Anybody else a "difficult" client?

I imagine I'm extremely frustrating to deal with. I'm pretty much immune to having a therapeutic relationship. For example, the T will say that by now I should feel safe with them, and I'll say something along the lines of I don't trust you any further than I can through you. (Truth). I don't respond to compliments or "firmness." I used to have the ability to do certain "normal" things, and I don't do them anymore. I'm I think I still know how to do them, maybe? It's been a long time. (Things have changed, and no one really seems to get that.)

Hmm. I was difficult probably in a different way. For several years I was rapid cycling and went through several bouts of severe depression and suicidality a year that required fairly frequent hospitalization. In that sense, I was probably challenging, and my T and Pdoc were very concerned and often on high alert with me. Not the same scenario you are talking about, but I suspect different clients can be quite challenging on a variety of levels.

A t shouldn't say something like that. You feel how YOU feel; doesn't matter what the t thinks.

My T once told me I'm challenging, but didn't use the word "difficult." I think it's because of all the transference and my analyzing every word she said to me, and being very needy. Typical BPD stuff!

I suppose more that one Pdoc considered me difficult. More than one labeled me with BPD out of frustration. No T or test has ever shown I have any personality disorder but many Pdocs don't like being told no or disagreed with, so they use the power that comes with the letters after their name. Never had that problem with a T tho, they spend more time with me and understand that my questioning of anything and everything is from fear of being hurt. I too don't trust Ts I grow to accept they aren't going to hurt me but I still question them. Over the years my ability to open up has gotten better.

I find it a bit strange that a therapist insists that you should "feel" safe with them. Feeling are subjective and most Ts know that you can't force yourself into trust or a feeling.

If a therapist wants submission - they should go into dog training instead.

I don't think I am.
The woman has said she has never had a client fight the process as much as thinks I do. Since she won't tell me what the process is, I don't know whether I agree or not. She also, for reasons still a mystery to me, has stated she is not the enemy.
Recently she called me stubborn. She is incorrect about that and I told her so.

Just yesterday my T told me I was unique, no one else "argues" I guess that's the word but mainly we disagree. I tell her when she's got something wrong. Her claim is that I'm the first client she's seen who wants to use therapy to cry/fall apart/grieve without feeling guilt. It's funny this was posted today as I feel like the most difficult client T has and I don't mean to be. She says I list all of her "failings" and she seems very defensive. Ugh.

Yep. Soup

I've been told I'm challenging, because I tend to go on and on about my misdiagnosis. It is getting better.

I've been told I'm challenging, but not difficult.

I haven't been told that I'm ''difficult'', but I think I am. Especially because of my social anxiety. I was so afraid to talk to therapist. To my current T I do talk more, but it's still difficult. I also think I'm difficult because of my severe depression and stuborn thoughts.
And I think my pdoc willl think I'm difficult, especially after yesterday.

I'm pretty much immune to having a therapeutic relationship. - in that case why bother, its expensive and disturbing and surely you can find better uses for your time?

my T recently said that the first what seemed to be years were difficult but only because I wouldn't talk much and she had no idea what was going on with me .or anything

I don't have one - I still find a use for it.

I care about what techniques they can use to help me get back to work. I've been on disability for most of my adult life, but it seems like they think the main part of their work is being compassionate, non-judgmental, and having a good relationship with T. I couldn't care less.

I've been through that too. My I hated my T at the time, though, and she wasn't helpful at all. I especially hated my pdoc (long story.) I've had a fairly recent hospitalization, but that wasn't on this T's watch. I'm just difficult for other reasons.

You are as you are and for therapy to be good you have to be 100% you. I'm not sure what you mean by 'normal things', but your behavior is apart of you.
I've assumed I'm a difficult client. I'm willing to have a relationship, communicate and do the work, but I have a long history of self-harm, suicide, mental illness and trauma so...

Don't assume you're labeled difficult just cause you challenge a T in the relationship or have serious issues. Some Ts actually like a challenge. A T who is looking only for routine is either not very competent or burned out.

I am not so sure about this 'difficult client' business - it seems to me that people have just not yet found a treatment that suits them, rather than that they are necessarily difficult in themselves.

Normal things: changing clothes daily, talking to people, eating at least once a day, responding to situations with emotion, etc. It is not there any longer.

I've been on nearly every psychiatric medication except a couple. My pdoc thought my stuff was mostly biological. I thought I'd try therapy, but I'm realizing that I'm frustrating.

. . . and for instance, I've never been referred to as difficult by my T or Pdoc (not to my face anyway), but they have been quite frank with me about the severity of my issues and the level of their concern for me. But they've never wavered in their care and attention to working with me to find a way through. Their confidence that we would get me through this is all that kept me going at times. Thank goodness they are both amazing in a crisis and don't shy from a challenging case.

lolgrace, it warms my heart to read that, I think that's how it should be.

So when they tell you what their work is, you basically tell them they are not doing their job right, or they should be doing their job differently. Okay.

How do you know their job better than they do? In which case, why dont you get a job doing what theyre doing?

Doesnt really make sense, does it. Not to me, anyway. Can you explain it better?

You don't understand at all. I don't pretend to either want or to be able to do their job. I'm even sure this particular T is highly skilled. Maybe, most people really need someone who they think "cares" about them. (I'm not judging that's fine.) I don't need this, though. (Actually, that's part of one my "disorders." All I want is some techniques on how to fit in with society. I want a job so d***** bad. Just show me how to act, and explain to me why I have to act that way.