Body Language! How do you sit?

Hey everyone! Just another of my curious questions. Not sure if this thread was posted already, but was curious as to how everyone sits in therapy, and what you think it is suggesting to your therapist! I.e. head in hands means sad, depressed, defeated. etc.

I usually sit up with my legs crossed. I believe this comes off as confident and ready to talk...though I'm not sure, as this is how I always sit. xD Even when I'm depressed.

I sit in the middle of the couch, feet together and hunched over a little. I have to hold my keys in my hand and count them in my head over and over to keep me from being nervous. I look up at my t every once in a while but mostly I'm looking down.

I don't know how this comes off to her, never really thought about it. I must make a lot of faces though because she is constantly asking me what I'm thinking.

I sit on the side of the couch that is closer to her, with my legs tight together. I hunch down so as to hide my facial expressions, and my eyes never look up. I may not even move at all, but sometimes I'll play with my sleeve or my hands. Sometimes my neck and back start aching when it's getting nearer to the end of the session, but I'm too embarrassed to move to a different position.

I think it suggests that I'm very uncomfortable, which is true. I want to be better about it though. I'm thinking posture doesn't just reflect how you feel, it might also determine how you feel. So I'm going to try to sit up more.

I'm usually curled up in a ball on the sofa. I always have my legs tucked up and kick my shoes off. The other day I was so fidgety I was actually sitting upside down with my legs up the back and my head hanging off the sofa. Quite comical, now that I think back, but it was just how I ended up that day.

It varies for me. I usually sit in the chair hunched over a little while fidgeting with something. I often engage in several "nervous behaviours/habits" like touching my lips (which I often do when I'm anxious), not sitting still etc. I often avoid eye contact. Not sure why. I'm just generally bad it at. If I feel really anxious or really depressed I sometimes sit with my head in my hands and just "shut down".

Indian style and a bit hunched

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I tend to slouch right over, feet and knees together usually bouncing on the balls of my feet.
Hands in my pockets with fists clenched, or fiddling with my keys in my lap.
I'm either looking down at my feet or staring right out the window.
It kinda feels like i'm trying to make my self as small as possible and not be noticed -not easy when there's only two of you in the room.

Same for me! I sit there extremely tense and barely move for the entire session even when it gets uncomfortable. I am somehow frozen. And because I am so self-conscious I don't want T to notice me moving or read anything into it

It really depends on how comfortable I am with the therapist or the space. I tend to start out curled up in a ball, and slowly spread out the more comfortable I become. So, with my old T, when I first started seeing her, I would sit in the chair with my legs pulled right up to my chest, not looking at her at all. By the end of our sessions, I was sitting with my legs crossed "normally" and looking at her.

I think this is a great question - it has been discussed before in the forum, but people change in how they act around their therapist so it's really intresting to revisit the topic (and in any case there are always new people around )

For the last couple of months I've been lying down rather than sitting up. I think my body language probably speaks volumes, though I try to control it as much as I can - which is not very much. I cross my arms or wrap them protectively around my body when some topics come up. When I feel more at ease I might place my hands behind my neck, or just fold my hands across my stomach. I try to hide my face with my hands or arms sometimes, but that makes me feel self-conscious so I don't do it often. I'll turn my face away from T and stare at the back of the couch when I feel too vulnerable and don't want him to see me.

I sit with my legs up on the seat with me. Usually we're in a little room so I sit on the chair near the door. So I take my shoes off and curl my legs under me. Which is how I would sit on a chair like that pretty much anywhere - I pretty much never sit on couches with my feet on the floor as I find that extremely uncomfortable and awkward.

As to the rest of me? I look around the room a lot and I fidget with my hands.

I confidently strut in and sit spread-eagle facing my T, softly biting my bottom lip through the session when I'm not talking. My head is slightly tilted down and my eyes peer up at my T holding a constant and unnerving sexually charged gaze. I let my hands explore my body as we talk, slowly drawing little circles over every part of myself with my fingers. LOL.

No, actually I sit with my legs crossed frozen as if I'm paralyzed in fear, mute as if I'm an idiot.

There are both a couch and a chair in my T's office. I always sit in the chair as that's what I did the first time, and I'm a creature of habit. On a table next to the chair are "stress balls" and those jelly balls, which I tend to grab if I'm feeling particularly anxious. T usually picks up on me fidgeting with the balls before I even realize I'm doing it.

As soon as I go in, I take my shoes off. I sit Indian style for most of the session on a couch facing the couch she sits on. Then sometimes I switch to just sitting with my legs tucked under me on the couch. If I start to get tense, that's when I look down and have trouble looking up at her.

I sit in the same place in the exact middle of the horrible couch each week. I do not move around while I am there. I would much prefer if the woman had a chair for clients. I sit with my ankle crossed over my knee.

I sit kinda laid back with my feet up on the couch. If I'm upset, Ill turn toward the back of the couch lying down on my side. Other times I just sit upright with my legs crossed

Legs crossed indicates that you're not comfortable and aslo an indication your subconscious mind is taking the self defense mode , it can also indicate the lack of self confident .

Self defense and keeping your distant by sitting in the middle , makes you more comfortable knowing that you've your own space .

I 100% of the time sit like this. The only change is on tough days I sit like this, on relaxed days the pillow is lower or not there. T knows I tend to hide behind the pillow when i'm uncomfortable, but when the pillows not there she see's me as becoming more relaxed and acclimated with seeing her weekly.

I usually sit on the sofa furthest from T and sort of sit a little sideways to look at T usually have one knee bent and with foot behind other leg... Once when talking to T about a bad memory I was slouched so far down in the sofa and I was looking up at ceiling...

That's exactly it!! I also purposely try to move as little as possible. If I so much as a brave a scratch of my cheek or something, I feel like she takes great notice. I'm wicked self-conscious about that sort of thing because I know I'm under constant surveillance.

I sit on the couch across from her with my hands either in my lab twiddling away or my arms crossed and my hands hidden. I become anxious in therapy. :/ It's not my T's fault though, she's great, it's all me.

I sit on the floor next to my T and the way I sit is partly influenced by the fact I have back problems. I often kind of half lie down.

I often turn my body away from him, or have very defensive body language. I'm kind of in stroppy teenager mode a lot...

when we meet in his office i sit on the couch in the seat furthest away from T and look at all his toys and books. sometimes i look him in the eye. sometimes we meet on the swings or play cards on the floor of his office.