Is T trying to work with my inner child?

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 03:11 AM

I guess I'm trying to work this out in my head since monday session. T wants me to be more creative in session with glitter paint and now she wants to bring in a children's story to read to me. I don't get it, is she trying to work with my inner child? And if so why? Sorry to post just want someone else's perspective. Thanks

Wren_ · Feb 01, 2012, 03:19 AM

I'm not sure ... I can't imagine doing that but I've seen others mention similar things in the past. Best idea with this is probably to let her know you are curious and ask what her thinking is with doing the glitter and reading

SoupDragon · Feb 01, 2012, 04:00 AM

I am not sure of the answer to this - but I would be really curious too if my T suggested this. I think part of therapy is learning to recognise and share our feelings and check things out with others, so I would ask your T is you feel able to.

Let us know how you get on - Soup

granite1 · Feb 01, 2012, 08:44 AM

my T has read children's books to me.we haven't played with glitter at all sound like a lot of fun.i think you should just try really hard to trust the process.i know i felt really awkward the first time i did different things with T.but it was so so much better then trying to talk.it just seems to connect us on a very different level.when i am willing to relax into it.

as far as her wanting to work with your inner child i couldn't tell you.i know that my T talked about working with the part of me that has been so severely traumatized(her words)that she isn't even allowed to speak at all.she wants that part of me to have a voice and be able to say what she thinks and feels.i don't think she has ever called it my inner child.
i know it is hard but maybe sometime you could ask her what she feels this will accomplish.do you feel way to uncomfortable doing these things with your T?

Silent_tsol · Feb 01, 2012, 10:41 AM

I haven't experienced this in T yet, although she has had me draw a few times.

Here's another idea of what she might have in mind, this is more from my education (which is so not in psych

)
She might be trying to access your right brain which tends towards:

Right Brain Inventory
• Visual, focusing on images, patterns
• Intuitive, led by feelings
• Process ideas simultaneously
• 'Mind photos' used to remember things, writing things down or illustrating them helps you remember
• Make lateral connections from information
• See the whole first, then the details
• Organization ends to be lacking
• Free association
• Like to know why you're doing something or why rules exist (reasons)
• No sense of time
• May have trouble with spelling and finding words to express yourself
• Enjoy touching and feeling actual objects (sensory input)
• Trouble prioritizing, so often late, impulsive
• Unlikely to read instruction manual before trying
• Listen to how something is being said
• Talk with your hands
• Likely to think you're naturally creative, but need to apply yourself to develop your potential

Logically (from my very left brained self, I think working with your right brain would be more "therapy-ish")

Feb 01, 2012, 11:48 AM

My homework for this week is to spend 10 minutes each day drawing. My T recently saw some of my drawings and really liked them. He said it was a combination of thinking that drawing is something I'm good at and something I enjoy. Therefore, drawing 10 minutes a day would be something I would be doing just for me. [well, and for me because he likes looking at my drawings.

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tigergirl

I'm not sure ... I can't imagine doing that but I've seen others mention similar things in the past. Best idea with this is probably to let her know you are curious and ask what her thinking is with doing the glitter and reading

Thanks for your response, tigergirl. I have asked but the answer wasn't clear

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

I am not sure of the answer to this - but I would be really curious too if my T suggested this. I think part of therapy is learning to recognise and share our feelings and check things out with others, so I would ask your T is you feel able to.

Let us know how you get on - Soup

Thanks Soup, I guess you have to try new things in therapy. I'll let you know

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 12:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by granite1

my T has read children's books to me.we haven't played with glitter at all sound like a lot of fun.i think you should just try really hard to trust the process.i know i felt really awkward the first time i did different things with T.but it was so so much better then trying to talk.it just seems to connect us on a very different level.when i am willing to relax into it.

as far as her wanting to work with your inner child i couldn't tell you.i know that my T talked about working with the part of me that has been so severely traumatized(her words)that she isn't even allowed to speak at all.she wants that part of me to have a voice and be able to say what she thinks and feels.i don't think she has ever called it my inner child.
i know it is hard but maybe sometime you could ask her what she feels this will accomplish.do you feel way to uncomfortable doing these things with your T?

