How much does your T smile?

I don't know how much she smiles (depends on what we're talking about), but when she does...it's the best.

You make a good point!

But she thinks her empathy is better, ie she gets a better understanding of what I might be feeling. I'm not at all convinced.

My T smiles when appropriate and will always smile if I smile. I'm really serious in therapy, sometimes so much that it is unnecessary. Sometimes if I've been really serious and we are towards the end of the session and she starts talking, she will smile a bit while she talks. I kind of like it because it lightens things up a bit before I leave.

I take myself too seriously and her smile, even if it's a little one, reminds me for a minute that it's okay to loosen up a bit and smile. I've never talked about that with her but if it ever comes up, I definitely will.

Depends on what we are talking about. Usually we are talking trauma, which doesnt lead to smiles. But we do take breaks to joke around and laugh.

My T smiles and laughs a lot when its appropriate. I love her smile and laugh. When I am talking about something painful and intense, she gets a very concerned look on her face. Her facial expressions are always genuine.

I don't think this was therapeutic. It sounds like punishment. I think she was misguided. I'm sorry you had this treatment.

I think that's developed over time. I've never thought about how often she smiles. It's not a must.

My t and I smile a lot at each other.

So long as the mood is light and smiles are appropriate I would say he smiles most of the time. Anytime I smile he's likely to smile back. I'm not sure about a therapist who doesn't smile, it sounds cold to me. The fact that we can be so friendly and exchange smiles is half of why I go.

Cantexplain - I still think your ex-therapist is crazy with her cold policy of not smiling. Is she a Freudian? Trying to think of how her theory would fit in with any major therapeutic modality.

It really depends what we are talking about. As we don't sit face to face in session, when I first go in he usually makes a point of looking at me smiling. I think it's to establish a connection before we get started. I refer to his smile as "the annoying thing" because it cuts through all my defenses and makes me feel warm and fuzzy

Thank you!

Thanks for the support.

I'm sure she thinks of herself as Orthodox Psychodynamic. However, I suspect she has deviated from the party line. When was the last time she was audited, I wonder?

She smiles lots and it's beautiful.

Not sure how much she smiles...I can't see her face when I'm looking at the floor the whole time! I can hear it in her voice and she does laugh easily.