[Topiarysurvivor]

Right after I left my T of 23 years, I started journaling. But I was so upset sometimes I was wordless, so I did in as an altered book, with images and only a few words. I used an old kid's book - I don't usually alter a book in okay shape, but this one was too good- it was Alice and wonderland , and if you turned it over and upside down it was Peter Pan. I used some of the words in the book, blacked out most of them and added picture- kind of a collage to each page telling the story of leaving and healing.

In terms of its value to me , it was a very good use of an old book, because the pictures and words already there got me going when I was " stuck" .

I showed it to my new T , she looked through it during the session, but didn't seem to " get it" like old T did. She did thank me for bringing it. But I've been writing a lot and think some of it might be good to share. Do any of you bring your journals in? Does your therapist read them right there in front of you?

She's been teasing me about being " cryptic" based on the visual journal. But i realized today that writing things out is still very much " in my head" , and the visual journal was very much about emotion. There are many tears built into the pages. So I started a new one. It's not ready to show her now, but I will want to. I guess I need to explain the difference to her - that the artwork is more healing than the words.

[willowbrook]

I've shared stories I've written about some of my life experiences, some digital artwork (photo collages) that I'd done (non therapy related, but something came up about creativity in session so I felt it was appropriate), and depending where I'm at in my illness/treatment I will also email Pdoc a written symptom journal, which also chronicles my thoughts and observations. He's encouraged me to write, or draw, or create in order to express myself when I can't find the voice words to do it myself.

[HazelGirl]

My T encourages me to share what I write, but I haven't yet. She knows I keep things from her and is patient to let me reveal them when I am ready. I definitely think it would be beneficial to bring the book up again and explain to her how much it means to you. Talk through the pages with her so that she really "gets it". You deserve to be heard.

[BlessedRhiannon]

Once my T realized that I feel more comfortable with the written word, she started encouraging me to share my journal entries. I bring my journal to each session - sometimes I read from it, sometimes I don't. For me, reading my entries out loud to my T is more beneficial than just handing them to T and letting her read them. Plus, by reading them myself, I can still censor what I read, if I'm just not comfortable sharing part of my entry.

I'll be reading an entry to T at my next session, because it's something that's hard for me to talk about and reading what I've written will make it easier.

Yes i have done that quite a bit.its been really helpful because my t gets it and how helpful it is to me.

[stopdog]

I have written things and even did a power point once.

[rainbow8]

I've shared my artwork and writing with my T also. A few times I drew pictures and wrote during my session because I couldn't tell her what I was feeling. She's always interested in whatever I write or draw.

Only things to discuss. It's really a convo with myself. It's not even always coherent. I use a mix of visual and language. My art can be very personal too so I have brought that but not for a long time.

You might have to talk about specific parts of it. She may not be familiar with visual journals. When she says you are cryptic it might really mean she doesn't understand.

I'm going to make a leap here that a lot if your stuff has meaning that you don't completely understand. I do the same thing. It's worth looking at. Just might need to break it down for her.


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[Azadkiel]

No because My T was too busy showing me his OTHER client's artwork and how great and successful he was with helping them..

[Asiablue]

Well. i do art therapy so my therapist is always interested in anything i bring in. But other therapists i've had were always interested in any art work i did. I think an image can say so much more than words.

[Ambra]

We discuss what I bring in together (the letters from last session that you read about in my thread were an exception). T told me she won't ask me to bring stuff in so that I can decide when to do it but will always be happy to see whatever I want to bring in. So we're flexible about that.

I wouldn't worry about having to explain artwork. I do explain mine to my T too she makes interventions and questions and we go through them together. I think I taught her to understand me better this way.
If I bring something written, I usually read it to her. Don't be afraid to talk to her about how important it is to you, I'm sure she'll welcome the way you communicate. Keep sharing if you feel comfortable with your T, she might just have to learn your "language".

(glad you got many suggestions on here!).