Thanks Granite, maybe 'inner child' is the wrong term then. What was it like when she read you stories? I think part of me might quite like it but I don't know. I think it's a trust building thing and way to connect. I guess I'm willing to try, it's just all very new and scary

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silent_tsol

I haven't experienced this in T yet, although she has had me draw a few times.

Here's another idea of what she might have in mind, this is more from my education (which is so not in psych

)
She might be trying to access your right brain which tends towards:

Right Brain Inventory
• Visual, focusing on images, patterns
• Intuitive, led by feelings
• Process ideas simultaneously
• 'Mind photos' used to remember things, writing things down or illustrating them helps you remember
• Make lateral connections from information
• See the whole first, then the details
• Organization ends to be lacking
• Free association
• Like to know why you're doing something or why rules exist (reasons)
• No sense of time
• May have trouble with spelling and finding words to express yourself
• Enjoy touching and feeling actual objects (sensory input)
• Trouble prioritizing, so often late, impulsive
• Unlikely to read instruction manual before trying
• Listen to how something is being said
• Talk with your hands
• Likely to think you're naturally creative, but need to apply yourself to develop your potential

Logically (from my very left brained self, I think working with your right brain would be more "therapy-ish")

That's really interesting, thanks for sharing that silent

I could do with developing my sense of time, especially in T!

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by My kids are cool

My homework for this week is to spend 10 minutes each day drawing. My T recently saw some of my drawings and really liked them. He said it was a combination of thinking that drawing is something I'm good at and something I enjoy. Therefore, drawing 10 minutes a day would be something I would be doing just for me. [well, and for me because he likes looking at my drawings.

thanks mkac, do you find drawing is a good way of coping? So you just draw anything you want?

granite1 · Feb 01, 2012, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by confuseduk

Thanks Granite, maybe 'inner child' is the wrong term then. What was it like when she read you stories? I think part of me might quite like it but I don't know. I think it's a trust building thing and way to connect. I guess I'm willing to try, it's just all very new and scary

it was kind of nice. at first i didn't know what to think but they are books with lessons in them and she would talk about that.i find it relaxing.maybe because i know i wont have to talk but i think she reserves these things for the times that she knows i'm not going to be able to talk.it seems to be getting less and less.i kind of miss it

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by granite1

it was kind of nice. at first i didn't know what to think but they are books with lessons in them and she would talk about that.i find it relaxing.maybe because i know i wont have to talk but i think she reserves these things for the times that she knows i'm not going to be able to talk.it seems to be getting less and less.i kind of miss it

Well now you're weekly you might get more of a chance to get it

Feb 01, 2012, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by confuseduk

thanks mkac, do you find drawing is a good way of coping? So you just draw anything you want?

I drew a lot in college and law school. I haven't drawn anything really (other than occasional things for my kids or nieces and nephews) for the last 15 years probably. So, I haven't used it as a coping thing before. And yes, just draw anything, T says. Even if it's just a doodle. Is that weird, that I even stopped doodling? I was pretty good before; actually had several different people offer me money for my drawings. I just totally stopped at some point.

Anyway, not trying to hijack AGAIN. Just trying to say it may be your T's way to try to get you to do things just for fun, or just for YOU, and not necessarily about inner child work.

confuseduk · Feb 01, 2012, 03:07 PM

mkac you aren't hijacking at all, do you know why you stopped? I stopped because someone I cared about was unkind about something I made for them and it totally knocked my confidence. I guess so but I don't think I deserve or should be having fun in therapy

Feb 01, 2012, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by confuseduk

mkac you aren't hijacking at all, do you know why you stopped? I stopped because someone I cared about was unkind about something I made for them and it totally knocked my confidence. I guess so but I don't think I deserve or should be having fun in therapy

I'm really not sure why I stopped entirely. Growing up, I was repeatedly told drawing was a waste of time. I am bright intellectually, and part of my mother's mental illness and her set of delusions is that God has/had some huge purpose for me in life. Anything that wasn't intellectual was a "waste of [my] brain." I took some art courses in college, but finally allowed myself to be browbeaten into quitting. I kept drawing and sculpting though, until a few years after I was married. I really don't know why I quit. Maybe it was taking time away from my children, and I felt guilty about that? Maybe that's why the only drawings I have done have been for the kids? I've only done drawings of our horses for my nieces, a sculpture of a dragon for my son, a clay teddy bear for my daughter, etc. Hmm. I guess I need to think about that more.