T Eating Soup & Crackers during session??

It's not just about the fact that he's eating, but it's soup. It requires a certain amount of attention to eat.

Thanks to all whom answered!

Several great issues were brought up. i do not care if she would be srinking coffee or eating a candy bar...However crunching up crackers, mixing them in, stirring, and the smell, it really is too much for me.

My last T liked chocolate, so I would bring her a bag of Milky Ways/Snickers every holiday....I would eat one if she did, but she always asked me, "do you mind if I eat one?"...Of course not, I wanted her too

Soup and crackers, which is quite funny when i really think of it, too much attention away from me....now if she were an Uber T whom could really help me w/ my issues, maybe.....

Yes. This would bother me. I have an eating disorder and that would be too hard for me.

I wouldn't mind someone having coffee or another drink, but food would bother me. I don't think any professional should eat while meeting with a client, it's very unprofessional. Ts don't usually have so many clients that they can't take 30 minutes to eat. If that's the case the T is over booked.

Yes, it would bother me. It is unprofessional. A therapist is supposed to take care of her own needs outside of your session. Besides, you are right, that time is for you. It's not her lunch break, it's your therapy together. I couldn't take seriously a therapist who ate lunch during my session with them. It would look like they aren't taking themselves and their work with me seriously. Besides, a private practice really can't be that busy, and it's the therapist's responsibility to accept only as many clients as they can handle.

My T eats in front of me frequently but only almonds or pieces of chocolate that I bring in for the office. And she always offers me some of whatever she is eating. But soup?? HELL NO. That would bother me to no end and yes...the smell is a big factor in that. I HATE the way soup smells.

I had a T who ate during our sessions. I didn't mind. She did ask first. And I also understood why she was eating. She was trying to gain weight. She was a tiny woman and her weight prevented her from getting pregnant. We used to joke that if we could, I would donate some of my fat to her.

Soup would bug me. Salads, sandwich, snacks...no big deal. Though ex-T had a McDonald's salad on her desk once and I despise the smell of their salads. Yuck! For a person who hated the smell of barbies and was super into nutrition, I'm surprised she would even eat one of their salads and their dressings.

My T is an eating disorder specialist. Though it might be therapeutic for her to eat in my presence, I imagine it would be horribly awkward. That's cuz I would probably be staring at the food the entire time, mentally adding up the calories she was eating and judging every bite.

She has made me eat a few pre-planned lunches in front of her. She didn't check the food, but asked if it was prepared in "normal" ways, i.e. no diet food, plus mayo or cheese.

But back to the original question - SOUP? No way! That is totally inappropriate for a T to eat in your presence. I hope you said/say something about it.

I am looking for a new T as well and this past one who didn't work out, ate in front of me too. Every session started late because she needed to make her tea. She did ask if it was okay, but if I am visually very upset upon entering the therapy room and she starts eating some kind of crunchy microwave meal, it is going to bother me. I am crying and I hear crunch crunch crunch. F that.

Coincidentally last session my T had a sandwich - so did I (T comes to my home) as I just got home from school and hadn't had time to eat yet. A sandwich doesn't bother me, but soup? That's.. unprofessional.

A previous T used to offer me food (chocolate, nuts, something like that) during EMDR sessions (when we were taking a break), after that had happened twice I brought something, session after that she did, etc. It felt nice.. camaraderie or something.

My T does that too but since she makes it for both of us, I don't mind. Plus she goes over session time to make up for the tea preparation. Well she always goes over session anyway.