T is space and time for ME.....

All,

As I've posted before, I'm horribly torn and wondering whether I want to continue therapy. I've made huge gains, even with my cold, distant T....Since I gave that up....I haven't felt really bonded with new T, but there are other reasons for staying.

*I like the space and time, once a week to focus exclusively on where my life is going.

*I like the routine of leaving work one day and going somewhere that's about ME. The total goal is being introspective, and thinking about where I am, where I fit, how I feel. My plans, dreams, aspirations and feelings. Where I'm heard.

*I like the confidentiality. I'm not afraid that anything I say (sometimes I say little anyway) will come back and bite me in a relationship as it would with a co-worker, or even some (somewhat less clued-in) friends.

Right now, leaving all of that would be hard.

Is it wacky to continue therapy for those reasons?

Keep in mind that I'm the same person who asked, less than a week ago, ....gee, maybe I should quit therapy, given that lately I have been happy. Now I'm saying.....I need this space and time to continue living consciously and I will continue, like they do in the New Yorker cartoons.

Nothing earth-shattering here, just neurosis.

Personally I don't think it's crazy at all...I think it's good to use your visits to your T as a safety net. Just because you may be happy doesn't mean all work is done (not saying that you think that). It's good to have that time where you're able to sit, vent, & reflect over things that's continuously happening in life...a lot of times it's great to do that in the safety of your T's office. Plus if your T is willing to continue your sessions...I think it's a great idea. Take Care <3 *hugs*

I agree with what SoFragile said - happiness doesn't mean your work needs to stop! It IS nice to have that one person who listens to you and focuses all their attention on you and your needs, even for just that one time a week. Though eventually I hope to cut back to maybe every other week, I won't be giving up my T in this lifetime, if I can help it!

What you say makes total sense! Those are very clear and valid needs. Good job being able to clearly know what you need for your mental health!

Makes sense to me! I think therapy is a really healthy thing to continue with, even if you don't necessarily 'need' it. Perhaps you could space out appointments as you feel appropriate if you don't have much going on or things to discuss, but I think it's a great idea to keep checking in. Life being life, I'm sure things will crop up along the way that you'll want to run by your T. I agree, it's great to just be able to TALK to someone impartial and know that it's confidential. Now I've experienced therapy I'm not sure I'd want to give it up the second I felt some happiness... or maybe ever?!

These sound like excellent and sufficient reasons.

But when I'm in a crisis, I lose sight of that.

Those are great reasons to continue. Very savvy of you to notice your needs. I see myself going to therapy for years. Weird, because when I began last year in December, I thought I'd see my T just 2 or 3 times. But now I see how immensely valuable it is and how much need I really have. So, I've decided that I will give up lots of things in my life but not therapy. And the reasons you list are some of my reasons also.

I don't know how it will be when I don't *need* therapy. I look forward to it, though. I asked my t if I could expect to be healed in the 6-8 week range and she chuckled. (I said it in jest, so her response was entirely appropriate)
I find my time in therapy very healing, so I believe I will keep going even when I am in a good place. I may not go as often then, but I am always changing, so I will need someone to help me stay normal.