T 101

Mine makes so many weird faces sometimes I wish she would get botox!

I think they should teach Ts how to wear matching socks and shoes.. I.E... NOT BROWN SHOES AND BLACK SOCKS. LOL, why does this bother me so much??? Petty, I know...

That just made my day.
At least your T had a substitute to offer. One day I went in and T used the last tissue to blow her nose at the start of the session. She said "oooppss, guess that's gone" and tossed the box. Good thing I am not a crier in T.

Haha. My T must have skipped the holding your bladder class. She goes between clients sometimes. One time I went before session and while there SHE CAME IN THE BATHROOM !!!! I couldn't figure out whether to hide in the toilet bowl or lift my feet over the toilet or to fly out of the washroom! I ended up "casually" sauntering out, washing my hands -way too short in my opinion (I sanitized once I got back to the waiting room but now I worry if she thinks I'm dirty and germy!). Dang, I really wish she took that class

How about
Angles 104 - the exact angle at which you can secretly glance at your clock while also keeping it out of view of the client
Which is a prerequisite for
Angles 302 - how to arrange furniture so client neither has a clear escape route to the door nor flies into a panic upon seeing the set up

Facial Expressions 101: A class that did not last the entire semester because there was only one expression to learn: neutral. Students took turns as the therapist while other students tried to stump aspiring T. "For the last 6 days I have eaten nothing but M&M's". Nuetral. "I stepped on my kitten yesterday and it almost died". Nuetral. "I slit your car tires while waiting to come in." Nuetral.
You pass!

You forgot - how to yawn while maintaining - neutral!
p.s. poor kitty!

That's worthy of another thread - things to say to T to try to de-neutralize.

My T failed that one...she tried SO hard to hide it, I thought her head was going to explode.

I like the one about the clock.

One time T was trying to come up with the word "discernment" as in, "I have a gift of discernment." She said the word that kept coming to her mind was "deception".

Rather telling, huh? These are not the droids you are looking for...

These are all SO funny! I need this comic relief right now!!!!

Is it weird that my T totally doesnt hide his yawns, or even attempt to?

Timekeeping 101 - Recognizing 50 minutes has passed without looking at the clock.

In reference to clocks, how to position multiple clocks around your office so T can see the time no matter which chair s/he is in. I've made it into a little game - how many clocks can I find in Ts office. So far I've found three.

I would die if my T came into the bathroom while I was in there. Then again, my T is a male, so.....yeah, uh, scratch that. Seriously though, I'd be mortified.

I like your Angles 104 and 302. LOL

I've counted 2, but one doesn't work.

Man, what's up with my T. 4 little sheets of toilet paper left on a roll and a non-working clock in plain view. Should I be worried?

Platitudes 101: where the T learns to say those therapy type phrases for difficult situations or when their imagination fails them, such as "why don't you sit with that for a while." This is where my T learned to say: "it sounds like you feel deeply partnered to me."

I am in PAIN!!!

My T seems to have an in-between client bathroom ritual. Usually I get to the waiting room about 2-3 minutes before our session starts. I push the little button to let her know I've arrived... and like clockwork, I hear her office door open, the bathroom door open/close, and she pees. And yes, I can HEAR HER PEE. The bathroom is right outside the waiting room, and usually I'm the only one there so it is really quiet. It's kind of awkward... kind of cute. Her little bathroom ritual. She has never not peed before coming to get me.

Wrap-Up 101: How to nicely display subtle (or not so subtle...) signals that a client's time is almost up, i.e. picking up your appointment book, casually glancing at your watch, saying "SO!" with a relieved sigh and shrug of the shoulders, etc.

OMG - you can hear her pee?! Ya, I totally regressed there. I didn't think Ts pee ...what mine what doing in the bathroom that one day, who the heck knows but obviously she doesn't pee.

Oh and since I'm all in regression mode over this, I had a vision of the button you press. On your side it's a doorbell, but it says (on the button) "Hi T, It's GoodPoint" and on T's side, ....I couldn't find words but something like the therapy version of this
http://www.business-opportunities.bi...bell_large.jpg

What the heck does THAT mean?

haha, I am waiting (dreading?!?) the day when I hear her fart in there or something. Pee I can handle... but that's about as far as I'll go.

The button thing is a little light switch-sized panel with three buttons placed vertically-- I think it is green, yellow and red. Like a stop light! Each of the T's working there has a button (two are doubled up on one). My T is green (because you all care! ). When I push it, it lights up... and I'm embarassed to say I don't actually know where/how she receives the signal from her office. There must be some light that goes off when it's pressed that only she can see (because I've never noticed it or heard any kind of sound when her next clients come early and I'm still in session). It's a handy little tool... way cooler/more sophisticated than my old T's method of just sticking her head out into the waiting area to check for clients.

ETA: Speaking of which... do you guys find it awkward to use the bathroom at your T's office? With current T, I have only used it ONCE and only because it was an emergency (eeks... don't want to revisit that horrible day! ), but otherwise it totally freaks me out. And now that I know how thin the walls are, I'd be afraid of my T or anyone who happens to be there listening to me pee. Sucks because I'm usually coming straight from school or work and often DO have to pee when I get there, but I just hold it.

T bodily functions class: how not to pass gass alllll day long or only in between clients if possible lol

I wonder what Ts do if they have one of those bad tummy days and a day full of clients lol!
I'm sick I know hahaha.!!

I keep counting the ridges in the lamp shade. I think there are sixteen.

Hospitality!
In my first meeting with T2, I realized I'd never had so many kinds of snacks & drinks offered to me since I met my MIL for the first time.

yes, you will probably get a rise in fees shortly lol

"Angles 101" class includes how to position the T chair precisely 52 degrees from the client's chair.

"Decorating 101" teaches the Ts to have in the office (a) way overstuffed couches or chairs impossible to get up out of after an hour, and (b) hard, straightbacked chairs no one could possibly sit in for an hour, even a 50 minute hour.
Also to omit trash can so you have to take your own soggy kleenices home with you

Math class teaches them how to do sliding scales, and how to figure out just when you don't need them to be taking vacations.

I am glad I am not the only one who thinks about these things! I've never seen anyone use the "public" bathroom at my Ts office. It's a group practice and the b-room is right next to the waiting area between two Ts offices. I only work a mile away so I am sure I take care of that before I leave the office. I'd be mortified if anyone could hear me in there.

I once had a food poisoning episode that wasn't quite over. We ended the session early, and T LEFT THE BUILDING!!! omg so funny! he put on this huge hooded down parka like he was crossing the Arctic to get away from me! he said he had to go xerox something across the street, to take all the time I needed!