Therapist unable to read my expressions

Hi,

Just wondering whether this is more common.
It happened already a couple of times to me that my T told me she doesn't know how she should read my expression. She now told me something like 'I don't know how to read what I'm seeing right now, every time I see it'.
I find it weird. I'm a person who does have difficulties expressing emotions though, but I'd expect sadness to be quite easy to read. Apparently in my case it isn't. ;-)

So... anyone else having this 'problem'?

I think we'd need to be in the room with you to fully understand. She may have been pointing out that it is not as clear cut as just feeling sadness. There can be anger mixed in with that. Maybe she's helping you see how it may not be a clear cut for you too.

It may just be her way of acknowledging the limitations of non-verbal communication. Even someone with an average to above average ability to read expressions still risks misreading them. Words are a lot easier to read, in my experience.

Both of the ones I see tell me it is hard for them to read me. The first has trouble even when I tell her directly - which is most of the time.

I think it is good when people, especially T's, are open to the possibility that they can't "read" people's expressions. I think there is some research on how bad people are about reading emotions, with disgust being the easiest of all of them to read. I think it is better for someone to ask you what you feel than to assume they know it from your expression.

I know for myself, that I being abused as a child and hiding it from the adults in my life, has made me difficult to read. People who were shamed or punished for their emotions as a child also learn to hide them and this follows them into adulthood. There are probably other reasons why people may not always show what they feel, but I think it is positive when people don't just assume they know because in my experience, they are often wrong.

My T struggles with it, but I'm autistic so my face doesn't always display what I feel.
But I also can't explain it to her.... So our sessions can be quite a struggle when we try and work on emotions and feelings

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