Therapy Progress Reports

I recently had reason to focus on the therapy I've done over the past six months (I only started last August) and try to determine what I've accomplished so far. It took a while, but I finally did come up with a number of things as to which my perception had changed and a number of things as to which my actions had changed, along with my evaluation of the progress I've made on the goals set with T at the beginning and any new goals that had come into being since then. I journal for T, so I wrote up these things in journal form and sent them as email to T. She was very appreciative and her own evaluations of my perceptions of what we'd done together were very interesting indeed. It led immediately to a closer "meeting of the minds" as to what we're doing together and how we're doing it. Ultimately, I think we'll waste less time because of these kinds of reports, at least I hope we will.

I would like this thread to be dedicated to periodic self-reports (annual, bi-annual, etc.) by PC members in therapy evaluating their own progress (or lack thereof) over a prior period like a year or half-a-year. With the ultimate intention being to, first, revise the report in light of other PC people's comments and advice here, and, second, submit the revised report being given or sent to each person's T. I volunteer to go first and in that way give a better idea of what I'm really talking about here.

Two kinds of posts are specifically invited into this thread: first, actual draft progress reports, and, second, helpful comments, suggestions and thoughts about the posted draft reports. Remember: HELPFUL comments and thoughts. The intention being to AID the writer of the report to make the report BETTER and more informative for the writer's T. Take care!

Just wondering. If this is to be a SELF report of our progress in therapy, why would we revise it because of others' comments? Then it would become a different kind of report, one that could be called "what OTHERS on PC think of my progress the last 6 months or year."

Either idea sounds good to me; I just don't like the combination, and I wouldn't want to give my T an account of what I thought was my progress based on comments from others.

I DO like the idea of writing it both ways, though!

with respect, you haven't gone first. Maybe you are still planning to post your personal details, but I for one will not read them. That's your business, my dear.

I do have to wonder that anyone would want to expose their own personal information in so detailed, and public, a manner as that you propose. What could be your motivation for proposing it? Surely there is no thought that PC people don't have the gumption or the clarity to do this with their own therapists, in their own privacy? I do not in the least suggest a book or research paper in the works, but there are those who lurk on PC for that purpose, you know.

A gentle suggestion, perhaps this is not the "venue" for such a thread, perhaps a private forum might be a better place for such a thing/ Then those who read would be PC members at least, and those who post would have a measure of protection at least.

People post personal detailed information all the time on this forum and on this site.
It is all very public.
What is the difference?

If you don't like the idea, you don't have to participate or respond.

I don't quite understand the motivation or purpose of your post.

We began, six months ago, with the express purpose of improving my relations with others connected with my business and thereby improving my business itself which has been very negatively affected by the current economic conditions. We intended to achieve this aim through psychodynamic psychotherapy with sessions once or twice a week depending on perceived need.

Well, rainbow, even if something is a self-described personal report on therapy progress, the writer of such a report may or may not describe what she/he has to report in clear or obscure ways. Other PC members here might offer insights into whether certain phrases or sentences are confusing to another party, whether they might benefit from some additional explanation, and whether or not the general flow of ideas is smooth as opposed to jerky, in the sense that ideas don't follow each other in an obvious way.

So I really in all honesty do NOT think that outsiders' comments necessarily transmute a personal report into a group report. The reporter is of course at all times (and absolutely) free from any obligation to accept every comment (or ANY comment) made to them. I would think of the kinds of comments and suggestions being invited here as being editorial in nature, for the purpose of clarifying what the reporter is trying to say and ensure that as between the reporter and the T there is as little room for misunderstanding as possible.

Take care!

That's VERY impressive, ygrec! Keep up the great work and thanks for sharing.

thanks for sharing, Ygrec! you've done quite well! I certainly think it's good to take stock of therapy progress - I just don't feel that I'm currently in the frame of mind to make one as clear and precise and organized as yours, since I really am in the middle of a crisis right now.....but maybe in a month I could do much better!

Dear SAWE,

Your point is absolutely relevant and important. What I am suggesting is by no means some kind of strip-tease, in which people are encouraged to "bare all" here on PC. As you will see, I have indeed posted here the kind of report to which I referred, and, considering your serious points, I don't see where my report exposes me too much (if you think so, please let me know!). All of our experiences are highly different and personal. Any individual who feels that the posting of such a report would be too embarassing and too painful, should not (of course) participate. And that will probably be a significant number of individuals. There are many things I've talked about with T that I would never want to discuss in public (and, it's agreed, posting in PC IS "in public"). But I don't think I have to include such matters in order to post an accurate and relevant report. Please read my report and then react to it.

I do feel VERY unhappy at your challenging my motives. Writing a report (my idea, not T's) has been very helpful for me, and I just wanted to share that particular tactic with other PC members in therapy. I haven't the slightest voyeuristic interest in other people's interior lives. I simply believed, and still believe, that whatever we do here on PC in public, the writing (in private and/or public) of such reports can help people in therapy use their therapy time to best effect.

