My T lets me e-mail whenever and as much as I want (for now- I think she is trying to get me attached to her.)

What are your T's rules on emailing between sessions?

No mails except for very rare occasions, like sending information that I think I cannot possibly say out loud, and that I think I will chicken out of sharing if I wait until session.

No emails or texts. He is always available, via secretary or voice mail or answering service, to speak to over the phone. He always returns calls within a reasonable amount of time. I prefer it this way as email communication is often prone to problems apparently: not answered fast enough or at all; misinterpretted and over-analyzed; people talk about obsessively checking their emails waiting for that reply. Not for me thank you. I much prefer to call, leave a message, and feel safe knowing he'll get back to me, usually at the end of his day. My pdoc works exactly the same way.

Originally Posted by farmergirl

No emails or texts. He is always available, via secretary or voice mail or answering service, to speak to over the phone. He always returns calls within a reasonable amount of time. I prefer it this way as email communication is often prone to problems apparently: not answered fast enough or at all; misinterpretted and over-analyzed; people talk about obsessively checking their emails waiting for that reply. Not for me thank you. I much prefer to call, leave a message, and feel safe knowing he'll get back to me, usually at the end of his day. My pdoc works exactly the same way.

My pdoc is virtually unreachable except for my ten minutes every 4 months, and my T's phone always goes to voicemail she answers 1 out of every 5 calls...but she usually calls back (but only if she knows its schedule related)

Otherwise she just e-mails me, but she tends to write me twice a day usually- in the am when she wakes up, in the middle of the day if she has a cancellation, and usually before bed.

I do feel anxious waiting for her reply, but since it often gets overwhelming, I just go hike or swim or go to the gym to alleviate the anxiety, and by the time I'm done she has usually replied. And I have lost a lot of weight, too! lol.

[pbutton]

T1 - I could email as I pleased, he had no specific rule. He did mention that I can email/call after we terminated.

T2 - My initial contact with him was via email. His email address is all over his web site and his business cards that he gave me at my first appointment. He hasn't given me any specific email rules. I also haven't ever emailed him. I may ask about it next time.

He doesn't do email or texting. I can call whenever I need to and he will get back with me. I try not to call unless it's a dire situation.

[Emptty]

I can email whenever/however much I want and it's a good thing too because my T didn't realize how intense my depression was until I really opened up on email(I guess it was easier at the time)

He always responds, lately he's been emailing me to check in because I've slowed down.

Email is useful, if your T has the time to respond so you don't feel dismissed.

[stopdog]

The one I see does both. I also use the usps as it has a the benefit of space.

[BlessedRhiannon]

I can email as much as I want, but I don't abuse my T's time and generosity. I email probably once per week. Maybe twice, if I'm having difficulties.

Mostly, it's just me expressing thoughts and processing things. I don't expect lengthy replies from my T and we always talk about my emails in session. I just find it easier to express myself in writing. My T always replies by the next business day, even if it's just an acknowledgement that she got the email. That's really all I usually need anyway. For me, email was an important tool in establishing a relationship with my T and trusting her.

For serious issues, we talk on the phone, so as to prevent any misunderstandings.

For quick updates (that my T requests of me) or scheduling issues, we usually text.

My encourages it, calls it " grist for the mill " xT who was 30 years older hated it. I'm beginning to think its a generational thing.

[critterlady]

My T does not do email or texts. But I have his office number, his cell number, and his home phone number. He encourages me to call whenever I feel the need to talk to him. I think I've done it 3 or 4 times this year.

My T encourages me to email, it's helped me to open up to her, and she's said she thinks it's helpful that to a certain extent we have things down on paper to refer back to... In months of emailing we've only had one misunderstanding, but it actually stemmed from session anyway..(and email helped sort it out!) My T hasn't set limits on what I can send, but that said, I try not to push it. She doesn't always have time to respond, but that's okay. Email contact with T is important to me right now, I was struggling between sessions without it, and it's helped me to clearly express myself in a way I'm not always capable of in session. I think on average I send two or three emails a week, but they aren't quite the novels they used to be... usually... If I'm doing better I send less.

Email as much as need...sometime she tells us she is expecting a bunch of emails .

No Emails. Texts and phone calls are okay as needed.

