Ever bring object into T?

All,

Some of my best appointments with my former T (I won't go on and on, I promise) involved me bringing objects into therapy that I thought would tell my story better than going on and on (as I do from time to time in this forum).

Have you done so? Has it helped? My former T always took them, looked at them, and never said a word. Often, they were photographs of people/things that meant a lot to me. His silence FREAKED ME OUT

I felt foolish having brought them in. (I felt foolish a lot, partly because of the style of therapy T used...very remote). Rather than dwell on that, though, how about a reaction from you? Has bringing a cherished (or not cherished Object) into T helped? Would you do this again?
MCL

Not very often and always photographs when I have. I remember I brought in a picture of me at the age of my early abuse. It was a good discussion starter. Last year it was pictures of my sister both well and ill. Lots of tears that day.

I have thought about showing her a photo of something I care about that is on my phone. But I worry she would mock me.

I have brought bunches of photos and projects and old toys and artwork and old journals. T has always been very interested and its been very helpful in aiding discussions.

mcl6136, your thread rings a bell with me as I started one a long time ago on exactly the same topic! Here it is, called "bringing props to therapy":
http://forums.psychcentral.com/showthread.php?t=108764

I do like to bring props to therapy. They spark discussion, like a conversation piece. I have brought poems, books (most lately textbooks to show T what I am taking at school), a school assignment, photos, even an artifact from a car accident. T seems to like it when I bring things in and always looks at them with interest and is eager to hear my story.

He sometimes shares props with me too, which I like. Kind of like show and tell.

I recommend taking chances even if it leads to mockery. But that's just me, and I fired the dude!

It never occurred to me to do this, but THANKS for the suggestion! I'm going to do this; I think my t would be great about it. By great I mean, giving some kind of response. Silence would completely freak me out as well.

I think it's a great idea - I have brought in pictures, dolls, paintings, things I have created. I am sorry your T wasn't more open to what you brought in.

I've brought in paintings that I've done in journals and a little sculpture I did. I was stuck on identifying emotions for a long while and the paintings and sculptures seemed to help the t get it better than my stumbling words. He was quite supportive and asked me to do it again when I'm feeling stuck.

And I think if any t mocked it I would have fired them.

I have brought things and T has always been very interested and attentive to them. However a few sessions back we were talking and she mentioned how nice it was that I wasn't putting anything between us. She said it was a really good sign of my growing trust. ????? DUNNO

the few times that I have brought an object into therapy, and the one time I left something behind on accident, I was struck with how carefully and gently my T held the things in her hands. Anything from a letter to an ipod, she holds it in a way that somehow conveys that it is important to her.

My T is like zoo's when I bring things in.

He always treats anything I bring like a treasure. He asks questions, he looks at it from every angle, he makes me feel like it's important, and something worthy of close attention and care.

He probably reacts the way I do when one of my boys brings me something important that they want me to see. And I think that's awesome, because I've never had that before.

Even now, 4 years in, with SUCH positive and caring reactions from T, I feel shy when I bring things to show him. Because the things I bring are important to me, and really, now that I'm writing about it, I'm realizing that in a way, I'm saying to T "here is a part of me that I want you to see". If he cherishes that, *I* feel cherished.

I brought T a CD of songs I have been listening to over and over since I started my recent downward spiral. I gave it to her and said, "if you want to really know what I'm feeling." The songs are like an extension of who I am right now. T listened and said she appreciated the insight.

It is nice to hear about all the gentle ts.

Mock you? No therapist should EVER mock a client. I am sorry if you have one who would. You are supposed to feel safe in the relationship.

This is how my therapist responds when I bring something in. Be it my art journal, photos, a piece of artwork, music, poems etc...She is always gentle and treats anything I bring in to share with her as you mentioned as a "treasure".

My T is awesome when I've brought stuff. In my journal was a picture of me as a kid when the abuse started, and he was really studying it like he wanted to get to know who the kid was. When I brought in my violin (I wasn't going to play for him, I just didn't want to leave it sitting in a hot car) he was SO excited to see it and he treated it with the same awe that I do. I think it would hurt if he were aloof about that kind of stuff.

I brought some objects into therapy today! 3 Books. Led to some good discussion. T also asked me to bring in an object next time that I mentioned today. We are also supposed to each bring poems in next time. And a couple of months ago I promised to bring in a photo of me at a certain time in my past, so that one is overdue. Objects are great!

I have taken objects in. Often it is as you describe: T takes it, looks at it and hands it back in silence.

What I get from this is, "Only your words matter."

But it has sometimes been different. My daughter was playing with play-doh and I played too. I made something (I can't remember what), baked it and some impulse had me take it to T.

My story was, "Look T! I played with my daughter and I'm a great Dad." Her story was, "You brought this to me as a token of love."

On another occasion I mentioned a sex toy that she had never heard of, so I brought it in to show her.

Boy I would hope your therapist doesn't mock you!

Haha! You did?!

I show T pictures of my grandkids pretty regular, she likes them and even ask sometimes if I have any new ones. I see it as insight into me , I like the cd idea.

I think this is the way a T should be.

Over the years, I gave my T various CDs that I had recorded myself. I don't know if she ever listened to them.

I didn't think that mattered, but the tears are coming now. Bugger! I shall have to ask her.

I can just imagine her saying: "If you want me to spend my own time listening to this, I'm going to have to charge you."

Paranoia or experience?

Double bugger. I didn't record anything until four years after my mother died, so she never heard any of my music. Subconsciously, do I blame her for this? And do I expect T to make up for everything my mother never did? Yes and yes.

I agree. But I have felt mocked and I told her so.

She certainly does tease me (I know cos I've challenged her on this), and when I'm paranoid, teasing can be very difficult to take.

Is it a good idea for T to tease a patient?