[stopdog]

I am curious about something that came up in another thread - that people leave things at the therapist's office. Could anyone who does this share the sorts of things one would leave there? I am curious and lack the imagination to know what one would even take in, let alone leave there and why.

[critterlady]

The only thing I leave is a check.

[lostmyway21]

I left a teddy bear there. I wanted to know I could trust him. It's been 6 months and my teddy bear is still safe and sound with him. Sometimes I ask for him in session to hold when I need him. Otherwise it's just safely being guarded by T.

[Perna]

I had an embarrassing situation; I decided to do a journal project, was going to test not writing my T for a month (use to write her at least once a week) and that week, when we were talking about it, was the last session before she was going to be away a week or two. And, I forgot the journal, left it in her office! No way to get it as she was away/I wasn't seeing her for that time. That was an interesting "Freudian slip" discussion when she got back. She'd kept it "safe" for me :-)

I gave her a tiny stuffed animal to keep for me once too, a jointed teddy bear, until I asked for it back. She kept it in her change purse. I felt like she had part of me "hostage" and that was an interesting experience, thinking I had to be on my best therapy behavior or the bear would "get it"

I've never felt the need to leave anything with my T. I just settle my bill with his secretary on my way out.

[unaluna]

mostly books, some movies, some music, some underpants (NO JUST KIDDING ON THAT LAST ONE!!!) the toys I bring go into the toy box for everybody. forgot to answer why: I ask him to read stuff to understand me better, because I can't explain how I feel, but I find books that do. sometimes I find a movie that really speaks to me, like there was a post here recently that asked, why doesn't everybody over 60 just off themselves, what do they (we!) have to look forward to in life except pain and wheelchairs? so I was going to answer, but I couldn't find the post, and then I thought maybe it wasn't really for this site, to watch the italian movie Mid-August Lunch. So that's on T's shelf. Life-affirming stuff.

Originally Posted by hankster

mostly books, some movies, some music, some underpants (NO JUST KIDDING ON THAT LAST ONE!!!) the toys I bring go into the toy box for everybody.

I think you should slip a pair of underpants in between the couch cushions when T isnt looking. The client that finds them will have a few questions....LOL

I asked xT if I could bring a pillow pet and leave it. She said if she kept something for all her clients in her office she wouldnt be able to move. O, well.

[Nelliecat]

I left a shell and in return took a shell and pebble home. I was hoping it would 'make' a connection that was lacking but when we had a rupture I gave the shell and pebble back to her. They never worked anyway. My shell is still there somewhere and I couldn't care less.

Artwork, books, toys, stuff to go in her " nature box", a dollhouse, a doll, a blanket

[CantExplain]

I've done some thought experiments about this.
What if I bought an amethyst and left it on her window sill?

Would it become "hers" or would it still be "mine"?
How would I feel if it was moved? lost? broken? taken away? knocked onto the floor?

One of her crystals is already "sort of mine", meaning that I feel it belongs to me when I'm there.

Maybe I'd like to leave something.. perhaps it's a desire to want to make a mark... It's a sweet idea, but I'm curious as to how such a thing would even come up -- "Here, T, some clutter for your bookshelf!"?

I just left some things that I wrote-that she keeps in my file. I left Playdoh (It helps keep me grounded) and I Leave my weekly check.

[unaluna]

I once wrote here on PC, and told T, that I'm like a cat leaving hunted "treasures" on his doorstep. I brought him SALT, like the man can't buy his own salt???! Okay, but I did check, did not see it in town, and just asked my friend who used to own a restaurant and even she had never heard of it, so it wasn't just ANY salt (it was truffle salt). Anyway, today, oops, I did it again. I brought in a tattooed sock monkey like on the KIA car commercial. He said, "and you can tell PC T took it home." But we are still working on what it MEANS to me. It feels so unreal. I can sit here and say until the cows come home, "T, I want you to take it home." For me, reality stops there. With him saying no, or it just staying a fantasy. When he said, "yes, i'm touched you remembered, I will take it home", I was like, "how do I make this real?" I think it is more about ME getting a special present, without having to pay thru the nose for it, without having it get spoiled somehow, which it always was. T still has a stuffie each from his mom and stepmom (and his stepmom was also named hankster, what are the odds of that??!! ) so i'm like, this is the grown-up T stuffie (i put his actual tattoos on it, it looks so SWEET!). Anyway, I guess that's the point - this time, it's personal!

[stopdog]

Thank you all for responding. It is interesting.

I leave him things I write because he prefers to have a copy to read on his own in private. I also brought in an art project I did, and ended up giving it to him so I suppose I left that there, too, as it now hangs on the wall.

[stopdog]

It seems there are differences between leaving stuff there for the client and giving the therapist a gift of something. I have never really thought of doing either. But very interesting concept to leave something there for yourself and finding comfort in doing so.

[learning1]

I don't leave anything and never really thought about doing it. I read that other people do but just figured t wouldn't go that far with me and I didn't really consider it. His office is very stark and bare I think. He has offered to loan books to me several times. Maybe I should offer something back.

[learning1]

What inspired you to start this thread Stopdog?

[stopdog]

I saw reference to people doing it in a couple of other threads and since I had no idea what sorts of things would be left or why, I thought I would ask.

[crazycanbegood]

I've left a picture of myself as a child.

[WantingtoHeal]

Originally Posted by LolaCabanna

I think you should slip a pair of underpants in between the couch cushions when T isnt looking. The client that finds them will have a few questions....LOL

That is hilarious!!!!

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by WantingtoHeal

That is hilarious!!!!

yeah? I can see it now - "were you washing the windows with these old granny panties?"

[WantingtoHeal]

I don't remember doing this, but last week I spoke to a previous T from many years ago and he told me that I left my picture in his office and that it was a comfort to me. Surprised me.

I'm not comfortable enough with new T to leave anything. Not sure how she'd take it.

I keep trying to leave things in my therapist's office in a desperate hope that I will stay connected ... so far, it hasn't worked! Somehow the connection I "think" I need to feel never appears . . .or perhaps, I don't recognize it. .. that's my latest brain fart when it comes to therapy---What exactly does CONNECTION feel like????

I've left printed out emails (ones I've sent to her and she's saved and put in my file), drawings, a collage that I made a year or so ago and truly hate. I have no idea why I did it or what is suppose to mean or signify. I left a small doll that my therapist suggested I buy to begin inner child work. . . .I found her on ebay, thought she was the perfect doll to begin this work (I mean I haunted that site until I WON the auction) and then I dropped her off in my therapist's office and told my therapist that I didn't want her in my house. She still sits in my therapist's office . .. poor baby, her mother left her with the babysitter and never came back to collect her!

Personally, I think that I keep TRYING to make some kind of physical connection/bridge to my therapist through these silly physical things in the desperate attempt to make it stick or make sense inside of my head. It isn't working

[healed84]

I have never brought anything and left it.. Although, I have been tempted to bring a pillow and stash it somewhere in between sessions. Sometimes, I just want a pillow to snuggle when I am talking about hard issues.