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  #26  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Crescent Moon View Post
She holds the history of my therapy in her heart.
i love this!
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  #27  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 04:37 PM
Anonymous32517
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I never had a T or other mental health person take notes in session - except possibly Horrible Counsellor Woman whom I saw once last August - I've pretty much blanked out all that happened then. Anyway, ex-T took notes after each session, and kept a journal, which will be kept at the clinic for five years (but nobody but ex-T is allowed to read it). She had a fairly good memory for things I'd said.

I'm going to ask new T about his routines concerning notes and journals next time I see him. I'm sure he makes notes, because he seems to remember everything I've told him, and anyway I've had him as a pdoc and I'm certain he's required by law to keep a journal of my medication.

I don't know how I would like having a T take notes as I talked. Maybe I would be all focused on what they were writing. Maybe not.
  #28  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 04:44 PM
Anonymous32517
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It's interesting to see how many of us have/have had Ts who don't take notes. Not exactly the T stereotype
  #29  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 05:27 PM
anonymous8713
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This is really interesting. There have been a few times when I've been talking and T grabbed a yellow legal pad and started, I don't know, it was like he was sketching something and I could tell he was drawing arrows. Weird. If anyone knows what these Ts are drawing, I'm really curious.
Although some of t's notes are in simple bullet form, she clearly uses "mind mapping" - she'll have one little word or phrase in a circle connected to another word or phrase. I guess some people like that style of note taking but I can't really get into it.

T really, really likes taking notes. In fact, one time her pen died and she had to interrupt me to go into the other room to get a new one. This did not bother me at all (and she knows me well enough to trust that I would be fine with it)- in fact, I found it kind of endearing. Like I said, though, her memory is scary good so I don't' know why she relies notes so much.
  #30  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 05:32 PM
Anonymous32732
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Originally Posted by Crescent Moon View Post
She holds the history of my therapy in her heart.
I guess the note-taking is for those of us whose T's do not hold our history in their hearts.
  #31  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 05:40 PM
Anonymous100153
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Or for Ts who don't have a great memory, or have a bigger caseload and want to make sure to keep actual notes of all their clients so they keep everyone straight, or just a personal preference...
  #32  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 06:44 PM
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My T also doesn't take notes. Very occasionally she'll write something specific down, if we're planning something, but very seldom. She took a few notes when I first met her.

I like that she doesn't, and how focused she is on just talking and listening to me during my sessions. She doesn't take notes after sessions either. She never forgets what I've said!
  #33  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 07:10 PM
Anonymous32910
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Originally Posted by TheBunnyWithin View Post
I guess the note-taking is for those of us whose T's do not hold our history in their hearts.
Hopefully you know that is a bunch of bull hockey.
  #34  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 07:51 PM
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Crescent Moon Crescent Moon is offline
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Originally Posted by Apteryx View Post
I don't know how I would like having a T take notes as I talked. Maybe I would be all focused on what they were writing. Maybe not.
I'll tell you how it was.. he's writing like a maniac, of course eyes on his yellow pad. The only time he looks at me is when I fall silent. So he misses all the non-verbal expressions.. which may explain why I so often felt like he misunderstood me. And if I'm struggling to talk about something painful, I don't get any eye-to-eye response - like where you see compassion, or you can tell they 'get it.' It wasn't until I got to my current therapist that I found out what that was like. There have been so many times that I have opened up a painful wound for her to help me untangle, and after I finish our eyes lock and she doesn't have to say a word.. I feel safely held by her compassion and care. My first therapist could have never offered that, because he was so focused on writing all kinds of crap down that did absolutely nothing therapeutic for me.
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  #35  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 08:00 PM
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Crescent Moon Crescent Moon is offline
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Originally Posted by farmergirl View Post
Hopefully you know that is a bunch of bull hockey.
Maybe not! I thought TheBunnyWithin made a good point. What took place with my first therapist wasn't a little note-taking. It was copious. Constant. It was his focus. My current therapist writes a brief note afterwards, because some form of notes is required of therapists.. but she does it after I leave.

All I can say, is no therapy took place with my first therapist, his notes got all his attention. And he sure was proud of his note-taking, I'll tell you. He thought it was one of the things that distinguished him as among the best.

