but I think he was trying to find a way to help me feel more contained. We sat on the floor, and it helped.

I know sitting on the floor isn't really part of T's "repertoire" , but he's willing to do it with me, which I really appreciate

Are you going to ask T about why he was sitting on the floor next time you see him? I know I would!

I sit on the floor pretty frequently in T... maybe about 40-50% of the time.

This is kind of strange, but I remember how it first came up-- I had a dream that I was sitting on the floor and I told my T about it, and she asked if I wanted to. I said I don't know, so I didn't that day but it was on my mind and we talked about it and a few sessions later she asked me if I wanted to again and then suggested I try it, so I did. I think she thought it would help me feel more connected and close. She was right. It makes me feel very safe and contained as Tree said. Also like Tree, I like to sit on the floor when I'm feeling very little in T, which is frequently... I guess my little parts like the floor too. It feels more childish and safe, maybe partially because when I'm on the floor and my T is in her chair I look up at her and she kind of looks down at me and it feels like she is holding me and taking care of me, which is what I so desperately want.

But, as you may have picked up from that ^^^, my T doesn't sit on the floor with me. She stays in her chair and I kind of curl up next to or behind the coffee table that's between us. I'm not sure if she would sit on the floor if I asked her to-- she probably would, but the layout of her office/couches makes it impossible. It's a pretty small space. So I'm not sure if that is why she doesn't sit on the floor with me, or because it just started out with only me, or if she thinks it will help me feel safe and little more if she stays sitting on her chair.

I've thought about this lately, actually. I recently changed the way I sit in therapy (more comfortable, slipping off my shoes and putting my feet under me on the couch) and it occurred to me that the floor would be even MORE comfortable. I don't think my back could take it for long, though.

Yesterday in session I wanted to just sort of lean over on the pillow at my side and rest there, half laying, for a minute. I didn't, though. I was afraid my T would ask me to sit up so she could see my face. I hate being told what to do or how to sit, so I try to not do things that will make her tell me what to do. Is that weird?

i sat on the floor in T yesterday and i will do it from now on.i really liked it.i dont know why but i do i feel safe.it was my T who sugested it along with doing art therapy.she brought out a mat for me and everything.she didnt sit down on floor with me when i was drawing she sat in her chair doing her project but when i was done she came and sat with me some talking and explaining her project.it was differnt and i am not to trusting of it but it feels good.

Zoo, sometimes my T will ask me to sit up with my feet on the floor if he's helping me "stay in the room"

But usually, I can sit however I want. Sometimes I lay straight out on the couch with my arms under me and my face turned away from him. I just need to REST. I guess T sits there and waits and looks at the back of my head Once, he asked "why are you hiding?"

I know that my T watches my body language for clues about what's going on with me during session. If I couldn't shift all over the room, sit, lay down, sit in his desk chair, sit on the floor, etc etc etc, he would lose that.

SO. Are you sure that it's not okay with your T if you lean over and rest for a minute? Maybe she is like my T - wanting you to sit up *sometimes* for some therapeutic reason, but not necessarily all the time. ?

With the last therapist I saw, we sat on the floor together during our last session (can't remember if it was her suggestion or mine). We were both leaning against the couch, facing the same direction. It wasn't something we had done before, but a really nice way to break the tension I was feeling about ending (I was moving and REALLY sad about not being able to continue with her). It felt less formal and definitely more connected.

I'd like to think I'd ask my therapist why she was sitting on the floor if she hadn't previously, but then again, I'd probably be too anxious to do so!

I hide in therapy. A lot. Usually behind my hands, or just by closing my eyes. Sometimes I hold the pillow in front of me. But that doesn't work so great, what I really want is to hide my face. So much shame. So much.

(((((((((((zoo)))))))))))))

I hide too especially my face. I put my hand in front of my mouth and cheek and sometimes I suck/bite on my sleeve. I also squish myself into a corner of the couch against the pillows so sometimes the pillows block my face too. My T has also asked me if I'm hiding or why I'm hiding. Sometimes she asks what I'm hiding from. Usually my feelings.

Today I was squished in a corner with my hand in front of my mouth and she asked if I was hiding because I want her to find me and "pick me up." ..I started crying. She asked if it felt reassuring when I hide and she finds me, as opposed to me just sitting down on the floor, right there for her without any hiding. It is so so reassuring.