Yes. I email as much as I need to. Sometimes I email several times a day and his responses are limited to only a few, unless I ask a specific question. I can call too, but I reserve calling for only crisis situations. I text him too, but he has only responded to one text. Usually the texts are when I just can't control myself and have a compulsion to tell him I miss him or that I love him or that I hope he's having a nice day. I'm very contacty.

[autotelica]

There are no rules for communication. She has given me her office number, cell number, home landline, and email. I have used them all at some point in time.

But sparingly.

[mixedup_emotions]

My T prefers to communicate by phone, but he allows me to email. He doesn't "do therapy" by email because he feels that it is a poor way of communication, so much is missing - such as body language and tone of voice.

I appreciate being able to email as it allows me to say things that I wouldn't have the courage to say face-to-face or not have to wait a week before being able to say....but it has proven to be a detriment as well.

I emailed my T Thursday night, and it felt good not to hold onto the upset feelings that I had from our session earlier in the day...He hasn't responded yet which leaves me feeling anxious...Left not knowing whether or not he read it, or if he read it and chose not to reply, not knowing how he feels about it...Is he angry? Is he annoyed? Is he frustrated?

So, now I'm wondering if the unpleasant aspects outweigh the advantages....

I don't have an email address for my T. I do have an office phone number and a mobile phone number for him, but I can't imagine calling or txting between sessions unless I had to let him know I was ill and had to cancel a session, or something like that. It would be good to be able to contact him in a crisis for support, but I can't envision actually doing it.

[growlycat]

Emails and messages are ok ---if I go overboard then he lets me know, that hasn't happened in a long time. Back then I'd call and call in a panic and he would say the next step would be hospitalization. I'd keep it together long enough for him to "check in" with me later, which usually calmed me down enough to keep going.

I had a T a long time ago that had a low tolerance for in between session contact. That really didn't fly.

[healed84]

e-mailing is a recent thing between T and I. When we established that it was an okay form of communication no guidelines were put in place. We've only had one e-mail exchange where our e-mail went back and forth a couple of times. I e-mailed him once this week and that wasit. I like e-mail b/c he is better at responding to me in between sessions than he is with returning phone calls.

[sconnie892]

T has never offered email, I have never asked. In fact we've never discussed in between session contact. The practice has an "emergency" number for off hours. I prefer the no email. I know I would abuse it if it were available to me.

[elliemay]

My old therapist didn't even have an email address I think. He brought in his new droid phone to the office, but he said he couldn't even figure out how to answer it. Same with his iPad. He said his family kept giving them to him. In fact, one session his phone kept ringing with the droid ringtone and he simply could not figure out how to turn it off. I never heard much from the phone after that.

My current therapist has an email address, but I will never use it. Just too much that could go wrong.

I would never dream of texting a therapist. Somehow that feels way more invasive than a phone call or an email. Don't ask me why I feel that way. Maybe that's how I view texts.

Don't know.

[Crescent Moon]

Originally Posted by TentativeConnection

My T lets me e-mail whenever and as much as I want (for now- I think she is trying to get me attached to her.)

What are your T's rules on emailing between sessions?

I can email any time I want to.. as long as I don't expect a response. If I email a request to change session time/date etc., then of course she responds, but otherwise, sometimes she responds, but usually she doesn't. She does read my emails, and has told me that she likes getting them. When we first talked about it, she only cautioned me to not overwhelm her. I'm not sure where that threshold is, but I've not reached it. Earlier in therapy when I was still in a lot of pain, I emailed her almost daily - and at times more than once in a day. If she senses my being especially despondent, she tends to call me so we could talk. Now I rarely email or text. Usually only to reschedule something. I see her weekly, which works perfectly for me now.

[Shishkeberry]

I have no idea. I have her email address and office number (they're both on her business card) and I also have an emergency number to call in a crisis. She and the therapists in her office take turns answering it. I called that crisis number once. She never specifically said whether or not I could email or how often. I don't think I'm comfortable enough with her to invade her space like that yet.

[struggling2]

email is allowed but it is a recent thing. i had her email for scheduling purposes but it was never discussed further. i had a rough evening once and emailed her venting and apologizing for emaling her without us talking about it first. a session or two later i mentioned how helpful it was to be able to do that and asked if i could continue to do so and that she did not have to reply. she said that was fine and if i wanted her to reply to let her know otherwise she wouldnt. ive only done it twice. i could totally do it everyday but i dont. i dont want to be needy or get dependent on her.