Don't know what to think

Hi everyone,

I've posted a couple times before but am fairly new here...I just could really use some advice right now.

I've been seeing my therapist for almost a year now, but there was a big gap (about 5 months) when I was in treatment. It has taken me a really long time to trust her, even though she is amazing, and we are only just starting to discuss some REALLY difficult things...things I've never shared with anyone before.

It is completely throwing off everything in my life. I am just starting a new job and having a hard time being present; all I can think about is hard stuff and I am constantly freaking out, crying, not sleeping, etc...

My therapist has told me to e-mail/call her anytime I am struggling. She is very good about responding, and after some hesitation at the beginning I have started to e-mail her pretty regularly. I've only called her once (when I was in extreme crisis), but lately it seems like I've been e-mailing her almost every other day.

I don't know what to do. I don't want to become dependent on her, and I don't want to bother her or her to get sick of me because I am constantly struggling. I HATE to think that I am a burden, the kind of client that she thinks, "Oh great, HER again" every time she gets an e-mail in her inbox. I really try hard not to e-mail unless I don't know what else to do to ground myself and calm down, but with the way things are right now, this seems like all the time.

Does anyone else have advice or experience with things like this?? It would help me a lot to get outside input...thank you!!!

i dont think being to dependant on your T is a bad thing.your T has boundries and wont let you cross them.if she says it is ok to email it is.

Welcome to PC!

Ts know that therapy often makes things harder before it gets better so I think this is pretty normal and something your T would be used to. I also think that Ts have such good boundaries that they will tell a client if they contact too frequently, so I wouldn't worry about it. Easier said than done though, I know! lol

I don't have contact with my T between sessions, but I find that journalling helps if I need to get something out. Maybe if you want to reduce your number of emails, you could try it and just write for you?

*Willow*

I understand your dilemma, soccerball. I've been seeing my new T for about 6 months and early in the therapy I started emailing her after each session, and she would email back. I keep asking her if that's too much, and she says "no", though at first she said she wouldn't email back unless I asked her to.

Now she knows I always want a response. For me, willow, it doesn't help as much to journal. I need to know that my T read my email and has something to say about it. Usually I just have a lot of feelings from the session, and I want some basic reassurance from her.

I think it's all right to do but the best thing is to talk to your T about it!

I'm getting into some difficult stuff in therapy too, and I think about it almost all of the time, too. We've got to learn to separate a little from the parts of us that are feeling those strong emotions. That's advice from my T! Those parts aren't all of you, just part. I'm not saying I can do that yet, but it's what my T tells me.