How to be open and honest in T

I just started going down to the counseling center at my school, and while I've told the counselor I'm seeing the truth about what's going on, I haven't told her everything there is as to why I went down there and such.

It's not that I don't like her, and it's not that I don't want to be completely open and honest...it's just that I'm having a lot of trouble doing so.

Help!

(((SingDanceRunLife))) I remember when I first looked into going to a T. I was scared out of my mind. I found my T through my insurance companys website. I remember how scared I was just calling her and making that first appt. I just told her I wanted to make an appt to see her but not why. When I first met her we did the 'intake' form asked some questions etc... The next session after that I told her more of why I wanted to see her but kept it general. I told her I wanted to talk to her about things I've been carrying in my head - things I've had buried. It took me a while to say some things and other things took longer (like recently I've been able to open up more about other things - I've been in therapy for 2 1/2 years btw).

I'm not saying it will take you 2 1/2 years to say what you need to share but try to be patient with yourself. You can do this when you are ready.

That is a good goal to have!

It is mine as well. Recently I talked to T about other patients in therapy and that I imagined they just glided right into the room and talked freely and easily about anything they wanted to.
Boy did that get a chuckle out of T. hehe
She assured me that most patients struggle and very few flow freely. Not that this generalization helps Me, but good to know. What it did though, was to get out what I wanted, what mattered to me, and it connected us when we saw it as a therapy goal.

You just started. It takes time to feel comfortable with someone new, to feel you are safe and they are trustworthy. It will come, it will get easier. Some people write down something they really want to talk about, and givei it to the T or read it in therapy.
You can also spend some time talking with her about this difficulty; her encouraging response can help a lot.

What is it that keeps you from talking about what you want to talk about, do you think?

I just take awhile to get comfortable with people. Just the other day, I told two of my best friends the rest of the reason I've been having issues...and they are some of my favorite people in the world who I trust the most but they still had no idea this entire time!

It takes time to build trust. Just allow the relationship to unfold in a natural way. It is like a rose, it only harms the rose if you try to pry it open.

Just be natural - be yourself. That is the one great thing about therapy - it is the one place where you are free to just BE. Don't try to be who you want T to see. Don't try to be who you think T wants to see. Just be who you are. That is what T's actually admire the most! They spend a ton of time trying to get people to drop the mask and get real.

Be honest. If you don't know an answer to a question, say "I don't know." T's give tons of questions that they know we don't have answers to. They do it to get us to start thinking about things. If things bother you, be sure to tell T about them. Don't hold onto things that come up between you and your T. Address the situations with honesty and respect.

And give yourself some space and time to learn how to do therapy. There is no other relationship like it in the world. But it can be the best medicine ever!

I just feel like we're going to get nowhere if she doesn't know everything else because while what I told her is the thing that put(s) me absolutely over the edge, it is not the main source of my problems.

I also know that it takes time to build up trust/a relationship and that T isn't easy. This isn't my first time in T, and I had the same issues when I first started with my T back home (who, by the way, I think I want to call and see if she can fit me in when I'm home over Christmas break)...

good idea getting in with T over break...

All I can do is repeat that it takes time. If it's that urgent to get out, write it down and hand it to her.

Ah, see what you meaan SDRL. I agree with Eileen, try writing it out and handing it to her. It's incredibly nerve-wracking but it's the only way I've been able to open up about certain things in T.

I am always honest in T.
I am not always open.

Being open is so much harder... As I write this, I realise it's exactly the same in (my) real life!

I've been with my T for seven months and I still haven't completely opened up. When it's time to talk about something, you will know and bring it up. Don't try to force anything out if you are not ready to talk about it. It also takes time for the T to get comfortable with you, so ....

Precisely! Well said! I told my T once simply that I didn't want to talk about something and asked him to move on to another subject. He did. That was it.