so when you see your T or someone from your team in public you usually just say hey and keep walking BUT what happens if you both happen to be at a fairly small party??

tonight i went to a party with my cousins because it's their friends birthday and cuz i'm living with them i know their friend now too. when i got there i saw a psych from my team, she's not my individual psych but she's run groups i've been in and works fairly closely with my individual psych.. it was so awkward! we were introduced to each other and then we were like hi i didn't expect to see you here.

i ended up leaving early because i was so uncomfortable.

i have no idea how i feel about all this.. my head is running a million miles an hour! what if it happens again? what happens when i see her at the centre again? do i keep this a secret and not mention it to other clients? or is it okay to tell? how do i explain to my cousins why i felt so uncomfortable about seeing her there? what do i say when she or my T asks why i was drinking when i'm meant to be completely sober? arrrrrgh thought overload!

any umm.. just anything that will help me calm down and work out what to do.. or if you've had the same experience? or anything?

[critterlady]

I asked my old T about that, since we were on a college campus and the likelihood of running into each other outside of the office was fairly high. He said that if we were both at a social event, he would leave it entirely up to me how to respond. If I was uncomfortable being there with him, I just had to give him a sign and he'd leave. And nothing said or seen there was fodder for our sessions unless I brought it up.

Luckily, that never happened. I only ever ran into him walking across campus and we were both alone.

[likelife]

A former T and I used to work at the same hospital, where she worked in addition to her practice. I'd run into her about once a week. We made an agreement to kindly acknowledge each other and go about what we were doing. I know it's different from a social setting, but nevertheless, I think it's important to talk with your T about your experience and what you should do if it happens again. I'm sorry it was so uncomfortable for you.

[Mike_J]

In that situation you are the one who really has control over how things go. They can’t say anything about even knowing you without your permission. I’m not sure how my therapist would react to seeing me in a social setting, if I ever saw her I’m sure I would run over and say HI and try to start a conversation, but that’s me, just remember you do have power in those sorts of situations.

[dismantle.repair]

... In public, we greet each other like normal people I guess...

She's a campus psych.
I remember once having been invited to an executive meeting for a project and I was running late...
So I entered the room and with a big smile said, "Heyyaaa everyone. My apologies for being late- little old ladies needed help crossing a road, and I needed to get a puppy out of a tree. That took some effort."
My peers all laughed, and then I turned to the ONLY EMPTY SEAT in the room... and next to it was my T.
It was a face/palm moment.
We got through it ok... I think we can balance the roles we play in different situations.

[growlycat]

I kind of feel like in that situation , the person in authority in the therapeutic relationship should have graciously bowed out for the evening. Hopefully, she did not indicate to anyone that she knew you!!