Sitting on the Floor in Therapy

Hey guys

A few weeks ago my therapist gave me an article to read, mainly about transerence and also just how it can feel to be a client, waiting from one session to the next. There was something in the article that stood out to me and that was how the client had spoke of her need to sit on the floor, almost to feel smaller or childlike and how this client had spent the first half of her time in therapy sitting on the floor.

I told my therapist how shocked I was to read this, because I felt the great need myself for a very long time when we started therapy (but was too embarrassed to say) - I got an even greater shock when she said that I could sit on the floor if I wanted, that she would bring in some cushions and that often younger clients (late teens is the youngest she would see) find they want to sit on the floor!!!! I didnt move, I didnt know what to do but i couldnt believe i was even getting offered this!! I was sure she would have just said no.

my question is: have you ever sat on the floor in therapy? What did it feel like? Did your therapist sit on the floor also? did it help your therapy or have any odd or unexpected influences? Perhaps have you asked and been declined? Also whos idea was it in the first place??

I would be really keen to hear peoples thoughts - even if you just want to say how you would like to try it or if you want to say you never would, I would still like to know

Thanks
Dizgirl xxx

I have never sat on the floor during therapy. In fact this is the first time I've heard about it. My T however did allow me to bring in my dog, when he was a puppy. That really helped me to relax. In fact the T thought it was such a good idea that she got a puppy that goes to the office with her. She said that he really helps to calm patients. (Sorry about going off topic)

That's a cool idea, although i would find it kind o distracting i think as i love animals , im surprised you havent heard of people sitting on the floor before - even though its not really that common either i guess..well not in adult therapy anyway lol

It only got to the puppies got together. They would play during my entire session. And sometimes they got pretty rambunctious. But it was cute

I wouldn't sit on my T's floor because he's the Dust Bunny King, but I'd LOVE a bigger chair so I could curl up if I'm scared.

Yes, I do sit in the floor quite often. It made me feel a lot more relaxed. I also brought a pillow and blanket to make me feel more comfortable. Yes, my therapist does sit in the floor with me. She said that it was a nice change from sitting in her chair all day.

Yes, it helped me to get to my very first breakthrough/melt down. I was the one who wrote her an email and told her how uncomfortable it was for me to sit on the couch with her in the chair. Her chair sits higher than the couch and I felt I was 'looking up' at her all the time. That was somewhat intimidating to me. She said that she totally understood why I would perceive it that way. (Based on some of my past issues) She said that she understood how that made her seem like a person in 'authority' and how that was makes me uncomfortable and unable to relax.

To answer your question, I was the one who asked her if she had ever had a client to sit in the floor. She said, "No, but would you like to do that?" I didn't want to be 'the only one', but she made me feel okay that it didn't bother her at all. She always says, "This is not about me. It is about you. We will sit wherever you feel the most comfortable."

Right now, when I go in, I usually go and stand by the window. She is usually finishing up some paperwork on the previous client. Once she turns around, I give her my homework assignment and I sit in the floor. I get very antsy, so I sit there for a while, then I move to a chair, then I finally end up on the couch near her.

She only comes to the floor with me when she feels that that is where I am going to stay. I tend to wander around the room alot! I have asked her if she has ever had a client move around as much as I do. She gave me that look that says, "Why does it matter if you are the only one? If this is what you need to do, then this is what you need to do!"

I know that I am different.One day I will learn to embrace it and not feel like something is wrong with me because I am not like the average person!

Yes, I sit on the floor and lean on the arm of my T's chair. We only discovered this way by accident about six months ago, when I moved so she could show me a photograph. We both agreed that it felt really right, and I've never really made it back to the chair! For me it's definitely about feeling smaller and childlike. My T is actually tiny and I am very tall, so this is a way of rejigging it so that I am looking up at her.

How nice that your T said she'd bring in a cushion for you My T has a very prickly carpet and bits of it get stuck in my tights! I hope you feel safe enough to give it a go and see if it works for you. Do let us know

i sat on the floor a few times and did art projects.i am planning on asking to sit on the floor if i am able to talk net time i see her

Thanks guys this is great

Its really good to hear peoples experiences of this as I know I will feel anxious about it when my session comes around.

I think I am worried also as I am overweighta t the moment (have had eating issues for many years now) and I just worry ill look like a big blob of fat sitting there or awkward or something

I am a big girl myself. I also worried about how I would look sitting there! That is one reason I took a blanket and pillow. It made me feel like I could cover myself up. It works for me and I do not worry so much about being a big fat woman sitting in the floor with a teeny petite therapist!

Ive never sat on t's floor, she has a hardwood floor and there are plenty of places to sit in her office, it never crossed my mind to sit on her floor, though im sure if i wanted to , she would let me. I think it sounds like a good idea though, Ide do it if I felt the need to.
Beth

Thanks for understanding squiggle and beth

Yes. I have sat on the floor twice now. Both times have resulted in MAJOR breakthroughs. Both times T has slid on down to sit with me on the floor. The first time I was crying and he brought coushions for me to vent my anger onto with his tennis racket. The second time was deep work trauma which involved me going back to the scene of some events and standing up for the abused child I was.

