[rainbow8]

I was doing okay until I saw the upcoming weather forecast. I think snow is beautiful but winter snowstorms are a trigger for my anxiety. T is supposed to fly home Monday. I worry. My appointment is Tuesday and I'm panicking about driving in the snow or canceling. I'm in bed trying to slow down my breathing. Any ideas how to cope?

[NowhereUSA]

Are the winter storms happening on Tuesday? I live in an area with frequent snow storms and it helps to look at the time. We have an infrastructure that will salt and plow the roads well enough to drive. Would getting your tires checked, that kind of thing, help you feel more confident with regards to driving?

I used to worry myself sick about the weather. I still do sometimes when I have to work. I finally just calmed myself by saying I could always cancel and it wouldn't be the end of the world. We would have another appointment and I would be okay. I can't drive well in snow and can't put my life or anyone else's in danger. I am sorry you experience this.

[RTerroni]

That happened once to me last year, but I quickly got over it.

Perhaps your therapist will allow y'all to do a phone consult if the weather turns bad and then you won't have to cancel altogether ...

Hope that's a helpful idea for you.

[jaynedough]

I love snowstorms! It's a great excuse to not have to be around people. Joking aside, I love the beauty of the snow and seeing how it changes the look of the landscape. I love photographing it, too. It was scary, though, when my parents were alive because I worried about being able to get them out if we lost power, especially when my mom was on O2.

Is there any way you can focus on what you love about the snow? Is there anything you can do to prepare? I used to do a blizzard box for my parents for Christmas every year. It had the usual staples as well as special treats. Can you put together something like that?

The phone appointment sounds like a great idea.

Thanks for the heads-up about he storm, btw.

[BonnieJean]

Originally Posted by rainbow8

I was doing okay until I saw the upcoming weather forecast. I think snow is beautiful but winter snowstorms are a trigger for my anxiety. T is supposed to fly home Monday. I worry. My appointment is Tuesday and I'm panicking about driving in the snow or canceling. I'm in bed trying to slow down my breathing. Any ideas how to cope?

Sometimes I try to use distraction: reading a good book or watching a good movie. This is Thursday and all the way toTuesday is a long time to worry.

[precaryous]

I'm with you. I won't drive to T if the roads are icy. I will drive in snow, but wont drive in snow in the dark.

I guess the way I cope is I tell myself that I will drive to therapy -but if I find the roads too dangerous I will turn around and drive home.

I like the suggestion to ask T for a phone session if you can't drive to therapy. My T has done that for me.

[gayleggg]

I think you are already doing one of the most effective things which paying attention to your breathing. Maybe it won't get bad. I know in central Texas the weather men are wrong most of the time.

Focusing on your breathing is good. I agree with others you can ask for a phone session. As I mention often, I've been doing nothing but for 2+ years now and they work great. Sometimes even better than in person because she can't SEE me. Be safe and Hugs to you!

[Salmon77]

Originally Posted by rainbow8

I was doing okay until I saw the upcoming weather forecast. I think snow is beautiful but winter snowstorms are a trigger for my anxiety. T is supposed to fly home Monday. I worry. My appointment is Tuesday and I'm panicking about driving in the snow or canceling. I'm in bed trying to slow down my breathing. Any ideas how to cope?

Can you get someone else to drive or find some other means of transportation (bus/train/cab)?

Maybe budget an extra hour before the appointment in case roads are bad?

[rainbow8]

Originally Posted by NowhereUSA

Are the winter storms happening on Tuesday? I live in an area with frequent snow storms and it helps to look at the time. We have an infrastructure that will salt and plow the roads well enough to drive. Would getting your tires checked, that kind of thing, help you feel more confident with regards to driving?

The bitter cold and snow is actually arriving tomorrow night, so I thought I'd better read my thread again, and reply!
Nowhere, it's not that I worry about my tires. The roads are usually salted but getting out of the side streets is a problem, especially if my car is plowed in by the snowplows, which happens a lot! My H can't do the shoveling, and I shouldn't either. I may have to hire someone if it gets too bad this winter. Thanks for your suggestions, though. Last year I drove to my session in blowing snow and I was terrified! I made it, but it was scary. It's about 20 minutes away in good weather; I think it took an hour!

Originally Posted by puzzle_bug1987

I used to worry myself sick about the weather. I still do sometimes when I have to work. I finally just calmed myself by saying I could always cancel and it wouldn't be the end of the world. We would have another appointment and I would be okay. I can't drive well in snow and can't put my life or anyone else's in danger. I am sorry you experience this.

Thanks! I know I can cancel but sometimes it's hard to reschedule but if I have to, I have to!

