[sweepy62]

So you go to therapy, I say you but I mean people in general, not directed towards anyone specifically. You go to therapy to feel better, to seek answers, to work on the past or to reach certain goals ect... I see the therapist as a mind body and soul surgeon.

The difference is there is no anesthesia, there are no nurses, no medical staff in the room, no pain killers readily available. Just you and your surgeon.

She or he, does not know whats ailing you, unless you tell him or her, so they pick here and their at your brain with tiny instruments (virtual) during this 50 minute procedure, sometimes causing pain. At this time you might produce your own anesthesia by (dissociating). Ooops 50 minutes are almost up, so he or he must virtually stitch you back up, and guide you back into the real world, and give you virtual pain killers ( coping skills) until he or she sees you next time to keep working on the ongoing procedure.

Lately I have been thinking of therapy like this, and its not a bad thing. maybe its because I feel so confused lately, they say you must feel worse before you feel better, well im in the feel worse stage of it. I dont see the getting better, I just see an ongoing virtual procedure in my head. This may not make sense to you guys but I felt like making this thread.

[archipelago]

It's an interesting analogy, but sounds painful, perhaps unnecessarily so. I do think that in some ways we do ask them to get inside us and if they are not light and gentle with that then it can feel wrong and perhaps painful.

For me I think the pain is my own stuff that is stirred up and needs to be handled. I believe in the model of working through so it is like a process of grieving in some ways. The goal is acceptance and with that some peace, but the road to it can be full of dangers so it is not easy at all. But I have found that it is worthwhile. It has radically changed me, so much that I am almost a different person, but really just more of who I really am, instead of being warped around traumatic or unresolved material. But I go for exploration and transformation because ultimately I want peace and freedom. Sometimes that means stepping right into the stream of suffering, but I'm a buddhist so I believe suffering is part of being human though there are ways to reduce it. And therapy is one.

[sweepy62]

Originally Posted by archipelago

It's an interesting analogy, but sounds painful, perhaps unnecessarily so. I do think that in some ways we do ask them to get inside us and if they are not light and gentle with that then it can feel wrong and perhaps painful.

For me I think the pain is my own stuff that is stirred up and needs to be handled. I believe in the model of working through so it is like a process of grieving in some ways. The goal is acceptance and with that some peace, but the road to it can be full of dangers so it is not easy at all. But I have found that it is worthwhile. It has radically changed me, so much that I am almost a different person, but really just more of who I really am, instead of being warped around traumatic or unresolved material. But I go for exploration and transformation because ultimately I want peace and freedom. Sometimes that means stepping right into the stream of suffering, but I'm a buddhist so I believe suffering is part of being human though there are ways to reduce it. And therapy is one.

thanks for responding, your post does make sense acceptance is a big part of the whole life scenario.

My T has used the "surgery without anaesthetics" simile. I think it's a pretty good way of describing it. And also, he's a surgeon working solo, there's no team of junior doctors or nurses who can assist him.

[Freewilled]

Yes! I have written a couple posts on here comparing therapy to surgery w/o anesthetic. I don't experience it always as a good thing...well, not good at all, really. Its different than physical surgeries though because they tend to be more cut and dry (at least i think of them that way). They have a procedure to follow. But in therapy, sometimes i feel more like a lab rat in an experiment.

I feel like in this day and age, it should be far more of a science than an art!

[sweepy62]

Originally Posted by Freewilled

Yes! I have written a couple posts on here comparing therapy to surgery w/o anesthetic. I don't experience it always as a good thing...well, not good at all, really. Its different than physical surgeries though because they tend to be more cut and dry (at least i think of them that way). They have a procedure to follow. But in therapy, sometimes i feel more like a lab rat in an experiment.

I feel like in this day and age, it should be far more of a science than an art!

Yep, exactly my sentiment. So its got me wondering, do you really feel better after all this healing work is done? I mean there are setbacks in therapy I guess like (virtual infections sort of speak, when the t=surgeon has to wait for you to heal before more work gets done. I guess right now im in a tailspin, I feel insecure about the whole thing. The holidays, the triggers, the anxiety, everything is not making sense to me.

[Littlemeinside]

It really does makes sence. Thanks for sharing your thoughts

[IndestructibleGirl]

Whenever I first started, I used to have very vivid involuntary daydreams that would come upon me of being in a field hospital, somewhere in a war zone, having surgery performed upon me while fully conscious. So I totally relate to this.

[Rosondo]

Originally Posted by sweepy62

....The difference is there is no anesthesia, there are no nurses, no medical staff in the room, no pain killers readily available. Just you and your surgeon.

She or he, does not know whats ailing you, unless you tell him or her, so they pick here and their at your brain with tiny instruments (virtual) during this 50 minute procedure, sometimes causing pain. At this time you might produce your own anesthesia by (dissociating). Ooops 50 minutes are almost up, so he or he must virtually stitch you back up, and guide you back into the real world, and give you virtual pain killers ( coping skills) until he or she sees you next time to keep working on the ongoing procedure....

I think that's a good analogy but usually people work both with a therapist and psychiatrist so the psychiatrist will be the one prescribing some pills when the pain is too much. Also keep in mind that some people go into therapy already a mess. So it's not like they need the surgeon to open them up, they're already bleeding a little bit every day from memories and triggers and so forth. So people also use dissociation in their daily life without even going to the therapist in the first place. Lastly, a good therapist will do his best not to work on really painful issues just the last minute. So hopefully the person won't leave in a terrible state , and at least be a little stitched up. Imagine as you're getting up the therapist says, Oh I know you keep thinking your parents sometimes are not loving but I've been reflecting on this and I actually think they never did love you much...see you next month.

[stopdog]

I get the surgery without anesthesia analogy but I think it is the client who is the surgeon, not the therapist. At best the therapist is the person wiping off the brow of the surgeon/client and sometimes handing the client the right tool, at worst, the therapist tries to sew the client back up but leave sponges and stuff behind, drops the needle and so forth.
I would never let the therapist be the surgeon.

I don't see a psychiatrist or even an md of generality - I don't think everyone sees a psychiatrist.