[SoupDragon]

Was just wondering.....

[Nelliecat]

Mostly I don't because she gives the impression she's not willing to respond and I don't want to p*ss her off. I don't want to do something wrong.

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by Nelliecat

Mostly I don't because she gives the impression she's not willing to respond and I don't want to p*ss her off. I don't want to do something wrong.

Thanks Nellie - yes I can relate to that not wanting to do something wrong. T said to me at the last session that he had given up hope that I would ever call him (at least that is what I think he said, but I know T's words can get twisted in my head), so I was left wondering whether T's do expect us to contact them between sessions, even if they do not then respond in the way we had hoped.

[critterlady]

Only once, when a session sent me into a tailspin. He always tells me to call him if I need him, but I feel like I'd need to be in crisis before I'd do it. It's a lot easier not to want to call him now that I see him twice a week.

[crazylife]

I don't have contact in between sessions unless it's a emergency.

I only contact him between sessions occasionally in an emergency. I don't really feel the need to otherwise.

[ECHOES]

I can, but I don't always. For one, I go twice a week. For another, I don't want to be a bother, although she welcomes all communication via email or phone. However, her time is her time and she is not likely to offer much but a brief response which is usually along the lines of we can talk more about this / I'm interested in hearing more about this, (next session day). A few times her response was a bit more supportive which was very nice too.

It is hard to accept that I can email her, but communication is what it's all about, and the emphasis there is on me communication to her and that we will touch on it in session.

[sittingatwatersedge]

this week I keep thinking about it but I have no real excuse to do so except I keep thinking about it. I think I just want to reach out & make sure she's still there. I may ask her if that's enough...

[SoupDragon]

Originally Posted by sittingatwatersedge

this week I keep thinking about it but I have no real excuse to do so except I keep thinking about it. I think I just want to reach out & make sure she's still there. I may ask her if that's enough...

Do you think our T's want us to do this?

[sittingatwatersedge]

my own opinion, not really. If you add up time spent reading/listening to messages, and time spent answering them, to all the hours of sessions, note recording, research, planning, etc, I don't see how they'd get it all done and have any kind of a life too. So I try not to do it, unless I really need to ask something, or need to cancel for some reason, etc.

[WikidPissah]

Hmmm...not by phone, but I do email during the week occasionally. He seems to like when I do that, I used to do it weekly but now it's maybe once every month.

[Hope-Full]

I don't generally contact T between sessions. T does not do any email or text or anything like that, so the only way to connect is to actually call, which I only do when I'm desperate.

[shoez]

Whenever my T ends a session ....she says Please contact me if u need to..if u need another session..if you need to email I will check it as soon as I can..

But I dont...I only emailed her once ..and I only called her when I was just completely falling apart and was having some serious *sui* thoughts.
I WANT to email her a lot....she says its ok..
but I dont mainly because I try to toughen up and survive the week...and I dont want her to get sick of me..and I dont want her to know how friggin needy I am.

But..I could if I wanted to....which is nice... but I usually dont.

[granite1]

i am not allowed to e-mail ,text or write snail mail.i am allowed to call her if i wish to.but i have a huge problem speaking so it is almost impossible for me to do so.i have called her 3 times in three years.the last time was about 3 weeks ago when she changed my T day.i wish she would allow e-mail but i understand why she doesnt for me

[healed84]

I have called three times.. usually when I am am so panicked that nothing else is calming me down. Other than that, there is no e-mailing, or texting.

[wheeler]

Yes I do, quite often actually. I'm not one to talk on the phone, and she's not great with emails, but we've found that texting, for the most part, works well. It's not perfect and we've had misunderstandings/miscommunications but I've found when we work through those issues there less likely to affect me in a negative way.

[sconnie892]

I haven't contacted T outside a session. In fact we've never even discussed doing that. I kind of get the impression that's for emergencies only, but maybe I'm completely wrong. It's a small group practice so when you call during the day, you get a receptionist and there's an after hours emergency number I think. I've always been too scared to call T. I went into a panic when I forgot the time of an appointment and had to call and ask the receptionist.

[learning1]

Only once about something other than scheduling. I said I was upset and could i talk earlier than my next appointment in a month. I was really surprised he offered to call me. I appreciated it even though I couldn't talk since I was at work. I thought if anything he'd offer an earlier session, which was what I meant, and what we did.

I don't have any difficulties I define as a crisis, so I assumed I shouldn't bother him between sessions. Now I know maybe I could get away with it. But he hasn't ever suggested or encouraged it. I don't think I will.

But, I can imagine therapists do want some of their clients to contact them, especially clients who don't usually reach out. I suppose it's really rewarding to them when a client opens up. So if your t says s/he wants you to contact them, I imagine s/he means it.

[with or without you]

Nope. I really don't have a reason to, unless I forget when the next appointment is.

[roads]

Originally Posted by SoupDragon

Was just wondering.....

I send email asking for specific things to be done in session.

When I go in to see T, I sometimes go to the most pressing thing. Everything else goes out of my head. T is good about using the my email to be sure I don't leave, then find I left important stuff not discussed at all with him.

So while I don't contact him directly, I do ask him to remember for me.

[Unrigged64072835]

Although I have my T's email and cell number I don't use them unless I'm missing an appointment. I did have one time where I was struggling with childhood issues and he gave those in case I needed to contact him.

[pbutton]

I have been told I can email or call. I occasionally email him. He knows I hate feeling needy after I email & that it's a pretty big deal if I contact him.

[harvest moon]

My sessions are once every week. I never contact my T in between. Ever!
Whenever I do is to let him know that something occurred and I won't make it.
My T doesn't have neither an email address, neither a cell phone or a voice mail!
Really old school, but I like it this way better, otherwise I'd be tempted all the time to contact him...

[struggling2]

i dont. i dont even know if its an option. its never been talked about. he's said to call if i need something but i took that as if i wanted to get an appt sooner than the scheduled one? and even then i would get the receptionist? im not sure.

[beautiful.mess]

Nope, I never have; I don't even know what his "rules" are regarding emails, phone calls, texts, etc. I've never asked, and he's never said anything about it.