Aha! At least a little one

So I usually end up booking sessions for the following week by email after my last session. I've booked a few times at the end but usually I get too nervous and T isn't too great at picking up on my telepathic messages to pick up her darn agenda and offer me a session. But I had this whole, not very functional approach to it. I would go on Wednesday or Thursday. Couldn't book on Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday because that would seem too needy. It would seem, to T (according to me) that as soon as I left session I was like "therapy, therapy, therapy, therapy" which obviously is a no-go. And then, despite the fact that I know T has a few sessions over the weekend, I couldn't email her those days because I didn't want to infringe on her weekend time. And then by Monday I would be too nervous. On the few times I have booked sessions the week before in session, I would get a reminder Monday evening. So by Tuesday it would really click that I need to book (my preferred day is Wednesday and it seems ALL of t's people are out to steal my day).

So what did I do today? I emailed her! Because I realized, that T, is in fact a T and she does have other clients/patients/whatever. So guess what, she knows how and when to answer an email asking to book an appointment. It's not like I'm appearing in her kitchen saying "hey, can I pretty please book a session for tomorrow?" It's an email tsol, she can ignore it and get back to me if she's in the middle of eating a family dinner or whatever it is she does. I'm not infringing. She may hear her phone go off, she may have it on silent. She may get up to check, or maybe she waits until whatever she's doing is over. I was all worried that she would be OBLIGATED to drop the turkey on the ground as she's pulling it out of the oven to book an appointment with me. Not to say that I'm that special or in need of emergency responses.

Just a tiny baby step I made in not panicking over sending her a short email on the weekend because she's been a T before and isn't as much of a sketch bag as I clearly tend to be.

That's great!

Sorry it gets you so tied into knots, Silent tsol. I'm glad you were able to email her! That said, I really don't think it isn't being too clingy or demanding to say in your next session, "So, can I make an appointment for next week?" Believe me, our therapists are there to support and encourage us and asking for what you need (another appointment) is not too demanding.

I think you might be overthinking this or expecting your therapist to "mindread" that you want another appointment. Consider putting it in your head for your next session that you WILL ask and book another appointment . . .but only if that's what you want

I so get what you're saying. Mine has started this thing at the end where he waits for me to ask to schedule the next appt. It is not going very well. lol

Your T doesn't ask you if you'd like to meet again next week or whenever? My T always asks me as we're wrapping up the session. Seems the logical time to sort it out.. I think if we left it and I had to email I think I'd find myself getting all anxious about it..

I agree with you about the beauty of email vs txt/phone - your T can check it when it's convenient - so it's fine to send it any time or any day. I don't think your T would think you're needy or therapytherapytherapy if you arranged your appointments sooner, but I know what you mean!

ST-good for you in contacting the t and asking for what you wanted.
Is there anyway you could get a set day and time so you don't have to go through this each week?

I'm glad you could ask and not feel panicked about it.

It really isn't an imposition for your T for you to set up your next appointment at the end of a session. My T and I set up my appointment for the following week whenever we meet. It's just part of our closing ritual, I guess. I pay him and we sort out whether our regular time works for both of us. Then a little small talk as I head out the door.

I don't think there is any reason to not set the appointment up at the end of session. Well other than I think she's doing one of those things where you have to ask for what you want. So I would have to ask to book it. I don't think I'm there yet. She was very clear at the beginning saying that she won't drag me in, that I can book an appointment whenever I feel I need one, whether it weekly, biweekly etc.

Maybe now that I've conquered the email, I can make another attempt at booking before I leave.

No way I could put up with that. I would say, may I pretty please schedule another six appointments with you? all on same day & at same time each week, of course. lol