[skysblue]

Well, actually I don't think I'll be taking a class with my therapist but I like the idea.

See, I told her I was signing up for an enrichment class at the local college. She commented that that was a subject that interested her also. I said, "good, sign up for it and we can enjoy discussing the topic a bit each week." Of course, she didn't really respond to that suggestion because I also just moved the conversation between us forward.

Now, I'm sure she will not sign up for class because I suspect there are ethical considerations.

But, I'd like to know for sure if ethics would prevent her from taking a class that I am taking. Probably common sense prevails - a therapist should not enter the client's personal domain - but are there really strict ethical guidelines that would frown upon such an intersection of therapist and client's lives?

Still, I would totally love taking a class with her if she were able.

[rainbow8]

It may be a little different but my former T and I ended up in lectures and classes together, but we didn't sign up for them, and it wasn't week after week. I could have gone weekly but I purposely didn't because of all the feelings seeing her stirred up. She never saw it as a problem for her, only for me. We ran into each other at certain social functions too, and we always talked briefly. Now that I'm not seeing her for therapy, it seems so normal when I run into her!

[Miswimmy1]

I dont think there is a stict ethical guideline... but as you said, it probably wont happen because it dosn't make sense...

but i guesss it also depends on how far along you are in treatment, any feelings that might be stirred up between you, etc.

[unaluna]

Welcome back! After 6 years with my t I think I would hate it!

[childofyen]

If I was taking a class I would be tempted to make jokes with my T... it would be completely distracting, neither of us would learn anything, then we would spend all session talking about our classmates. We go on enough tangents in therapy as it is.

I don't think it would be outright unethical, but it might not be in your best interest. I'm not sure. Maybe you should ask her and report back. I'd be interested in the response.

[Bill3]

Whenever reasonably possible, therapists are supposed to avoid being with clients outside of session.

[Wren_]

sky it really seems to vary
some t's would be ok with it
others have regulations that frown on it
do you plan to ask her again?

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by tigergirl

sky it really seems to vary
some t's would be ok with it
others have regulations that frown on it
do you plan to ask her again?

No, I'm not going to ask her. In fact, I never did ask her. Just when she mentioned her own interest in the subject, I suggested it.

She's pretty strict with boundaries so it's highly unlikely she would take a class I am taking. If she did show up, though, I would be delighted.

Would it be in my best interest? Well, I guess I'd learn more about her - how she learns, how she conducts herself outside of the therapy room.

Would there be a risk I wouldn't like her then? My perception of her is only with her sitting across from me guiding me in the exploration of my inner psychological world. She's an expert at that. In a class I would be able to observe a more well-rounded personality. Do I want that? Or do I want to keep her locked up in the therapy room where she belongs to me 50 minutes per week? hmmmmm

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by Bill3

Whenever reasonably possible, therapists are supposed to avoid being with clients outside of session.

I think you're probably right.

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by childofyen

If I was taking a class I would be tempted to make jokes with my T... it would be completely distracting, neither of us would learn anything, then we would spend all session talking about our classmates. We go on enough tangents in therapy as it is.

I don't think it would be outright unethical, but it might not be in your best interest. I'm not sure. Maybe you should ask her and report back. I'd be interested in the response.

Wow, sounds like you have a great relationship with your T.

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by hankster

Welcome back! After 6 years with my t I think I would hate it!

You would hate it? Why? You want him to marry you, why not join you in a class?

[Wren_]

Would there be a risk I wouldn't like her then? My perception of her is only with her sitting across from me guiding me in the exploration of my inner psychological world. She's an expert at that. In a class I would be able to observe a more well-rounded personality. Do I want that? Or do I want to keep her locked up in the therapy room where she belongs to me 50 minutes per week? hmmmmm

lots to it isn't there ... if you found out you didn't like her as a person that could really impact how you relate to her in the therapy room

even things like; if she interacts with others would you get jealous? so much there

[dismantle.repair]

I ended up on a committee mine was in once.
I had a less vocal role, though I was known as the kid who made all the idiotic jokes.
We stopped working with each other around then coincidentally, so it wasn't really a problem.
I was asked if it would be weird, but I replied that there's a completely different relationship outside that room; and I thought we were both professional enough to respect each other enough to work together. (I however, had a lot of weird feelings during the time- not enough to cause me to rescind though_)
It worked out well.

[autotelica]

I've talked about this before ad nauseum. My therapist and I are sometimes in the same yoga class. We tend not to be now because she prefers the early morning class (and I like sleeping in!), but for a long time we were in the same class together. Sometimes I will join her if I have a scheduling conflict.

It was weird at first. For one thing, all the members of the yoga studio seem to know her. At first I was scared that if I was friendly towards her, then I'd be announcing to everyone that she was my shrink. Which is kind of stupid now that I think about it. Who else but other patients would know that she was a shrink? And why would me just saying hello necessarily mean that I was her patient?

And then secondly, I was nervous that she wouldn't want to talk to me and that I would say hello and she would pretend she didn't hear me. But that didn't happen at all. She talks to me like she would a friend. Sometimes she'll lean in real close and catch up on current events since my last session with her (like asking if I've seen my pdoc yet). Besides the instructors, she's the only person who really talks to me when I'm at the yoga studio.

The staff at the studio now know that we have a professional connection. It was embarrassing at first, but I'm kind of relieved now.

So it doesn't have to be weird and I don't think it's necessarily unethical, as long as all parties involve maintain their boundaries. The shared yoga experience has been helpful in making me feel closer to my therapist, I think. Besides work, yoga is my only other area of face-to-face people interaction. I'm glad my therapist is able to see this setting first-hand so she has an idea of what I'm talking when I regale her with my stories.

[skysblue]

Originally Posted by autotelica

So it doesn't have to be weird and I don't think it's necessarily unethical, as long as all parties involve maintain their boundaries.

The class I'll be taking is highly interactive and so it might be a tad different than a yoga class.

Glad it worked for you doing yoga in a group setting with your T. Must have been nice once you got past the awkwardness.

[likelife]

I think I'd find it fascinating and horrifying to take a class with my T. I so, so desire to see how she is in the "real world." But to actually see it might be too much.

I admire you for your willingness and excitement about the possibility of taking a class with your T.

[skysblue]

I think I'm realizing now that I do not want to see my T in the real world. I want to keep her where she is - as my guide and my helper. I wouldn't be scared of the challenge of having her present in a class that I'm taking. Part of me thinks it would be quite fun.

But, another part of me wants things to stay the same. AND, I know for sure she will not take that class when she knows I'm attending it. She's wise enough to keep the boundaries intact.

[geez]

My T and I take the same spin class. It kind of happened by accident. We didn't tell eachother or mention the class during my appt. I showed up and she was there. So I was seeing here every Friday morning in spin class which I loved. It gave me a sense of security in seeing her... not that we talked about much other than hows the weather etc.. it's a small class so we all talk to one another. Last week I started an outpatient program and I won't be seeing her for appointments or for spin because of the time the program meets. When we first saw each other we talked about it during my session to see if it bothered me or her and it didn't... I guess to arrange it ahead of time could be a problem but circumstances unforeseen would be ok IMO.