Really interesting that this came up.. I just got home from my session and we were talking about this exactly. My T said hiding was kind of the opposite of sitting on the floor. I know what she means, in terms of wanting her to find me, but I do both to try to feel safe and soothed.

Thank you for this thread


((((tree, zoo))))

A few times we sat on the floor but T said if he did, he wouldn't get up again. Sometimes it's comforting to sit on the floor leaning against the chair. Other times we sit in the chair with our feet tucked under. It depends on how we feel and how much we need to hide.

I think I would freak.

It would be as off the wall as T asking me to lie down on the couch for this session. YIKES !!!

Sunny if you made it through an entire hour without asking about it - well I'm speechless! I could never have been able to not comment.

and yes I hide - there is no coffee table or footstool between us - I'm ashamed to hide from T and I thought about making "not hiding" a goal for next quarter but I don't think I could do it - and not making the goal would just add to the anxiety.

LOL! He didn't spend the whole session down there. He sat there at the beginning of the session and after a while he moved onto the couch. Later, after reading on PC, I began to wonder if his sitting there for a while was an invitation to join him there. I totally missed that, if it was. I just stayed on my couch, oblivious. So I hope I didn't commit a faux pas by not commenting or joining him.

How do you hide? Do you hold a pillow up between you or something? T used to give me a big pillow to hold across my chest (like hugging it) when we first started. I have no idea why. I just did it. I guess I don't really ask a lot of questions about this stuff, do I?

no, T's pillow doesn't give enough protection I guess. I hold my handbag on my lap (or a notebook or my computer satchel if I have it with me & am feeling unusually hidey). Am considering getting a bigger bag though. see below....
T: SAWE? You back there?
Me: Mmph.

Nice bag. Would you be in the bag or just behind it? Just kidding...I can't throw stones. I wear a coat to my session every week, year round, and it's over 100 down here right now. I'd rather sweat through a session than let T see my arms (Inner secrets are ok, but arms are out of bounds) I also bring a large satchel to "carry my books"

I may try sitting on the floor this week if I can manage it with my coat and satchel. I can't picture T sitting on the floor in his suit and tie, but I wouldn't put it past him. We'd make quite a sight, that's for sure. You all make it sound so cozy and relaxing that I'm keen to try it.

Sit on the floor!! are some of you serious?!

I don't believe I could ever sit on the floor and if T. did that I think I'd feel so uncomfortable that I'd be "gone" the whole time I was there.
No way!-- that would put me feeling way too low/small.... the vulnerability would be beyond my coping ability, I fear.

I think it's cool how you- Sunrise-- just held your own and kept the session going even with something the T. did out of the ordinary.
I get such a sense of calmness from you(it's nice)--
through the keyboard

fins

purple fin i was feeling kind of funny when she sujested i sit on the floor .she even brought out a mat but i loved it.i didnt feel small i felt really safe i dont know why but i did and i want to sit on the floor all the time now.it was an awsome feeling.T sat in her chair doing her thing and towards the end of sesson she came and sat with me and talked about her project.it was strange but i felt really safe i didnt even mind her being next to me so close

I think the unbalance of one of us being on the floor and the other not would throw me for a loop. Of course, anything pretty much does throw me for a loop in there, so.

The important thing is us finding what works for us. I moved my spot that I sat in after about 6 mos of therapy, finally moving from the chair by the door (which I later found out was Ts chair. oops) to the couch across the room. I don't think I really started therapy until I made that move, all the way in.

i say go for it

Once with my old T I sat on the floor. I had a panic attack and blacked out and the next thing I remember I was sitting on the floor and T was sitting across from me on the floor. I asked, "What are we doing on the floor???" and she replied me, "You sat on the floor, and then I joined you." So matter of fact, genuine. It was one of those moments that I knew T was really with me.

In my opinion sitting on the floor, like hugging, or another non-traditional therapy interaction, is a spontaneous behavior. If it is forced, it comes off forced. However, the value in these non-traditional behaviors comes from the needs they are meeting - so if it's forced you need.. force it. Just make sure you talk about it, because if sitting on the floor in therapy is significant enough to bring up on here prior to doing it in session.. it's probably coming from something meaningful.