[guilloche]

Has your T talked about you in supervision (that you know of)? Current T or past Ts? Do you know why? What were the results?

T mentioned talking about me in supervision. He said not to worry, the super-T doesn't know my name. But, I'm nervous. (Previous T didn't know what to do with me, ending with me being terminated.)

Just curious what others' experiences have been? Is it always a bad sign?

[scorpiosis37]

I asked once and she said no, she has not talked about me in supervision because there has not been a need to do so. However, she did give examples of the kinds of issues she has addressed in consultation (she is a very senior T so she meets with a small group of other senior T's once a month for "consultation.") She said, usually, it's about sharing different strategies about how best to help the client. It's not about the client doing something wrong or thinking about terminating the client. At least for her, it's all about brainstorming new strategies to help the client.

[musial]

My guess would be yes, but I'm way too scared to ask my T about this. Once in a while he says something to me that feels not quite from him, like it was advice or words from his supervisor. Just a feeling I have.

I am happy for him to talk about me in supervision because even though I adore him and feel like he's the best T for me, he is fairly young and out of school not that long.

Yes, several times he consulted with the pdoc in his office. I think it was helpful to him and ultimately to me. It isn't necessarily a bad sign. In my case, he just had questions concerning things he was seeing that he needed to bounce off another professional.

[ThisWayOut]

I'm sure my T's have, as most were students or in a clinic practice where they are expected to discuss their cases in weekly supervision or clinical meetings.
I like the fresh perspective personally, as I know I'm a pain in the *** client.
The only time it has gone poorly for me was during a bout of several hospitalizations. I think my T at the time was sick of me, and eagerly jumped on her supervisor's suggestion that I was too much of a liability, and she should terminate. Every other time, i think it gave my T a chance to brainstorm and think out loud about how to proceed...

[guilloche]

Hmmm thanks. Lots to think about. I will try to not jump to too many conclusions, but maybe ask him next week if it's still bugging me.

I get that it's "anonymous", but somehow... ugh... it feels kind of not-private. Maybe it's the way my T approached it with me, "Oh yeah, I was talking about you in supervision, and this other person wanted to know if maybe you had an eating disorder? So what do you think?" Meh. Now I feel like there's a third person in the room, and given this T has not been great with keeping the "therapeutic frame" (I've had someone walk in to the room once, I've had him leave to make sure he left papers for the next new client out in the waiting room, I've had him open the door to hush another therapist, I've had him open the door to look out and find out why a bell was going off, he looks at his phone when it buzzes, he once had to take a call about his sick mom... ugh. All understandable, but, not great for feeling like there's a safe, contained space I guess?)

Ugh... sorry, therapy just feels like it makes everything *harder*. Instead of feeling like I've got this awesome person on my side, it feels like one more thing I have to *deal with*.

*ThisWayOut* - sorry that you see yourself as a pain-in-the-backside client. I think I may be one too. Not on purpose, but... when I told my sis about being back in therapy, she told me, "Good luck! Don't be too hard on him!" (she repeated this a month later, not realizing she'd already said it!!!) I tried to ask her what she meant and she said, "well, you know how you can be... yikes.)

[precaryous]

I don't know if she has or hasn't. What different reasons would a T talk about us in supervision?

[stopdog]

I don't think the first has a supervisor and am not certain about the second. I can't imagine I have anything worth them talking to a supervisor about. I am sort of basic garden variety therapy client who is not all that interesting or out of the ordinary.

Originally Posted by precaryous

I don't know if she has or hasn't. What different reasons would a T talk about us in supervision?

Diagnosis questions? Client in crisis and wanting to consult about best way to handle the crisis? In my case, questions about meds (since he consults with a pdoc in his office who he could ask for that kind of expertise)?

[ragsnfeathers]

I was hesitant to add my story, but I know ex T has brought me up in her own therapy sessions. She didn't say this, but I suspect it was more than a one time thing. She worked hard to make it work but in the end I was the one that left. I think I hurt her, too. Not supposed to happen. Given the circumstances I'm glad she had a therapist to talk to about me. I hope my case was unique, though and not applicable to anyone else.

