Have your T ever disclosed when he or she were having personal stuff going on? Like being in the middle of a divorce etc.?

Yes only to assure me that if he cancelled it wasn't my fault.

Yes, on occasion.

[stopdog]

It has happened.

[healed84]

Not so far, but I assume that means that nothing too significant has happened since it has only been 6 months. I imagine he would if something major has happend that could either related to my therapy or would affect our appointments.

yes they have

Never. .

No, but she never canceled on me in the 2 years I was there. I would assume she would be vague if there was ever an issue that would effect several appointments.

[struggling2]

she's had to cancel before and stated it was for a family medical emergency (someone having surgery and she needed to be there)...and last year sometime her brother in law died and the receptionist called to cancel her appts for the week. when i saw her the next week i asked if everything was ok...i could tell she was upset. she chit chatted for about 5min about it and that was it. i brough it up because i care about her and wanted her to know i cared.

My T does a lot of self-disclosure in a relationship-building way, but does not discuss these things in depth. Only enough to make the point he wants to make. He has mentioned major things, like a death in the family, I think to explain his mood, so I wouldn't think it was my fault if he seemed a little distracted.

[franki_j]

No my T discloses absolutely nothing. WHen she is going away she tells me far in advance and never says why and I don't ask. I wish she would tell me a little more sometimes.
One time she told me she wears earplugs ....that's about it tho.

Yes myT discloses quite abit

[Towanda]

My T has used self disclosure judiciously during the six years I've been seeing him, always to make a point or coincide with something that is going on in my life or an issue I'm struggling with. This has had the effect of making him so much more human in my eyes, thereby making my disclosures and vulnerability easier.

[Thornsandroses]

Originally Posted by Towanda

My T has used self disclosure judiciously during the six years I've been seeing him, always to make a point or coincide with something that is going on in my life or an issue I'm struggling with. This has had the effect of making him so much more human in my eyes, thereby making my disclosures and vulnerability easier.

I couldn't have explained my T's self disclosure better then this. Hope you don't mind Towanda. I have been seeming my T for 9 months now.

[Mike_J]

More the receptionist has rescheduled for "personal emergency" then had my therapist apologize for being gone. Sometimes it’s appropriate to let a patient know that there is something major going on, so if you notice that something is a bit “off” with them you won’t think it’s due to you.

[Chopin99]

Yes. My T self-discloses a lot. She was very open about her cancer battle. Because she makes herself vulnerable, it helps me be vulnerable.

My t self-discloses only ever now & then, and only as it relates to something we are in the middle of discussing. I'm so pathetic too cuz I keep a running list of stuff she tells me about herself.

Some things. Current stuff is sometimes mentioned vaguely and briefly to explain an altered appointment time or whatever.. Other times she may self disclose to make a point about something similar going on for me, or it just fits in to the conversation somehow.. It's not like she bangs on and on about herself, not at all, but I like that T tells me bits and pieces about her life, I think it helps me to relate to her.. trust..

[critterlady]

My T rarely discloses anything of a personal nature. I know nothing about what's going on in his life. I know only a little about his circumstances. I know he's married and he has kids, but I don't even know how many or how old they are. If he's had a bad day or gone through something difficult, he's never shown it - he's very steady and constant. I've only been seeing him for 6 months or so, so it's possible that nothing big has gone on for him in that time.

[Snuffleupagus]

My T recently went on vacation. When she got back, I told her I'd missed her. She said she'd thought about me too--she'd been tubing down a very peaceful river, and felt total contentment, and I came to her mind, and she wished she could share that experience with me. I was really touched by that.

[lostmyway21]

My T is pretty open about self disclosure there was never a question he never answered. Although I don't ask a lot. The other morning he asked me to switch my time and I didn't ask why, and he told me he had child care issues. He makes himself real.

[WikidPissah]

My T sometimes discloses too much, and I think badly of him.

[critterlady]

Originally Posted by WikidPissah

My T sometimes discloses too much, and I think badly of him.

I briefly saw another T before my current one and at the end of 3 sessions, I think I knew more about her life than she did about mine. When I first met my current T, I told him why it hadn't worked out with the last one. I think that may be part of why he almost never self-discloses.

[rainboots87]

Originally Posted by TheBunnyWithin

My T does a lot of self-disclosure in a relationship-building way, but does not discuss these things in depth. Only enough to make the point he wants to make.

Same here. She told me she was pregnant for obvious reasons and once mentioned that she may have an emergency call during session to explain if her phone went off (it didn't). Otherwise she shares anecdotes about herself or friends only when directly relevant to my own situation and to illustrate a point.

[shoez]

Yes my T self discloses in the most appropriate time/way.
she uses it to help me understand things, it makes me feel like we are close in a special way...

and she also tells me if shes cancelling because of something in her life, but thats it, its always super professional.