Anybody else a "difficult" client?

I would say, if someone comes in with a particular goal and they're not seeing progress toward that goal, and the therapist doesn't explain the process in terms of the client's goal, the therapy doesn't work for them.

Just because someone is a therapist does not mean they are doing their job well or that a client does not know when the therapist is screwing up and yes - I completely believe clients can know what they need better than any therapist does.

Okay thats clearer. You have to act like you really care, and you cant fake it. You have to have some skin in the game. The reason is, bosses are gonna make crummy decisions and they want people to carry out these decisions, no matter what. No standing up for their principles - they have to CARE that they will get fired if they protest (so they dont complain).

but if you are a super performer, you might be able to get away with just out-performing others, but they wont keep you around forever.

Thats my view of it. I have a hard time pretending to care anymore too.

I have progressed to some degree. I used to have literally no ability to express emotions whatsoever. Nobody could tell what I was feeling at all, but I want to be able to work. Unfortunately, part of keeping a job and living in the real world involves being able to handle other people. I want to do this. I used to be able to do this. I don't know if I ever will be able to do this again.

I mean if I successfully get off of disability, it will matter that I don't get fired. I'm just in an odd position.

I have never been told I am difficult. However, I did mention to T that I know I am hard to work with. I am very stubborn have issues with taking meds and therefore very limited at what I will take, etc. T totally disagreed with me and said I am not difficult at all to work with.

T has also called me a challenge as well as saying I am unique. Blah

I didn't think I was until today but today we had a HUGE rupture, our first ever, and I know she was upset. ..but now I know exactly what she doesn't like about me.

Tell her what you don't like about her is what I would do. I don't believe that clients are difficult - I think that therapists may be wrong for someone or just plain wrong. And they can be quite difficult themselves.

Sorry you had a rupture, that sounds painful.

I'd call that a stage...been there

I can be a difficult client, but only with difficult therapists.

I've been told I'm difficult before we had the diagnosis of brain injury.
I've felt helpless, powerless, and I questioned myself about my human value.

Now, I can conceive that not knowing about brain injury can be very frustrating from a T. However, it's doesn't excuse such behavior from a T, and any health-care professional anyway.
IMO, such judgment from a T about a client speaks volume about T's hypertrophied ego and sheer laziness.

Upsetting. Was she wrong or right, or somewhere in between in your opinion?

Eh, I don't know about it being a "stage." It's kind of my way of being in the world. At least, the part about not forming bonds with people.

Yes, I was like that too.

This is very helpful stopdog because I have a tendency to get all "it's my fault please forgive me a day love me again" because of my early abandonment issues . But in this case I really feel at least half the blame is on her for not paying attention. So I don't want to fall into that " I'll do anything for you no matter how you hurt me" mentality which was how I was with my mom despite long and pervasive abuse. I deserve more respect and consideration than I got. Thank you stopdog for reminding my

I don't think you are a difficult client but one that has very specific issues and requires a very specialized therapist. The therapist you have right now sounds like she doesn't understand at all what you are trying to tell her. I don't know what your diagnosis is, but my daughter is on the autism spectrum, and I have had experience with clients on the spectrum as well, and their goals in therapy are similar to yours. To clients I've run into with similar needs, re therapeutic relationship matters to the extent that the T gets them - and that's pretty important for getting anything accomplished. What they want is help navigating through the world so they can function. This is something you could say to your current T if you haven't already. If she has any understanding of the different disorders clients may have, she should know whether of not she has the ability to help you.

My T says I'm complicated, but only in such a way for her to agree with me when I say it. I know I am... and would take no offense to being called difficult.

It's a defence. I mistook it for strengh. It's not. It's fear.

I've never been told. I've told HER I know I'm difficult and challenging. She's said otherwise, but I can see when she's frustrated... She's asked me to see other T's; and I refused. And I think I'm the longest seen person in her clientele. i try not to think about it.

I just talked with her about this. She says there's a great deal of traits I have that she probably can't "fix." She said she'll try to help with some characteristics as much as possible, but to great extent, I'm going to have to be willing to act like I'm not "different" around other people. She said she'll teach me how to do this. Otherwise, I won't be able to do things like get/hold down a job, more than likely.