[laxer12]

I'm not sure if my T has but I kind of hope so...just because I think I would feel important if I was worth bringing up. I would like the other perspective too. One time I asked T how she would describe me to one of her colleagues, it took her a minute to think and said that she doesn't really ever talk about her clients with anyone so she was struggling to come up with an answer. That made me think that she hasn't brought me up in supervision, maybe because things are going pretty well.

[InRealLife45]

my t has/does and its made her a cold *****. she wasnt so icy to me before.

[WrkNPrgress]

I have no idea. I don't think it would be a bad sign if she did, though. I would take it as an extra effort on T's part.

[Lauliza]

It's not a negative thing for Ts to discuss clients in supervision. Its true they may discuss specific challenge they are facing with a client, but that's so they can provide the best treatment possible. A T who is more socially savvy probably wouldn't tell you this quite so openly, unless of course you ask.

[Crescent Moon]

Originally Posted by stopdog

I don't think the first has a supervisor and am not certain about the second. I can't imagine I have anything worth them talking to a supervisor about. I am sort of basic garden variety therapy client who is not all that interesting or out of the ordinary.

I doubt they would characterize you like that. Not that they need supervision to deal with you... but "garden variety" and "not all that interesting" aren't Stopdog characteristics.

[ThingWithFeathers]

Honestly, I don't know. It's possible, but she has never mentioned it.

[LonesomeTonight]

My T doesn't have a supervisor (she's been in practice like 25-30 years), but she did consult with colleagues on an issue of mine that she wasn't sure how to deal with. She told me upfront she was going to do so (while maintaining my anonymity), and I was fine with it. I actually appreciated that she was reaching out to make sure she was making the right call. It involved my transference for my marriage counselor, who is also her coworker, and whether I should try to talk to him about it. I think she consulted two other therapists in the same office.

The practice where she works (has about 10 therapists and a few pdocs) also has weekly "clinical meetings," where they can bring up difficult cases or questions they have, while keeping anonymity. I know she asked about my possible reaction to a generic version of Paxil in there, too (she told me).

Yes, mine is a consultation situation, not a supervision thing either.

Originally Posted by stopdog

I don't think the first has a supervisor and am not certain about the second. I can't imagine I have anything worth them talking to a supervisor about. I am sort of basic garden variety therapy client who is not all that interesting or out of the ordinary.

That's what you think Stopdog but we are interesting and unique in our own ways. I think you are very unique in the fact that you dont allow your t any contact and always ask her to stay back. It cracks me up every time. I know its not meant to be funny but I cant help getting an image in my head.

Here in Ireland it is the law that t's have to have supervision. One hour per five clients. I am sure they do bring every client up at some stage but the supervisor does not know our name.
I myself will have to get a supervisor now as I will be seeing clients next month.

[A Red Panda]

yep, my T has talked about with me at least one of the other counsellors there. I know that because one day my T was telling me about the other T's reaction when he was listing off the stuff I'd been up to - apparently the other T couldn't believe it was me. I don't see the change, but I guess that's how my T describes me.

[purplemystery]

My ex-T did, though she sort of skirted the question when I asked what she said. I think she probably just sought guidance for a few things that I was making really difficult. But I wouldn't worry if your T has. If your T works for an agency, then most likely they have weekly supervision and are required to mention most of their cases at some point. Sometimes they even talk about positives during supervision. But most of the time, it's to get a fresh perspective to help the client.

I asked T today and told him I read the question on here. He said he had.
He said he would expect most long term clients to come up eventually, but shorter term clients might not get mentioned. He says he sees supervision as personal reflection time, rather than being 'checked up on', and he also said (which I didn't expect) that he tends to spend a whole supervision session talking about a single client because he finds that most useful.

[ragsnfeathers]

I find it safer, actually, if my t does that. Therapy can be so intense I think it would be good to have an outside perspective.

Besides, in a way that's what we're doing here when we discuss our therapists. That's one reason I joined in the first place.

[junkDNA]

i used to be a pain the *** for my T so he prob did

yes. i wasn't that interested though. it was an ethical thing.