Child Like

Has your T ever told you that you act child like in therapy?
Something happened in session today and my T said that she has noticed lately that I am very child like, I have to admit that I do at times feel like a child, My T says that my emotions are child like too.

Yep she calls it regression, I do that sometimes, she says something about the inner child . I don't buy into the inner child thing but we are working on it, I do have a CSa history as well.

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Yeah I have csa history too.

I often feel like a child in the therapy room but T hasn't ever said anything about it but I do notice she changes her tone of voice when I feel like a child

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I think sometimes I become a grumpy defiant teenager, T has called me on it before. I'd agree with T on that.

No. The therapist has not said that to me.

T has not told me that but I have noticed myself when my "inner child" is activated in therapy. It has taken me a long time to understand the concept - and reality of - an inner child. Im still not comfortable with it but I have seen how it is real for me. I have a csa history so my childlike emotions sometimes emerge when I am talking about csa during therapy. I don't know if it shows up in voice though.

No, my therapist hasn't said that. I do feel sometimes either as a child or as a rebellious teenager but I never act on it so my T cannot be sure about it but even when I am "grumpy" my T might say or rather ask if a part of me feels/thinks/wants...

T told me once that when i wrap myself up in the blanket and get all cuddly that im letting my inner child out

My therapist never said I was childlike, yet I was for most of many sessions. The proof is in the audio tapes. One time when I was in this state I told her I didn't want to be a child anymore, and she said that I didn't have to be. I can be an adult if I wanted to. I remember this statement when I start to feel the negative statements that I use to respond to like a child. That child in me still exist, but she doesn't make adult decisions for me anymore.

Audio tapes?

“I’m good at loving books. I’m good at loving soft bed sheets. I’m good at loving coffees and teas. I am good at loving things that can’t love me back, that don’t have the power to leave. And maybe, that’s why I love them.”

My T has never said that, but sometimes I feel like she's so much more professional than me. Ha. Even though I *AM* a professional in my field. I frequently feel like a little kid when I'm there.

Sometimes I'm a little girl, sometimes I'm a p.o.'d teen. T didn't bring it up until I did - I told him I feel very childish at times and that I'm ashamed of it. He told me it was okay, it was where I needed to be. Still feel awkward though.

Random threadjack - I often feel the need to push the idea that 'I'm a professional too' in therapy. I felt it more with previous (female) T than with current (male) T. Power struggles maybe? Trying to hang on to my grownup self? Not really going anywhere with that one, just thinking out loud...

After the first three month, I taped most every single session. I have since gotten rid of many, but still have quite a few, and once in a while I will listen to one or two to get rid of it or keep it. Nevertheless, the kid is there in all her shame and glory.

Yes my t always says I am stuck in a child like state. She notices when my tone if voice becomes stronger or more adult like!
Of course I always argue with her, telling her I have a full time job, I pay my bills, go to college( which I pay for myself too) things children don't do!
She still sees the inner child in me and talks to her as if she was someone outside of me.

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She wouldn't need to. It's beyond obvious.

I never felt a change in the way I talked but my disposition has varied through the past year. I'm pretty sure she intended for me to experience regression because of the way she would talk and analogies she would use. She compared one stage of our relationship to a toddler learning how to walk and she was holding my hands and teaching me, and that sometimes she would have to let go but she wouldn't let me fall. It was strange, yet understandable and comforting.

No, he hasn't, and I wouldn't appreciate it if he did.

This is what I was thinking also. I think I might be immature sometimes, seeking approval and asking too much advice. But if my T said this to me I would be insulted.

Not particularly, but I do notice when I get recalcitrant in therapy or whatever...We talked about my "parts" and he knows that my "child" stays with him all the time or in his office because she is safe there and I'm not able to give her the nuture that she needs.

Once or twice when dissociated or particularly upset, he asked me how old I was. Don't know if I answered or not...

But he does speak about that theory where toddlers are at preschool and they toddle off and play for a while, then come back to their parents and hold their knee or suck their thumb then just toddle off again to play and brave the big bad world. He thus helps me want to learn how to go back out in the big bad ugly world...by always being consistently "there" should I need to toddle back and sit by him for a while. I'm sure the super poombah's here know what it is called and understand it much better...but for now, for me, I'm glad I have T to toddle back to when upset/confused/frustrated/hurt/scared and have a boo boo from this world I live in.

Right now, I wish I could just sit on his lap and flip the world the bird.

Sorry...
-WB

i had to get all my hospital records a few years ago and one of the pdocs in the hospital wrote that i was childlike