[Seeking_Peace]

I have noticed that my T takes deep breaths several times during our sessions. He does not take any notes and looks at me directly the entire time, and he does ask questions which shows me that he's paying attention.

But then why the deep breaths? Is he bored? Or trying to pay attention...b/c he's bored or tired? Anyone else's T do this?

No not mine. I've never noticed her breathing. Mine doesn't look at me the entire time, I think she thinks it would make me anxious.

Is it when you are sharing something difficult, or just randomly?

Mine rubs her forehead when she takes notes, maybe slumps a little if I add something while she's writing. I haven't noticed if she takes deep breaths. She might sigh, but does not make it a dramatic thing.

[Ellahmae]

The only "out of normal" breathing my T has ever done is sighed during one session, I brought it up at our next session and we talked about the meaning or non-meaning of it. She didn't even realize she had done it. Turned into an interesting conversation.

[Seeking_Peace]

I'm not sure if T does it when I'm saying something that's difficult/sad. I will try to pay more attention next time to see if there is a connection.

And now that you guys mention it...maybe T is sighing and not taking a deep breath. I should add that T doesn't do this dramatically. But I notice it because the office is completely quiet. T's office is in a super quiet street with very little traffic so there's literally no street noise, and I'm usually the very first client or the very last.

Ok let's say T is sighing....why? Ellahmae what was your T's response when you brought it up?

[roimata]

Sometimes my therapist draws in a deep breath while looking at me but that's usually because I've just said something completely off-the-wall and she's steadying herself.

[Ellahmae]

I noticed that she did it in response to something that I had started to say and then it came out different than she expected it to (I knew this and wrote about it after the session).

When I mentioned it to her she thought back and grabbed her notes and said, mmmm. (why can't they use words sometimes so frustrating) and played it off as a mere coincidence but I went over every detail and how it affected me (for the positive actually).

We discussed why I thought the sigh was for me and in response to what I said and not just because she needed to sigh - turned out to be quite the interesting conversation.

She hasn't sighed since (outloud anyway).

[SnakeCharmer]

I take deep breaths, maybe once every 20 minutes. People sometime notice and comment on it or ask if I'm okay. Sitting makes my back hurt. Taking deep breaths and relaxing muscles helps. It has nothing at all to do with the other person. Don't know if that's your T but it might be.

[ThisWayOut]

I've noticed some T's will do more deep breathing when listening to something stressful or when trying to center themselves. I asked one T about it because I was already really nervous about what I was saying. She said she was preparing to hear what I had to say, and wanted to make sure she was "fully present"... One T would simply model deep breathing and relaxing when she noticed her clients were more anxious. Something about getting the client to mirror her poise when the anxiety got too much for the room. She said it sometimes worked better than asking a client to do breath-work if they were overly-anxious in the monent...

[Ellahmae]

I go back and forth on if this was the case or if it was actually related to something I said - however, she makes it very clear that she doesn't just say things because I might need to hear them she only says things that are true. So in hindsight I think it was an actual just a sigh for her and nothing to do with me that triggered a thought process about what I was saying/thinking/feeling at the time.

Originally Posted by SnakeCharmer

I take deep breaths, maybe once every 20 minutes. People sometime notice and comment on it or ask if I'm okay. Sitting makes my back hurt. Taking deep breaths and relaxing muscles helps. It has nothing at all to do with the other person. Don't know if that's your T but it might be.

[WrkNPrgress]

About a month ago I started a thread very similar to this under 'T's body language cues...' or something to that effect.

My T does take deep breaths, sometimes while I'm talking about deep stuff. She'll close her eyes and intake real deep. the first time she did this I was a bit taken aback. I wondered the same things (am I being annoying? Is she irritated?) The last time she did it, I associated it with a break through I was discussing and asked her if she was 'proud' she said yes.

I realized she does this when I'm discussing something intense or a big step. I also just think she's trying to be present and focus her attention—*which is a good thing.

My t does that noticeably sometimes and when I asked her about it one of the first times I noticed, she said she was centering herself/being present.

[musinglizzy]

I didn't read all the replies, but my T is a yogi, and she claims I stop breathing during sessions (due to anxiety/nerves....just won't relax). She takes long, deep breaths often, but I think it is because she thinks eventually I will mimic her. You know like how someone yawns and it seems contagious?