[Topiarysurvivor]

Thank you for all the good ideas ! I like the idea of reading them to her. I know my visual journals have hidden meanings. They even have envelopes with secrets in them , things I didn't want to write on the page. I may not take that one back, but the new one. I'm going to see if I'm brave enough to read one today.

[thestarsaregone]

I do journal write before and after my sessions, but I do not share these entries with her. Those are more for me to remember my sessions. I do, however, have a locked journal app on my phone that I use to take short session notes, like stuff I'm thinking, stuff I'd like to say to my T, etc. I usually review it right before my session so I have an idea of what I'd like to bring up.

I've also brought her fiction I've had published during our early time together so she could get an idea of who I am and how much the written word was important to me. We've also discussed stories I'm working on it and their therapeutic significance.

[Mike_J]

I have shared several short stories that I have written with my therapist.

[dark_sweetie]

I tried to once.. had written a journal about our session but she didn't take it and told me to be in charge of it instead. I felt a bit wounded and didn't understand. But maybe she just thinks having me say things is more valuable. I don't really mind since I am a good communicator it just felt like a rejection somehow

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[Daeva]

I think you were perhaps wanting her to be like your old t and when she wasn't you got disappointed? I think maybe telling her how super important this is to you can be important. I show my T everything I do, my self injury, my art work, my journal. I share my entire life.

Originally Posted by dark_sweetie

I tried to once.. had written a journal about our session but she didn't take it and told me to be in charge of it instead. I felt a bit wounded and didn't understand. But maybe she just thinks having me say things is more valuable. I don't really mind since I am a good communicator it just felt like a rejection somehow

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I could see some people looking at journals like dreams in the sense that the only one that can really interpret them is you. An entire journal would probably not be useful in that case without context. It might be that discussing one part of it would be more useful. I don't know her obviously so just a theory based on what you say about discussion. I know a lot of my journals are more like everyday dreams... Some are useful but a lot of them are simply A regurgitation of recent experiences and ideas. Not really useful in a therapy sort of way.

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In a therapy group I tried to share artwork that I thought was relevant. I had shown it to a different group and there was a lot if discussion about meaning. There was a lot in it that would be hard to express otherwise. They pretty much rejected discussing it. Then deal breaker is I tried reading something like a letter because I knew it would be hard to organize my thoughts on the fly. They disagreed with me which I could have taken except they put me down in the process. No acknowledgement that it was a risky and open thing to do. I know enough to know it was their deal not mine. There were some unhealthy politics going on. It was my last session.

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[purple orchid]

I see my T about once a month, sometimes inbetween sessions I write things down about how I'm feeling.
It helps to write things down and I read some of them out in my sessions if I feel they are important.
It's often easier to read stuff out, it makes me braver to share things that I may otherwise not have shared.

[Topiarysurvivor]

I brought two with me yesterday - it really helped me to direct the session the way I wanted to work. I read the 1st . She seemed pleased that i was going to read it. Then I just told her about the 2nd.

Thanks for the courage!

[Canyon]

I have shown my T some music videos on Youtube because they had a certain importance or meaning to me that relates to things that I want to talk about in therapy. I find that helpful.

[Auntie2014]

I do different types of journaling. Some is in a written book form and some I do on my computer. No one sees my computer journal but I have shared some of the creative writing from it with others.I am between Ts right now but try to continue working on things I have done in the past. This AM I did send a friend a copy of "Confessions of a Penaholic" with permission to share with my old T if she want to.

[melania]

I have always wanted to share my artwork but I never did it because I though that it's something impossible in therapy, something out of therapy.
There were so many situations when I really wanted to send him some song (not mine) because I can't say in my words as much as I can say with this song, but I never did it, I don't know why.
One day I texted him and asked to listen to one song which makes me think about him. I thought that he will ignore this message but when i met him he said that he listened to this song and it's a nice song.

[The_little_didgee]

Sometimes I print out parts of my journal entries and bring them to my appointments or I email them. I have also showed her some of my drawings.