[SoupDragon]

So when I get all tangled in my head my T expects me to turn up to untangle it but inbetween sessions it can become so overwhelming.

But when things are better we can have good sessions.

So is T only useful when things are going well? I've lost sight of the reason to go when things are difficult. T's taught me a bunch of strategies but they don't help when I get in this self destruct place in my head.

Is there a point to going in the bad times?

[Mike_J]

For me that is when I need to go the most. When things are bad for me my therapist helps me be grounded a bit, and does a lot of reality testing with me.

Why does your T expect anything?
I've found its the most tangled sessions that gave the greatest affect on me later on. On a good way.

I find therapy helpful in a different way when things are difficult.

When I am in a good place, I can make good progress, gain insights, utilize the skills I have learned, so me can make progress in leaps and bounds then. In fact, I've gotten to where I don't really need therapy when I am doing well because I can do those things for myself now.

When I'm in a bad spot, therapy sessions serve more to keep me grounded, to help me work through things with some assistance because I'm not as able to use those skills independently. At this point in my therapy, my T knows if I call him for a session, I'm in that spot. I need his help untangling; I need his help to refresh those skills that I'm struggling to use independently for some reason.

So, at this point really, I only use therapy when I'm in a difficult spot; I really don't use it at all when I'm stable.

[gayleggg]

I need therapy most during the bad times. My t helps point out my faulty thinking which is usually most of my problem. It all goes back to those cognitive distortions, which I seem to have a lot of problems with. Working on these helps to alleviate my suffering.

[BlessedRhiannon]

lolagrace pretty much said what I would have. I use therapy differently depending on what's going on. Sometimes, when things are bad, it takes both T and myself to just manage symptoms. I use T as support, help to stay grounded, and an outside perspective, so I don't get lost in my own mind. When things are good, I can make progress on issues. And, sometimes, when things are bad, I can make small steps too - like if I realize that I need much more space from people during those times and then actually set those boundaries...that's progress for me!

Use your therapist the most when you are feeling awful and need help.

[stopdog]

The first one is not that great when things are going badly except in two ways. She is not terrible with the illness crap we are dealing with and she does do well with me writing her and staying back. But if I go in with other bad stuff, she is no good at all. i usually save that for the second one.

I'm in therapy to get through a challenging situation that has no end in sight, along with the many issues it triggers. I have days when I'm doing well, and that's when I talk about creative projects inspired by the cruddy times, but I get the most out of sessions when things are darkest.

Hi Soup Dragon, my 14 year old daughter asked me recently what programmes I watched on TV when I was a child. I showed her the Clangers on You Tube. Her incredulous response: 'you used to like watching this?'

As to your question - I don't know. Sometimes when I went to my T all tangled her caring gaze helped.

[SoupDragon]

Clangers are fab!