[sittingatwatersedge]

from a recent post... >> She has a beige microfiber loveseat, two other chairs, a desk and chair, a bookcase, and an end table.

Mmmm-hmmmm.... T2 also has a bookcase, glass fronted. Last time I was there I casually commented in parting that I was dying to take a look at it but I wasn't going to. um, and she didn't invite me BTW...

You bookish, you know who you are... does T have a bookcase? Have you looked at it? (when?!)
Can you borrow something if you want?

She has a bookcase, but it's to my right and I don't tend to look in that direction for whatever reason, so I've never took much notice of it. She has, however, lent me several books - always at her suggestion because of something that's come up in session that's made her think the book(s) in question will be useful. I've never been studying the bookcase and asked to borrow anything. I'd rather just stare at the floor, of course...

[nannypat]

Pdoc T has one whole wall of bookshelves with tons of books and a few photo here and there. I look at it when he is writing a script or turns around to his desk at times. He has written a couple himself and no I haven"t read what he wrote. Someday maybe but it is written for treaters.

[pbutton]

He has a bookshelf but it is BEHIND me! Sighhh...

Yep, two. I look at them mainly when I'm trying to avoid her. Pretty standard therapy textbooks. Some self-help books geared towards patients. A few books where her husband wrote his name (DR XXX XXX) along the top- who's betting this was in those initial days of post-doctoral euphoria?!- I used to turn those upside down so I didn't have to see... I guess maybe people can borrow stuff, as there's three of one particular self help book. I have borrowed a book from T but it was one she had at home.

[rainbow8]

What a great idea for a thread, SAWE! What I look at first in any T's office is her books!!! Yeah, you might say I'm a bookish person. I asked my former T if I could look at her books because they were behind her chair, inaccessible to me. She said okay, though I felt a little awkward.
My current T has books on the window sill and the bear I gave her is the bookend! She also has a bookcase in the back of the room. I don't really have time to look, though. The few times before the session when she has left the room, I look. I like her collection though I can't remember any titles offhand except for the EMDR and IFS books.

I thought she was more of a reader than she is, which disappoints me. She has my "One Child" and said maybe she'll read it when she has time (I like that she has it even if she never reads it). She never read In Session that I gave to her, and I had to pay 25 cents overdue for it, which I never told her about.

The waiting room which is shared with other Ts has another bookshelf. Those are interesting and have more sex books than in her office, I noticed. I asked in an email if I could borrow any of those books and she told me "yes", because she trusts me to return them. She also lent me the Yalom book, the novel I hated. I told her it wasn't worth reading! I told her that his Staring at the Sun was good, and she bought it but I don't think she ever finished it. If I worked long hours as a T and had a house to take care of too, I probably wouldn't read so much either. She did tell me some books she was reading, about meditation and yoga.

My T doesn't stand on ceremony about anything; she's just a regular Mom who decided to become a T. Why not ask to borrow her books?

[granite1]

my T has a bookcase but i think she only has about a half shelf with books on it the rest is stuff stuffies art stuff a basket with i don't know what in it.a ball some exersize stuff and a card that another client made in the corner that the card i made her was before she put it away

[Chopin99]

Bookish? Well, H and I own over 1500 books, so you might could call us that!

T's bookshelf is completely full. I've only seen one book ever missing, so IDK if she loans them out or not. She was going to loan me a book from her house, but she couldn't find it. Pretty standard self-help and Christian self-help books. I think there are a couple of textbooks.

[healed84]

Yeah, T has a book shelf, I look at it every appointment.. He ususally send me back into his office while he runs off to do something quick.. So, I enjoy sitting and looking at the titles. I have never asked to borrow any of his books..but he did lend me one to read within the first two or three sessions.. So, I suppose if I saw one I might be interested in, he would let me.

She has one, its very small and not very full. I never got a close look at it. She's lent me one or 2 books, at her suggestion to read them. She tells me other books to read, but I normally don't get books that she suggest, since I try to not indulge in things that could possibly trigger me.

[tkdgirl]

There is a bookshelf in my Ts office but it's all the way on the opposite side of thr room from where the couch is so I can't actually see and read the titles which would be a nice distraction from the carpet

[stopdog]

The one I see has no books in the actual office but there are some in the waiting room. I am rarely in the waiting room so I have not really looked at them.

[CantExplain]

There is no bookcase in T's room.
When she wants a book (very rare) she has to go into the main body of her house to get it.

[critterlady]

I think there's one behind me. I have a terrible time picturing his office, except for him and his desk.

[sconnie892]

T has a gorgeous library case sitting diagonal from where I sit. It is very neatly arranged. Mostly what I can see are reference type books. Sometimes I am tempted to ask where she got it because I would love to have something like it in my house.

[stopdog]

I am not certain that the therapist I see has a need for books. From my experience with her, she may be only barely literate. As far as I can tell, she has read nothing from the standard canon of Western Literature.

[Elli-Beth]

I've never really looked at the bookshelf in detail, but I know the DSM is there, because he's gone over twice to get it to show me somethings in it. I've always assumed they were all technical books, but now I'm kinda curious!

[Honeybun]

T #1 has a big bookshelf full of books. They are all reference books or relevant to his work. He has given me a book to read. T #2 has several bookshelves with books and decorative items. She often offers me books to read. She has a combination of reference books and fiction.

[Mike_J]

Yes she has a bookcase, it's a mixture of psyc books and some fiction. I sit right next to it during our sessions so I get a very close look at it. I'm not sure if she would let me borrow something if I asked, she probably would, she knows I like to read.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by stopdog

I am not certain that the therapist I see has a need for books. From my experience with her, she may be only barely literate. As far as I can tell, she has read nothing from the standard canon of Western Literature.

You sound like the main dog, Poncho, in the strip "Pooch Café", who wants to launch all cats into space using (of course) a catapult, starting with his master's new wife's six cats. Do you use your humor in your therapy? I find a rich sense of humor is often an asset undervalued by the owner.

my t has a large bookcase...some..mostly psych stuff..dsm, professional stuff etc. some workbooks things. a few odds & ends art wise, some folders & 3 of my photography books. i don't know if any other clients (patients what ever) have books on the shelves..i can see mine because they are on the end.

[Chopin99]

Originally Posted by stumpy

my t has a large bookcase...some..mostly psych stuff..dsm, professional stuff etc. some workbooks things. a few odds & ends art wise, some folders & 3 of my photography books. i don't know if any other clients (patients what ever) have books on the shelves..i can see mine because they are on the end.

I just realized T's DSM-IV is on the floor to the right side of the bookcase if you're facing it. Maybe that's her way for showing disdain for diagnostic labels! If I remember, I'll ask her how often she actually cracks it open next session.

[velcro003]

my T has a bookshelf, directly against the wall to my right. i stare at it every session. some are REALLY old, like she must have had them in grad school, and some are newer. she lent me one to read once.

I actually have no idea if my therapist has a bookshelf in his office. Hmm. I know there isn't one in the waiting room and his desk area is behind the sofas where patients sit so I don't get a chance to look back there often, but there might be one there. I'll have to make it a point to check it out this week, now I'm curious.

[stopdog]

Originally Posted by hankster

You sound like the main dog, Poncho, in the strip "Pooch Café", who wants to launch all cats into space using (of course) a catapult, starting with his master's new wife's six cats. Do you use your humor in your therapy? I find a rich sense of humor is often an asset undervalued by the owner.

I shall look up the comic strip. The therapist does sometimes appreciate my sense of humor. Now if she would only read some classic plays or novels or myths she would also get my allusions.

Anatolian Shepard Dog