[WinterRose]

What is the most helpful thing your therapist or psychiatrist does for you? I'm wondering - I can't think of something specific for me in sessions. I think it's very helpful that they both get me thinking about things differently.

[Becca07]

So far, the most useful thing was that she validated the way I felt about a number of things. I doubt myself a lot, and having her say I right was immensely comforting.

[lauren_helene]

He mapped out for me, using this transference apparently, how my past and my patterns developed from age 7 to now.

I'd say that is pretty profound. But, changing these patterns is very hard. So there is more work to do.

Sometimes what I think would be the most useful thing for me, isn't. Infact the more I know the less I know, if that makes sense?

I guess if you put a gun to my head and make me give 1 thing, I would have to say T being "herself" I found this the most difficult to come to terms with in the begining. T would make a "mistake" and I would be outraged.

Now I know this has helped me a great deal. If I found out she was wearing a mask of perfection, I would feel distrust.

[sunrise]

Hmmm, it's a hard choice, since my T does a lot of things I find helpful.

If I had to choose just one, I would pick his warmth and unconditional acceptance of me, the way he "gets" who I am and accepts me for me.

The most helpful thing.... hmmm... He has shown me in so many ways that I can feel safe during our time. I might not feel completely safe yet, but I can see how much he has done to gain my trust.

And he laughs. He uses a sense of humor that I think he knows I will appreciate. We actually laughed pretty hard in session yesterday. That's so important for me.

Oh and as far as my pdoc-- I normally don't say much about him, but I'll take this moment to say it-- The most helpful thing he has ever done is treat me with the respect and knowledge that I know a lot about the field. Pdocs in the past have treated me like... well... like a mental patient. And even if I am one, I don't need to be treated that way! My pdoc knows I am going to school for clinical psychology, and he knows that I know a lot about the drugs.... He lets me take an active role in choosing my meds and deciding what I think is best (with his advising, of course). And he never pushes or makes me feel like I have to take a certain med.

[WinterRose]

I think I'd like your psychiatrist pinksoil. Mine treats me like an equal - almost like a colleague. That's been really empowering and has allowed all sorts of new experiences in the relationship for me that really help move me forward in my therapy.

My pdoc is similar to yours, pinksoil. She always discusses med changes, how my mood is, what is going on in my life, how my relationship with my husband is going,if I feel suicidal (then if I do she asks if I have a plan, etc. that would warrant immediate intervention--I just have random thoughts about it when depressed). She is very warm, caring, gives me positive sentiments as far as how much I've gone through & come out the other end somewhat intact. She also gives me a hug when I leave. I've been seeing her for about 6 years.

I also write her letters when I can't express myself orally or when I have something significant going on in my life that she should know about.

She ALWAYS returns my calls promptly & gets me in right away if I'm heading downhill fast. I can't express my appreciation enough to her for sticking with me through all the time it took to find the right meds for me, plus spending extra time (sometimes over an hour) when depressed & not charging me more. She' a saint, as far as I'm concerned. Oh yeah, she also dealt with my ins. co. to get them to approve meds they didn't want to.--Suzy

[Talulah]

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almeda24fan said:
He mapped out for me, using this transference apparently, how my past and my patterns developed from age 7 to now.

I'd say that is pretty profound. But, changing these patterns is very hard. So there is more work to do.

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That is very cool, the mapping out....I think I'd like that.

[Perna]

My T taught me the difference between "love" and "like" and also to identify my emotions. But I got so I really liked her listening skills.

When I think about what I needed and wanted, those things seemed to show up at different times in therapy. Was pretty handy. I remember at first, my T's sense of "timing" was awesome, she didn't speak often but when she did it was right on the money and extremely helpful and almost like she was reading my mind. Over the years though that seemed to "go away" which puzzled me until we were talking about it and realized I didn't need that anymore, had "outgrown" it. It is a little like how when you're a child time does funny things because you haven't had very much of it yet and when you get older, it seems to go faster, etc. As I got so I could figure things out all by myself, I didn't need her to "be there" with a directing or interpreting comment; like teaching a toddler to walk by giving them both hands then only your index finger to hold on to, then their not needing anything.

[purplemoon]

I think that the most helpful thing is that no matter what he accepts me. Whether he really does or just pretends to I don't know. But I feel safe and accepted there. I have never felt safe and accepted anywhere. I still am waiting for him to tell me I need to find someone else - that he can't deal with me and my crap, but so far he hasn't. He is always so kind. I used to be really scared of the kindness but it is getting less scary.