[Christina86]

So I'm very good at misunderstanding what people say to me sometimes, especially when it hits an emotional nerve. I guess that's pretty normal. It gets a lot more complicated when it comes to therapy.

In continuation of my previous post here: http://forums.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=170964

I sent my T an email. I wrote a very long entry on my LiveJournal account, and was advised by you all to share my feelings with her... so I sent her a copy of that. Which was exceedingly painful and I dreaded hearing back from her. (I don't email her often at all, but whenever I do she does reply to me which is nice). I was sorta expecting her to not reply actually, almost hoping she wouldn't.

But she did. Tonight. On a SUNDAY night?! Seriously? At like 9:30pm?

But she thanked me for writing, and for sharing. Wrote a lot about fear and its control over me (it does) and then apologizing for something that I misheard about her not feeling qualified to deal with me anymore. Apparently I do ramble too much about finances, and she was offering to send me to a support group because the group would be free, which means no financial burden for me. Oh, and that she wasn't trying to get rid of me and that she was qualified to deal with abuse issue stuff and have helped other clients as well with the same issues.

I'm relieved, and also horribly embarrassed that she said one thing and I heard something else -- I heard rejection, when she was trying to be considerate of my financial strains.

She said that people must really care if they told me to write to her about my feelings. So thanks to each of you for your comments on my last entry. She also said I could see her sooner if I needed to (I've got an appointment not this Monday, but the next) but I really don't think that's necessary. I'm already relieved that she replied to my insane ramblings.

So, even the person training to be a social service worker can be absolutely horrible at hearing things from her therapist and misunderstanding what is said. (Which is why I won't do any sort of one-on-one counselling of clients while in my practicum starting in March, I don't feel I've got enough of my own stuff sorted out yet to be very effective).

[googley]

((((((((((((Christina)))))))))))

I'm so glad that you contacted your T. I'm happy that she responded to you and that she was able to clear up what she had said. That she was worried about you and wanted to make sure she was not causing you more stress around money. l had a similar thing happen last summer when my T told me that she thought I should have other help and I thought that meant that she wanted to get rid of me. What really ended up being was that I miss heard her and she wanted me to get help in addition to her, not instead of her. I think it is really easy to mishear these types of things because we are so used to being rejected by others.

I'm so glad this worked out.

[Christina86]

Originally Posted by googley

((((((((((((Christina)))))))))))

I'm so glad that you contacted your T. I'm happy that she responded to you and that she was able to clear up what she had said. That she was worried about you and wanted to make sure she was not causing you more stress around money. l had a similar thing happen last summer when my T told me that she thought I should have other help and I thought that meant that she wanted to get rid of me. What really ended up being was that I miss heard her and she wanted me to get help in addition to her, not instead of her. I think it is really easy to mishear these types of things because we are so used to being rejected by others.

I'm so glad this worked out.

Thank you for sharing. I'm glad at least I'm not the only one who's done that (mishearing things) I really am used to being rejected so I guess that's something to work on - how I process and deal with it. Thanks

[ECHOES]

Christina, what a relief to hear that she is still there for you! And looking out for you too.

[SpiritRunner]

Christina, I'm so glad your T responded to you in such a positive, compassionate way and that the miscommunication got cleared up!

[sunrise]

Originally Posted by Christina86

I'm relieved, and also horribly embarrassed that she said one thing and I heard something else -- I heard rejection, when she was trying to be considerate of my financial strains.

It sounds like you are becoming more aware that you do this, and that will only lead to greater ability to hear what is said the first time. And you contacted your T and let her know about the misunderstanding instead of never resolving this and continuing to feel rejected. Really good communication there. You are doing great! I'm glad you get to stay with your T and that she can help you with the problems you thought she couldn't.