Anyone ever received a gift from therapist?

they can be anything with meaning to the relationship, or that you imbue with meaning. Kids' blankies or teddies or beloved toys are considered transitional objects. They provide a sense of safety and connection.

I have never been in therapy over the holidays but I don't really need nor expect a gift from my T. The only thing I would want is a email or text saying "Merry Christmas!"

Oh wow, this would be really jarring for me I think. I would be appreciative of course, but it would get to a point where I felt indebted to her for the gifts which would cause problems for me in our process. I'm glad it works for you though

It does work for us. I dont feel indebted to her. Besides, i give her lots of presents too like care packages and little treats. We are just people that love to give others presents

a few things. i have a transitional object stuffed animal moose. hes given me cards, journals, a poster...idk cant think of everything

I hardly expect it but would be thrilled to get a birthday card from T. Nearly the last relative left alive who remembers my Bday is a psychopath who's partly responsible for my mental state. Sometimes I think about sending myself flowers. Pathetic.

How do you use transition objects in your everyday life? Do you sleep with the moose? Or cuddle it when you're upset?

yes i sleep with it. and i hold it when im upset. ive had it for maybe almost 4 yrs now. T knows i sleep w/ it cuz he helped me go to bed one night on my couch bc i was in a psychotic episode and he got my covers from my bed and brought the moose to me and said heres this little guy. i named the moose moosolini.

My therapist has never really given me a birthday or holiday gift, no. He gave me a book randomly, and a blank journal to write in once. Another time he texted me a photo of him and his kid. The photo is something I like to look at when I'm stressed.

When we took a few-minute break during a 2 hour EMDR session, my T asked me if I wanted some nuts or chocolate. My reply came pretty much down to "I'm a woman, of course I want chocolate". The next day (we were doing an intensive treatment week where I had 2 2hr EMDR sessions a day, every day) I brought us something to eat. She was pleasantly surprised, especially because it was a food we had discussed before and thus something I knew she liked.

It turned into a little ritual where we would alternate: the one session I would bring us something to eat and the next session she would share something. It was very comforting to me: it was both helpful to have a "distinguished" break mid-session, as well as that it made me feel good to do something nice for her by bringing one of her favourite foods with me.

I'm trying to think of whether I gave her something for her birthday. I think I did, but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. (I have ECT treatments and they make my memory fuzzy. No excuse, just an explanation) I do know that we had a deal that she would bake me a cake on her birthday (I have extensive food allergies so it had to be homemade) because I brought her cake on my birthday, but I asked her not to because as a result of the depression everything I eat tastes like dust and it would only serve to make me feel guilty if she goes out of her way to bake me a cake and I can't even enjoy it.

I give him a gift every year. One year, it was a motorcycle ride! As a child he always wanated a ride on a particular kind of motorcycle ; I called a dealership and they came to his office and brought a helmet and gave him a ride.

My T doesn't accept gifts, generally. But She did accept a picture I drew for her, and she accepted the peanut butter honey balls I brought her last week. I am not sure, but I think that probably she would accept any artwork of mine that I wanted to give her.

On my birthday she brought watermelon for me, and she has two stuffed animals she got just for me to cuddle during sessions because I kept forgetting my bear from home. She says they are mine, and no one else uses them.

The first time I gave T a substantial gift was after I found out he "fudged" his bills and wiped out all my past due. That was over and above anything I expected him to do. He sends me postcards when he's away and brought me Belgian chocolate when he came back after Christmas.

That's really nice but it seems like it might be quite unusual for a therapist to essentially tuck you into bed. I suppose all my red flags are due to my issues. Everyone's situation is different though. If my T ever did any of that I'd spiral out of control with obcessive thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. I'm glad it doesn't seem to get in the way for you.

As far as gift giving goes... I've never been given anything from my T other than a book he loaned me. Still at that he had to say, "Ok. This is just a book. Don't obsess over it. Like oh boy this is Ts book. Don't do anything weird."

I have given him many things that I can't remember them all. When i am feeling overly attached to him he doesn't accept gifts from me. I know i made him a cd of my favorite band, painted a turtle for him, painted a mug which he broke & felt bad about, and I am sure I've given him a card. In the hospital I've given him orgiami that i made.

I actually have a childrens book called "The Three Questions" and a bodhi leaf to give him sometime, but not until my attachment lessens.

i understand that what he did is prob raising red flags etc. but back then (this was like 2 yrs ago) i was in a residential treatment center but i wasnt living on campus. but i was living in one of the transitional houses by myself with no staff living there. so he came over there one night bc i was in a really bad episode and he lived close by. the program i was in is really unconventional and progressive. its not like ordinary programs.

ive been with T for a little over 4 yrs now. he resigned from the program and opened up a private practice and a few months later i was able to discharge from there. so now we meet in his private practice.

my relationship with my T is a little unusual i can see that but in no way is it inappropriate or harmful to me or him. i know what is creepy and inappropriate in therapy. ive had experience with that. if it was harmful to me i would say something and.or he would as well.