Where are you in the line up?

Gee what a title that is...lol...

I wonder if folks have their designated weekly/or however regular time for T and how they feel about that time?

I like to have my designated time so that I kind of take ownership of it... despite what my T might think... It is my fantasy and I guard it strongly. I go on Thursdays at 8:00 a.m. whether I am working or on vacation. I like going first thing in the morning as I feel that he is fresh for the day and not encumbered by previous patient's concerns. When I go, for whatever reason, at a different time...it just does not feel the same to me.

Anyone have any thoughts on this or different perspectives?

My time used to be at 9am Mondays, 2:30PM Thursdays, but because of being in school etc, my times change which is hard. Right now with it being summer vacation, I usually go at 1:30 on Monday's and Thursday's, right after she's done with lunch. But... Monday was a holiday this week so now it's 1:30 Tuesday and Friday. When school starts up again it's a whole new ball game because I have class M-R! So it's frustrating... I don't have a "set time" anymore. I miss going first thing in the morning, I'd show up a little earlier and get some extra time.

I go Fridays at 5 PM. Used to go Tuesdays at 5 PM. Went Tuesdays and Fridays for a bit. Evening is the only possibility for me. I couldn't imagine having therapy any other time besides at the end of my day.... Therapy is way too intense... I like that I can just go home and process it however I need to. My T said Fridays are a bit rough because that's often when he has conferences scheduled.... I am thinking that once my classes are over in August, and I can set up my new schedule for next semester, I can go back to Tuesdays again. Unless I absolutely have no choice but to take a class on Tuesday night again. Hopefully not.

With my first pdoc... I was the last patient and it was the end of my day or there was a while when I went on my day off. Both of those worked for me in terms of working things through... now that you mention it.

Now I stop for coffee or pick up breakfast or something so that I have a little in between time before going in. But yes I understand what you mean Pink.

I don't have any set day or time, because I work rotating shifts as a meteorologist (7a-3p,10a-6p,8a-4p,9a-5p,6p-2a,3p-12a,12a-8a,11p-7a,8p-4a and my "weekends" are never usually Saturday/Sunday). And so I have to always make appointments at random. And after I return from break, I don't know if they will be weekly again or just bi-monthly or something else.

Well, my regular time now is on Tuesdays at 5:45. However, this week I am going on Thursday so he could accommodate someone who was going on vacation. At the time I didn't mind, I was flexible but now I'm pissed because I really need to see him tomorrow.

I used to go on Thursdays in the morning, at 10:30. I loved that time. It seemed like both of us were more relaxed. Or maybe that was before the therapy started getting h e a v y. Well, I"ll find out this week, won't I?

My time is Friday at 3:00.

And I do mean MY TIME!! lol Nobody else can have it !

I really do prefer evenings, when the day has softened and things that need to be done have mostly been done, so one can relax and let go. I like the idea of the darkness outside wrap itself cozily around the session. The 2 evening sessions I had with her were like that to me.

Wonder what that says... I know I like to stay hidden away.. maybe seeing things in the light of day is more than I want right now?

Maybe someday I'll get MY TIME changed!

And, since I am obviously her only client, there is no need to think about someone else coming before or after.

I just started seeing a new T and already feel territorial about my time (12:00 Tues.), especially because she has 1:00-3:00 designated for paperwork, and has intentionally allowed my session to run over 3 or 4 times so far. Then I found out that the girl with the 11:00 time scheduled ahead for the (MY!) 12:00 slot for the next several weeks, leaving me stuck with 11:00 am (HERS!), so I scheduled ahead for the 12:00 slot for several weeks after her... we've never met and we're already behaving like two greedy siblings. lol.

(guilty, sheepish newbie here)

hey sister, "my time" is for tuesday at 5:45 as well, lol....crazy!! haha...

yeah so theres always a couple ahead of me, which is rather uncomfortable because ill just be sitting in the waiting room, and my T will come out of her office followed by this man and woman (the woman is usually crying or something), and they usually run over a few minutes.....just the whole situation in gereral is a little bit uncomfortable lol

mel

The first session I had with my Therapist, I asked for a consistant time slot. I think it helps me be ready to do work. Thursday at 5 PM is MINE. If she sceduled somebody for my time slot, I'd freak. She would have to have a good excuse--like the other person would need to be having a really bad time of it.

My pdoc is a little different--usually the first appointment of the day on a Monday, but sometimes I have to take whatever is available.

Yeah!! I know what you mean about "MY TIME".... cause even though I switched from Tuesday at 5 PM to Friday at 5 PM, I EXPECT that no one is in the Tuesday slot, so if I want to take it back after my semester is over, I can.... if by any chance that someone took that slot, I will lurk outside of the building just prior to 5 PM on a Tuesday with a shovel..... Just kidding, lol... I know that T would rather me switch back to Tuesday because Fridays are difficult sometimes.... I wish I could have them both!

about lurking outside with a shovel. you crack me up!

I don't have a set time. I wish I did, but I have lots of meetings at work and I can't miss them sometimes. So, each time I see T I schedule the next one based on how my calendar looks. I don't have a set pattern of how often I see her. It depends on how I'm doing whether I go once a week or every other week.

For individual I usually end up going at 9am. I like to go first thing because then I don't have to try to get out of work. My boss doesn't care, but stuff always comes up and I don't want to be late or feel rushed getting to my appointment.

On the reverse side, late afternoon/evening apt are nice because after a T apt I can't concentrate at work. If I go in the morning, I'll sit in meetings and not be paying attention at all. If the apt is in the evening then I can just go home and process.