You said: "Surely there is no thought that PC people don't have the gumption or the clarity to do this with their own therapists, in their own privacy?"

No doubt about gumption on my part. But as to clarity? I wonder. My impression is that quite a few PC members aren't quite as clear as they could be when describing what's bothering them and what they're doing to overcome it. I could be wrong. That's just my impression.

You said: "I do not in the least suggest a book or research paper in the works, but there are those who lurk on PC for that purpose, you know."

I'd have to say that, no, I really haven't been all that conscious of lurkers looking for material for their books or research papers. And even if there were, why should any of us care? I would think that there's a bounteous plenty of material for such people (if they exist) just from the normal posts that are online at this time. Why do you worry about this? (It only occurs to me now, in afterthought, that you might perhaps have been thinking that I was collecting material for research. That idea provokes in me the wildest hilarity. I'm an old, semi-retired man, simply trying to earn enough to pay the bills. I haven't done a research paper since 1967. And I'm not doing any now. Though perhaps this wasn't really your thought.)

You suggest a "private forum." On the lines of which of the existing forums? Is there one to which you can cite?

Take care!

I'm not challenging your motives; I only wondered why you felt prompted to set something up where people would post their very own progress reports.

It's true that people write in here with personal incidents etc; but it's when they have a question, and are in need maybe of the benefit of others' experiences to broaden their understanding or bolster their courage; they may be in pain and crying out for an understanding "ear". they're not publishing their progress reports, submitting them for others' judgments, those are for the T file and their own therapeutic relationship.

I suggested that possibly a private forum would be more appropriate and I am not suggesting you take over someone else's; I only thought that you might approach the PC administration about starting one of your own.

one last thought... about your regrettable comment about PC people and their clarity, or lack thereof - Just about everyone in this community pays someone good money to help them with that already, and that's not your business either, unless they ask your opinion and your help. take care

SAWE, you speak about "progress reports" as if they were something that already existed. To the best of my knowledge my posting about them yesterday is the first time they've been mentioned here on PC. And, as I said in reply to you yesterday, each person can decide for themselves whether they think it would be helpful for them to post a progress report here.

I had asked you yesterday what a "private forum" is. I still do not know. You haven't answered me. As for anyone else's private forum, why would you make the comment you did about taking over someone else's?

I think we're talking about two different things here. It sounds as if you're talking about what I would call "psychological" clarity: a clarity of internal understanding that includes but is not limited to emotions, other nonverbal mental constructs and insights that would be very difficult (if possible at all) to put down on paper. I'm not talking about that kind of clarity. The clarity to which I refer is much, much simpler: grammatical clarity, the clarity of organized self-expression in words, editorial clarity. And quite a few people here on PC could use some help on that.

In general, SAWE, your attitude is hostile and unfriendly. I'm not quite sure why, other than that you've misinterpreted what I've offered here in an entirely friendly and helpful spirit. There are no hidden tricks or traps involved. Something in what I've written really offends you, for which I'm sorry, but I haven't the least intention, conscious or unconscious, to be offensive or to suggest to others that they do something that may in some way hurt them.

I invite any of the admins to review this thread, such as it is, and tell me if they conclude that anything proposed in this thread violates any PC policy, intrudes on the privacy of PC members or is in any other way improper or dangerous. If any of the admins so conclude, then I want nothing to do with the thread myself. This is an entirely good faith effort on my part but, not knowing even a small part of everything, I'm perfectly happy to abide by the judgment of others more qualified than myself. And you are not a member of that subset.

I personally found that taking stock, reflecting on what T and I have done in a certain period of time, whether we've set goals and achieved them or not, and what progress I've made, and then trying to express it all in writing, has been a very helpful process. For me. And I've offered up my own example here so that others could understand what I've been doing and, if they want to, do the same. If no one wants to do that, fine. If some do, fine too. I really don't believe that your position or attitude are helpful to others here on PC who certainly can make up their minds for themselves. You see more downsides in this project than I do. Fine. People reading this thread can read both our posts and decide what they want to do. However, I do not at all believe that your words or your tone are appropriate for what I've suggested in this thread. Take care.

>> SAWE, you speak about "progress reports" as if they were something that already existed. To the best of my knowledge my posting about them yesterday is the first time they've been mentioned here on PC.
that doesn't mean that they didn't already exist - privately, between the client and the therapist.

I had asked you yesterday what a "private forum" is. I still do not know. You haven't answered me.
Ygrec you already belong to a private forum; so you do know what it is; I didn't see a need to "answer" you,and I didn't.

As for anyone else's private forum, why would you make the comment you did about taking over someone else's?
because you were acting as if I could refer you to one for your progress report idea. Go start your own, that's all I said. You can figure it out with the help of the PC admins if they think it's a good idea. (Sheesh are you touchy. No one is threatening you)


In general, SAWE, your attitude is hostile and unfriendly.
Not in the least; I have been very polite and you have been overreacting IMO. well, we have a failure to communicate, and I'm done. Bye now, Ygrec.