I think it's interesting that this thread apparently hit a real raw nerve with me.
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  #36  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 08:14 PM
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Focus62 Focus62 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crescent Moon View Post
My current therapist writes a brief note afterwards, because some form of notes is required of therapists
Is it really required? Even with school therapists that do it for free (no insurance necessary)? I guess I never figured it would be required, though I can see how it might be necessary for medical records.

I'm sorry this thread struck a nerve Crescent Moon, I just thought this thread might be interesting. It turns out that my therapist isn't in the minority on not taking notes during session, I thought for sure that she was.
  #37  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 08:30 PM
Anonymous32732
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Crescent Moon View Post
I'll tell you how it was.. he's writing like a maniac, of course eyes on his yellow pad. The only time he looks at me is when I fall silent. So he misses all the non-verbal expressions.. which may explain why I so often felt like he misunderstood me. And if I'm struggling to talk about something painful, I don't get any eye-to-eye response - like where you see compassion, or you can tell they 'get it.' It wasn't until I got to my current therapist that I found out what that was like. There have been so many times that I have opened up a painful wound for her to help me untangle, and after I finish our eyes lock and she doesn't have to say a word.. I feel safely held by her compassion and care. My first therapist could have never offered that, because he was so focused on writing all kinds of crap down that did absolutely nothing therapeutic for me.
Yeah, note-taking to that extent would drive me crazy! Maybe he was going to write a book????

I don't mind my T note-taking because he's only capturing things that he feels are important, and that makes me feel that he's paying attention to me and that important things are happening in session, things worth noting. I have no idea if it's a memory thing or just personal preference, but he's 62--and I'm a little older--and I know that the memory just sort of goes at that age, whether you've got a PhD or not.
  #38  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 08:40 PM
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Crescent Moon Crescent Moon is offline
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Originally Posted by Focus62 View Post
Is it really required? Even with school therapists that do it for free (no insurance necessary)? I guess I never figured it would be required, though I can see how it might be necessary for medical records.
Yes. They are health care providers, and they are required to keep a minimum of basic notes regarding their patient/client's state during that session, and progress. They can get in trouble if they don't keep at least the basic notes.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Focus62 View Post
I'm sorry this thread struck a nerve Crescent Moon, I just thought this thread might be interesting. It turns out that my therapist isn't in the minority on not taking notes during session, I thought for sure that she was.
No need to apologize! I just didn't expect to still have such strong feelings about it three years after stopping therapy with him. My reaction was interesting to me :-)
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Thanks for this!
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  #39  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 08:47 PM
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Crescent Moon Crescent Moon is offline
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Originally Posted by TheBunnyWithin View Post
Yeah, note-taking to that extent would drive me crazy! Maybe he was going to write a book????
I swear, Bunny, he *has* a book! I'm not kidding. After four years, he had a couple of files probably 6 inches deep.

Quote:
Originally Posted by TheBunnyWithin View Post
I don't mind my T note-taking because he's only capturing things that he feels are important, and that makes me feel that he's paying attention to me and that important things are happening in session, things worth noting. I have no idea if it's a memory thing or just personal preference, but he's 62--and I'm a little older--and I know that the memory just sort of goes at that age, whether you've got a PhD or not.
Well.. I wouldn't have minded if his note-taking wasn't so profuse that it deprived me of therapeutic interaction.

Your therapist's moderate note-taking might be because it was much more common when he was starting out. I think it's been in the last decade or so that more minimal note-taking became the norm. First, because of therapy notes being easier to get by the courts, and second, because of the increased focus on the importance of the therapeutic relationship.
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  #40  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 09:33 PM
Anonymous32732
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Originally Posted by Crescent Moon View Post
I swear, Bunny, he *has* a book! I'm not kidding. After four years, he had a couple of files probably 6 inches deep.


Well.. I wouldn't have minded if his note-taking wasn't so profuse that it deprived me of therapeutic interaction.

Your therapist's moderate note-taking might be because it was much more common when he was starting out. I think it's been in the last decade or so that more minimal note-taking became the norm. First, because of therapy notes being easier to get by the courts, and second, because of the increased focus on the importance of the therapeutic relationship.
Sorry you had to go through that. I've thought about it, and if I was in that situation I think I'd feel neglected and unimportant--just what I'm in therapy to get over. Like the note-taking in itself was much more important than I was. Ugh. And what good are all those notes if the interaction was being interfered with?