Originally Posted by RTerroni

That happened once to me last year, but I quickly got over it.

Thanks. I'm glad it isn't a problem for you now.

Originally Posted by Pfrog

Perhaps your therapist will allow y'all to do a phone consult if the weather turns bad and then you won't have to cancel altogether ...

Hope that's a helpful idea for you.

Phone sessions are an option but not a good one for me with this T. We rely a lot on physical cues because we do somatic experiencing. T has to see me, and notice my movements, etc. We also hold hands as part of my therapy. Another problem is that I don't like speaking with her on her phone. It's a cell phone, and for some reason, the connection is never so good and I can't see having an entire session by phone. I'd rather reschedule. I had a phone session with a former T and it was great, but I know it wouldn't be with my current T.

Originally Posted by jaynedough

I love snowstorms! It's a great excuse to not have to be around people. Joking aside, I love the beauty of the snow and seeing how it changes the look of the landscape. I love photographing it, too. It was scary, though, when my parents were alive because I worried about being able to get them out if we lost power, especially when my mom was on O2.

Is there any way you can focus on what you love about the snow? Is there anything you can do to prepare? I used to do a blizzard box for my parents for Christmas every year. It had the usual staples as well as special treats. Can you put together something like that?

The phone appointment sounds like a great idea.

Thanks for the heads-up about he storm, btw.

I love the snow, too. Everywhere but on the roads! It's already snowed a little and is pretty. It covers up the leaves that never got raked! A blizzard box sounds like a fun idea!

Originally Posted by BonnieJean

Sometimes I try to use distraction: reading a good book or watching a good movie. This is Thursday and all the way toTuesday is a long time to worry.

Yeah, but here it is Sunday and the snowstorm and cold are still being predicted. I went somewhere last night, and am going to a music performance today, so I'm doing well with distracting. I miss my T, though. I haven't emailed her in almost 2 weeks, since she's been away.

Originally Posted by precaryous

I'm with you. I won't drive to T if the roads are icy. I will drive in snow, but wont drive in snow in the dark.

I guess the way I cope is I tell myself that I will drive to therapy -but if I find the roads too dangerous I will turn around and drive home.

I like the suggestion to ask T for a phone session if you can't drive to therapy. My T has done that for me.

That's a good idea. Plan to go but if I can't get there, I can't. I explained above why phone sessions aren't good for me.

Originally Posted by gayleggg

I think you are already doing one of the most effective things which paying attention to your breathing. Maybe it won't get bad. I know in central Texas the weather men are wrong most of the time.

The weathermen are usually wrong, LOL, but I think this time they aren't. It may be only 3 inches which is okay, but 6 or more is possible, and subzero wind chills.

Originally Posted by artemis-within

Focusing on your breathing is good. I agree with others you can ask for a phone session. As I mention often, I've been doing nothing but for 2+ years now and they work great. Sometimes even better than in person because she can't SEE me. Be safe and Hugs to you!

I'm glad phone sessions work for you. They would be great with my former Ts, but not this one! I want her to see me, and I want to see her. That's how my therapy works. She comments and asks question on what my hands and body are doing, and plus, I hold her hand for part of the time, as part of my therapy.

Originally Posted by Salmon77

Can you get someone else to drive or find some other means of transportation (bus/train/cab)?
That's an idea, but I don't want to make anyone else drive if the roads are slippery, either. A cab is possible; no buses go down those streets.

Maybe budget an extra hour before the appointment in case roads are bad?

That's an idea, but I don't want to make anyone else drive if the roads are slippery, either. A cab is possible; no buses go down those streets.
Yes, if I go Tuesday, I will leave VERY early.

It may not be so bad by the afternoon. I will play it by ear. Thanks for all the responses.

[Perna]

I use to hate the weather/snow worries all winter. I even had a nightmare between times seeing my therapist, where I was supposed to see her only once more/last time but couldn't because of weather and we had 2-3 minutes at the back of her car, trunk open surrounded by white landscape, snow still falling, I think it was even night :-) We only had a sentence or two's worth of time and she said something devastating like being disappointed I had to go back into therapy, that I had "failed" therapy. I just remember the whole yearning to see her (I have a lot of dreams now about her that are yearning ones where I see her but it is not satisfactory -- 10 years after) feeling.

Do you know if you worry more about your getting to her or her cancelling and not getting to you? Is there any guilt that if the weather is bad and you do still meet that she secretly does not want to but feels obligated? (I sometimes had that thought/feeling).

[unaluna]

I told my t today that i will be limiting therapy to when the temperature is between 0 and 100 degrees F. This is crazy!!