therapist challenged

I told my T once that my dad always called me "difficult" and she looked at me with surprise and said "I don't think so at all!" She said I was "easy to love" and "easy to get along with." She has also said that I'm an "easy client" in that I always "do the work" of therapy and am willing to talk about difficult topics, always be up front and honest with her, and tell her if she has done something that hurts my feelings rather than run away. She also said in session today that I am her "favorite client." I'm sure that, like with any client, there are things about my therapy may be challenging at times but she has said that, over all, I am not a challenging client.

Mast, you know sometimes I want to (gently) beat you around the head with your own awesomeness. I very much doubt your T finds you boring.

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The first one told me, unbidden, I was a challenge for her. After that I asked the second if she found me to be a challenge and she said no, not at all. I find it interesting that the second one was so clear that she did not find me so. I think I am mostly the same person with both of them - but certainly the second one gets me better.

Reading all the things your T said made me happy. I'm not sure why.

I don't think so but I guess I don't really know what she thinks...I'm pretty dedicated and I generally try really hard to change things so I'm definitely easy in that sense. She did say I was resistant once after the first couple of months so maybe that made me challenging for her.

Definitely because I am not very easy to talk to. My muted affect makes it hard for her to make sense of me which can make conversation difficult. She challenges me as well. Sometimes she confuses me because I don't understand her perspective and her illustrative language. Imagine what it is like to have to explain clouds with silver linings, in a pickle etc to a lady in her 30s. Despite all this we respect each other.

I never asked her, but I've always assumed I am. I've had a failed suicide attempt. Suicide attempts and depress run in my family. I self harm. I have a long trauma history (finding mom dead, being neglected and abused) so ya, I know I am.

She's told me on multiple occasions that working with me is challenging. She used to add 'but very worthwhile.' she doesn't add that any more.

No and she's actually said that I was easier than get average patient.

Ex T said she had feelings of frustration because she repeatedly found it hard to connect with me.

She also said she felt irritated and helpless with me because I talk a lot when anxious and she couldn't calm me down.

She's also said she felt frustrated because she didn't feel we had goals in mind as my stuff seemed too all over the place for CBT.

I suppose that's somewhat "challenging".

I don't know what my current T thinks.

That sounds so discouraging.

No, he actually says he loves working with me and that I'm joy to watch grow.

Despite what the first one thinks, I really do not think I am.

Does her calling me an "argumentative pain in the ***" that one time count as telling me I'm challenging?

(Actually at the time that she said it, we already had the kind of t relationship where I knew she was saying it with love and it turned out to be one of several turning points in my therapy. For the good, of course. It spurred a very important realization in me.)

She has said more than once that it is a joy working with me, because I do the work.

I wonder if the first one harbors some secret fantasy of having the power to 'change' you... and the second one is at ease and doesn't have a 'need' to change you.

For some reason Stopdog the way you describe your dynamic with the first one makes me think of my relationship with previous T - buckets of transference on both sides and we didn't 'get' each other at all. But I adored her and didn't want to leave her either... (Not saying you feel the same way about her that I did about previous T, I just see similarities...)

I voted other because I simply don't know. I'm not challenging in some ways, but am in other ways. I have no idea what t thinks and, therefore, do not know whether I am or not. I try not to assume either way.

The therapist has never said it, but I believe T feels that I am difficult.
I think T likes the challenge though. T once told me that T only takes a certain number of harder clients, so I assumed she meant like me.
I also feel I am challenging for several reasons, but nothing that my T has not seen.

he's never said it, but i know i was in the beginning. but the beginning lasted like 3 yrs. oops. i was out of control for most of that. but he stuck with me. things are a lot tamer now and i think we are both glad

i chose in the beginning but not now

My therapist has called me difficult and hinted at me being his most difficult client.

I have mentioned a few times ways that I am challenging mainly because of being so stubborn especially when I am uncomfortable with something. She has always responded that she doesn't believe I am stubborn or challenging and enjoys working with me. She did once say that I challenger HER. I often cause her to see things different. I also ask questions that she is not use to people asking.

I have no idea. He's never said.