Glad you've moved on.
Thanks for this!
Crescent Moon
  #41  
Old Jun 02, 2012, 10:42 PM
Anonymous32925
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My T does not take notes during session. If she does, it's a sticky note with just points to remember. It would drive me nuts if she wrote all the time...
  #42  
Old Jun 03, 2012, 11:25 AM
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My T does not take notes during our session. He looks directly at me - he never breaks eye contact. And I stare right back at him! He usually writes a summary of our session after I leave during the 10 minutes in between clients. But he has a phenomenal memory - I don't know how he does it - he has a full caseload of 35-40 clients/week and never writes a thing.
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  #43  
Old Jun 03, 2012, 02:05 PM
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ECHOES ECHOES is offline
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My T does not take notes. However, for a class she was taking, she needed to take notes for a 2/week patient and I volunteered to be that person. It was interesting! I like very much that she doesn't take notes, and has gotten to know me and remembers things . When she was taking notes, it felt different. Maybe because I knew it was temporary, maybe because I was 'going to class with her'. I felt important. Which was odd because, as I said, I like that she doesn't take notes. I guess it was that after almost 5 years of not taking notes, taking notes at every session felt as if I had such *important* things to say that she just had to capture every word! It didn't detract from my therapy (my fear) or make me less able to share. In fact because of the reaction I had, it made me feel able to be more open.
It was fun and interesting to see how that went.
  #44  
Old Jun 03, 2012, 02:38 PM
dolphingirl dolphingirl is offline
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Mine took them during the assessment appointment and the first few after that. Now t doesn't. I was always wondering what she was writing. I know they still exist in some form because she has referred to my file and I'm sure there is more in it than the few papers I've filled and the notes from the other counselor during the assessment. I thought it was a little odd when she quit, because Ts take notes in all the movies/tv shows, but I like it better.
  #45  
Old Jun 03, 2012, 03:00 PM
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lrt1978 lrt1978 is offline
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My psychologist makes notes, not huge amount to be honest it doesn't bother me at all, most of the time I don't even notice she is doing it but she doesn't take loads. I am having therapy on the NHS and I know a file is kept on the computer of our sessions. I would rather she took notes and remembers then not take notes and forget things
  #46  
Old Jun 03, 2012, 09:07 PM
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confused and dazed confused and dazed is offline
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Hmmmm, in the 3 or so years with T, I have never seen T take any notes. T leaves right after I leave so he must take notes when he is at home. Considering T knows and can repeat/remember almost everthing ever said (that can really be irratating at times ) there must be some type of notes someplace.
  #47  
Old Jun 03, 2012, 09:50 PM
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CantExplain CantExplain is offline
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I talked to my T about this.
She only takes notes at the very beginning.
After that, she works without notes or records.
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  #48  
Old Jun 04, 2012, 08:48 AM
KazzaX KazzaX is offline
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My last T used to write stuff down right in front of my face. It irritated me a bit because they drilled it into us at university that you should NEVER do that and it is very unprofessional. But after a while you just get used to it really. In a way I kinda understand because it would be hard to remember all the important stuff when the moment is over. It would be hard to remember 50 minutes of stuff later on.
  #49  
Old Jun 04, 2012, 09:20 AM
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my T has never taken notes at all during my session.i didn't think that she took notes at all,but one week she asked me what i had said about something the week before.i told her i didn't remember.she was in boot camp T mode then ans said that she was going to have to read her notes to find out what we talked about it i didn't remember.and she did she came back the next week repeating what was talked about.so i guess she must write after sessions or something
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  #50  
Old Jun 04, 2012, 09:28 AM
Anonymous32516
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Originally Posted by granite1 View Post
my T has never taken notes at all during my session.i didn't think that she took notes at all,but one week she asked me what i had said about something the week before.i told her i didn't remember.she was in boot camp T mode then ans said that she was going to have to read her notes to find out what we talked about it i didn't remember.and she did she came back the next week repeating what was talked about.so i guess she must write after sessions or something
My T used to write all the time. Sometimes she would look at me WHILE writing at the same time. Those were the times I felt like a circus freak
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