T made a comment about those sessions being very "intimate"

Thanks to Squiggle I got the idea to ask T if we could sit on the floor. She had never done it before but she agreed. I will never go back to sitting on couch. I love being on the floor and it has nothing to do with feeling childlike.

I am very comfortable sitting cross-legged and it feels very very natural. It feels a lot more intimate with T and I feel very grounded. Now when I think about returning to chairs, it makes me feel nervous like I'd be hanging without support or something.

And I'm definitely not a teenager and I'm definitely not slim and trim but I can't imagine doing therapy again in chairs. I can't explain it exactly but it feels much safer and solid.

Suratji, I can really relate to what you mean about feeling more grounded and how returning to the chair would feel like hanging unsupported. For me there is an element of the child in it but its just lovely to hear about ppls accounts !

Wepow - wow that must have been amazing and i can imagine it is intimate... I wonder will my therapist sit on the floor with me too.

xxx

For me, it had nothing to do with being childlike either. It was more of being comfortable. Being eye to eye with my therapist. I did not like looking up at her all the time.

Being a Kindergarten teacher for so long, I was used to being in the floor a lot. That was somewhat normal to me. I feel more relaxed sitting in the floor (cuddled up with a blanket) with my therapist. I do sit on her chair and couch at times, but I always go to the floor first. I often ask her if she has any other clients who do the things I do. They don't. It makes me feel better to see that there are a few on PC that are willing to try this.

Once I broke free from the mentality that I MUST sit on the couch all prim and proper, I never know what I am going to do in our sessions. I have been thinking about asking her if we can go to another meeting room that has tables. I would like to sit at a table with her. Face to face. Not sure why I feel the need to do that, but I do.

T and I are sitting closer when we're on the floor together and it feels like she is more 'there' with me. She also had never done it before and I appreciate so much that she's willing to do it with me. It makes a HUGE difference in my ability to share

How appropriate is this, WOW!!

Actually, this Thursday I sat on the floor. For the first time EVERRRRRRRR.
I got out of my wheelchair (abnormal in itself, I use a manual wheelchair and am very mobile and it is easy to get out of my chair, but I don't do it normally) and sat on the floor, waiting for my therapist to show up. I was just so exhausted and it felt safer and more grounded. I am emotionally and physically exhausted and was crying and just decided it was better to be curled up on the floor then to pretend to be okay. It was so weird. She actually sat down beside me (not even looking directly AT me) for the entire session and we did the session that way. It was so surreal and yet awesome... It may have just been my emotional state for the session, but she seemed to be a lot more supportive than normal (and I have always liked my T and the way she does stuff).

Apparently she found the floor too hard though so close to the end she got up, got her coat and sat on it on the floor. LOL! I'm so used to sitting in a wheelchair all day, that a change of pace is actually really cool -- being able to be a "normal" non-disabled person for once.

I would totally do it again, but I may not if it didn't seem right. It worked for me this week though.

I used to sit on the floor with my old T sometimes because she had back problems and had to keep moving around. I liked it because it was sort of informal and worked for us.

However, with my new T, he is more professional and boundried. He loves his comfy chair and is perfectly content staying in it. We talked about sitting on the floor once, very lightheartedly and he pretty much told me he doesn't do that...which is totally fine with me!

I used to sit on the floor in the corner ALL the time. It was a safety thing for me with my old T's. Now that I have worked through some stuff, I feel safe enough to sit on the couch.

Christina - I thnk your post sounds so lovely and comforting and actually I think it makes perfect sense that if you are already sitting in a wheelchair for the majority of the day, then sitting somewhere different would tend to feel good. I also like how you say that sitting on the floor feels for you like you are not disabled - it relly touched me and made me think a lot about how it is for different clients! I am really pleased it was such a positive experience for you and I also think if you told your therapist about how you feel when you sit on the floor with regards your disability it would really help her understand!!

Sweetlove - I think I would also find it comforting because it seems less formal so I can relate to that completely. Its unfortunate that you dont feel you could if you wanted to with your new T but I am glad you dont mind

Onlymedid - I think your answer shows how were we sit can be really symbolic of how we are feeling and its great that you feel safe enough to sit on the couch now

This is so weird! I am TOTALLY opposite!
I don't see how anyone can feel safe enough to sit on the floor!??!!!

On the chair I am more ready to bolt if I have to-- it's much easier to run from sitting up in a chair than getting up off the floor(IMO). and on the floor I think I'd feel smaller, less powerful.... and besides-- some abuse was done to me while pinned down on the floor, not able to get up--- so No way-- I don't believe I will ever sit on the floor.

I always find it interesting what feels safe to others..... interesting....
and seems I am usually, at least here at PC, of the minority.

fins

I think you are right.

I think your thoughts are very rational considering you remember the floor as a place of hurt or as a way to be trapped. its also common sense that its easier to get up from a chair than the floor. Perhaps the reason some people like it, is they feel they can hide e.g. on the floor in the corner, for others who dont feel afraid of our therapists or perhaps dont feel the need to run as such, its more about the closer connection we feel when being physically closer to our therapists.

Its interesting to find out what people think on this

I have only sat on the floor very briefly. I felt like a small child. I am fairly comfortable sitting on T's couch for now...