I am 5 pm on Tuedays. With my first T, I didn't have a regular time, and I was so pleased and thrilled when my current T offered me a regular time each week after I'd been seeing him a couple of months. It meant a lot to me. Now that I am doing couples therapy also, things have changed a bit, with the couples therapy being at my regular time. Then last week, T asked me when I wanted to schedule the couples therapy since 5 pm Tuesdays was my time. Again I was so thrilled when he said this and wanted to give him a hug for prioritizing that time for me alone. But since that time is a really good one for both my husband and me, I've ceded it over to "us." Now I am just fitting in my individuals when I can, seems to happen in the morning sometimes, this coming week not at all--no extra sessions available due to the short holiday week.

It is different to see T in the morning on my own. Last week I was at 9 am and the office just looked so different in the morning light. So did T. It was really weird, and I commented on the light. Like, how can we possibly do therapy in this bright light? Also, T's face was illuminated so much better. I could see more of his lines and every detail/imperfection on his face. He looked older (and I'm sure I did too). It was kind of like seeing someone in an on screen close-up at the movies.

I have Monday at 1pm and Friday at 12 ...these are our times together...always have been...that way also when theres a break T says they are still my time ...I guess this way I can see that there's a tiny part of me that belongs with T and other clients belong to her at their allotted time...its not like a train where people get on and off willy neely and one minute its me...the next its someone else...it really does create a feeling of belonging..took a while...I wouldnt want someone elses time slot because I'd feel as if I was intruding on what they have/had with T...whatever it is they have in their time slot is different to what I have with T in my time slot...ownership/relationship...I have a relationship wiht T at those times which overflows into my outside life but always returns to centre...which is the time slot....like a mushroom cloud effect...

My therapy schedule fluctuates according to what I need. If I am having alot of trouble I go weekly if Im ok bi monthly or monthly.

I go on Tuesdays at 11:20 a.m. Weird time, eh? I'm still usually his first client of the day. That's a consistent time slot for me. I like it.

Tuesday is a strange day for me because I go to work for a couple of hours first and I'm sitting there thinking about therapy. Then I leave a little on the early side (I can get away with pretty long lunches), go to therapy and then come straight back to work. It's a bit intense to come back to work like that, but it's okay. I usually pick a brain-dead project for Tuesday afternoons. As soon as the workday's over I head to the gym and think about my session while I'm working out....

I didn't know much about therapy when I started it or I might not have thought therapy over lunch would work. End of the day would be better, but it'd be harder to schedule around work and his schedule's full then anyway. And I kind of like my odd time and figure it's convenient for him.

Sidony

I wish I had the same appointment time every week. It seems to go from in the morning first thing to late in the afternoon. I am thankful though that we agreed that first thing in the morning isn't a good thing for me. Lately I've been seeing him at 3:00 in the afternoon on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I did ask him for a different time tomorrow though because I'm having lunch with my aunt and didnt want to have to wait around town for several hours. So he is going to try to fit me in earlier. If it doesn't work out I'll just go to Old Navy or something.

Jbug

I had thought I was going to have a regular time but now with my job search, I've had to make some changes. During the day is too variable for me.

I can have 6:15pm or 7:00pm pretty consistently but must schedule ahead 2-3 weeks before I want it. We will usually do a month ahead at a time. If I do this consistently then it should all work out. My T is busy, really busy. So I appreciated the tip on this tonight after my session.

For me my issue is I need to see him weekly and not go 18 days again! Some of this has been my fault but sometimes he's out for a week or booked in advance etc. So it happens but I feel so empty when it does.

first up tomorrow :-)

8am friday.

that time is kinda hard for me. i'm a sleep around 3am wake around midday kinda person... i try and get to sleep early on Thursday evenings but it is hard 'cause i'm not tired. so i don't get much sleep before i go (have to wake up around 5.30-6am to get to therapy on time). afterwards i'm exhausted. typically go back home and sleep for 5 hours or so...

but then we started with 1pm tuesday on every second week.

after that session i have to get my *** up to uni to get to a seminar. if i didn't have to do that... then i really think i would have to go home to sleep, however. so i'm thinking it is more about how emotionally draining therapy is rather than how physically tired i am.

i've also been once at 9am 'cause he had his 9am client cancel. that was nicer (wasn't dark on my walk in to the bus stop) and i actually did manage to get to sleep at an early hour the night before. but still home to bed.

sigh.

i'm really not particularly functional.

sigh.

Rough schedule for therapy Alex.. Yes it is taxing certainly and you must be pooped with your sleep going cattywampus.

I am going at 8:00 this morn after a week off. I find myself actually nervous this morn. I have so much to cover.... and know the time is limited. I also want to just BE in there for a bit. I have missed him...and the room. Not good sleep last night.

When I was going to a therapist, I went at 11:00 a.m. every Thursday. Since I can schedule my own hours at work, I would just go home--because I usually cried during my appt. My therapist kinda "flunked" me & said she couldn't help me anymore. I wasn't making any progress & that I really needed to have marriage counseling, which scares me to death so I'm not doing it. (My husband is willing to go, I'm not.)

Now I see my pdoc every two weeks & she does an hour appt. with me & does therapy as well as monitoring my meds. She also would like to see my husband, but is not pushing the idea since I'm no where near being ready for that. I sometimes cry, but I usually end up on a positive note & feeling hopeful at the end of my appt. & she always gives me a hug. I like that feeling.--Suzy