[WrkNPrgress]

My therapist is going to be out in a couple of weeks, we talked about that missed time being close to Mother's day and I'll be doing family stuff, implying stress, so I'd have lots to talk about when she got back. Then T volunteered that we could do a phone session if I needed one. I said I'll think about it.

I am thinking if this is something I want it's best to ask in advance so I need to make a decision. My first instinct is 'not to bother' my Therapist out of session but she offered so I need to set that aside.

Has anyone here done phone session(s). What did you like/not like about them? Was it good, effective, not as much?

[stopdog]

Is she billing you for it? If so, then that would add to the idea that you are not bothering the therapist (I don't think it a bother even if you are not paying her -she offered - but just to add in the payment part if it helped).

I tried it once and did not find it useful for me. It had been scheduled so I called, but there was no big thing I wanted to say and it seemed like an imposition on my time more than anything having to do with the therapist. I think others have reported such a thing was useful to them.

[Ellahmae]

My T is going to be out as well and offered me the same thing - I'm also interested in what happens or talked about? Effectiveness, etc.

[BayBrony]

I do one every week ( its short usually 20 min) because I'd really do better with 3x a week but my T's schedule is just too full.
.
The one thing I would say is its not a good place to discuss issues in the therapy relationship because its harder to read my T and I end up upset in those cases. I find them better for holding a sense of connection and checking negative thought patterns.

I like them and I am always surprised by how my T's voice comforts me
She does charge me but it's a minimal charge.

[junkDNA]

I do phone sessions with my T sometimes. I had one yesterday. I like them, I find them useful. I've also Skype with T for a session. Sometimes I find it easier to say things on the phone..I think bc of the distance and not being physically in front of him.

Good luck!!

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[lilypup]

I have done many phone sessions. I am charged the same as a regular session. These sessions were chosen by me, because I was too depressed to get out of the house.
I like seeing her in person better. For one thing, she always seemed to wrap it up way early. For another thing, she put me on speakerphone and I could hear her eating...LOL.
Normally she is a great T and if I get super down again would do phone sessions.

Edited to add:
I would hesitate to interrupt my T's time on vacation with a phone session unless I was in crisis. And if I were in crisis I would see T's back up or my pdoc. I just think everyone needs a break...even if they offer to phone with you. And there is something to having the pride to "survive" without your T for a week or two.

[awkwardlyyours]

I did one a couple of weeks ago (full-length and was charged for it). T just said it matter -of-factly that we'd be doing a phone session that week because she'd be away.

I almost cancelled it because I was super anxious (to the point of throwing up) -- not sure why.

But, it turned out to be really good and not awkward at all after the first minute or two -- in fact I'd rate it better than most of my regular sessions! I don't know if T went out of her way to be attuned etc since we were doing it over the phone but it did feel like a lot more 'effort' on her part (I can't complain about that!).

I've only ever done one phone session, and honestly didn't even like it that much. I remember it feeling sort of impersonal, because when he called me he said, "Hi it's *** from *** (name of his office)." Like...I knew who he was and why he was calling, as we had texted pretty regularly at that time...it just felt awkward! He was so formal and our face to face sessions are never like that. Anyway it was me just kind of rambling on and on for awhile and him just giving me advice when appropriate. I think the whole thing took a half hour? We were both at home and I kept wondering if I was ruining his Sunday afternoon. Also, when talking on the phone, you miss the subtleties of real human interaction that you would normally get with face to face contact. I probably wouldn't do it again, but I think everyone should try it once, as everyone's experience varies. I'm glad he didn't bill me for it, which was nice.

[Myrto]

I just want to say that all the people here who get to have a phone session with their therapist are incredibly lucky. My therapist would never suggest it, I don't think it would even cross her mind. I can't help but feel a bit envious.

[awkwardlyyours]

Originally Posted by Myrto

I just want to say that all the people here who get to have a phone session with their therapist are incredibly lucky. My therapist would never suggest it, I don't think it would even cross her mind. I can't help but feel a bit envious.

If it helps, this is the first time that my T suggested it when she took a break (the last couple of times, we just missed the session).

I strongly suspect it has something to do with her (sorta correctly) surmising that I'm now looking to bolt from therapy -- so, even when I've cancelled with a lot of notice, she's started offering alternate sessions on days I know for a fact that she doesn't work. So, it's a bit of a weird dynamic and not at all our usual setup -- it's completely unlike her usual working style and she usually wouldn't even notice if I cancelled etc.

As in, other than these oddities, she's classic, absolutely classic blank-slate psychodynamic -- not even remotely warm / fuzzy, doesn't offer any out-of-session contact, there's little actual emotional exchange / connection between us etc.

Not sure if this helps you feel any better......!

[WrkNPrgress]

Thanks everyone.

Yes, I would expect to be billed for it. That's a given. I think it would be easy enough on my end, as most of our sessions i spend looking a the floor or at the wall in order to think. Perhaps beingon the phone would let the words flow a little easier.

I don't know that she's going on vacation or anything. I only know that she'll be out on our usual day. I assume since she offered, then she's able to schedule time - if not that same exact day (I'll be traveling on that day as it turns out) — maybe the next couple of days near the usual time.

Again she offered because I'm expecting some heavy family stuff that week and knowing that's a possibly resource is a nice thing. I think I'll take her up on it and schedule a call.

Hope it goes well. I had a call session once when my mum was in hospital and I had to stay home in case they rang as she was due to be discharged and I needed to pick her up. My T was great and it felt as helpful as a normal session. It was so nice to hear her voice and feel her support even if I couldn't see her face.

[LonesomeTonight]

I haven't had formal phone sessions, but I have had half-hour talks with my T or marriage counselor on the phone when I was upset about something, in crisis, or just really needed to talk. So they weren't planned like I imagine a regular phone session would be. And I'm lucky in that they don't charge for phone calls (though I imagine if I did it all the time, might be different). I found it helpful--just hearing their voice in times when I'm really upset or really stressed tends to calm me. Also helped me to say some stuff I was too afraid to say in person (like love stuff, in one case). As others have said, even if your T is on vacation, if she offered you the call, she's fine with it, so it's OK to take her up on it.

I will reiterate what BayBrony said about not talking about the T relationship in a phone session. A phone call last summer led to a rupture with my marriage counselor because it felt like he was being really harsh and insensitive to me (which is unlike how he usually is with me) in discussing transference and stuff. It took several in-person sessions to work through that. I think on the phone I was missing his body language and facial expressions that would have shown he was still caring, while on the phone, I was mostly noticing the frustration in his voice, which made the words he was saying feel worse.
So just talk about your own stuff, not T-relationship stuff.

[kecanoe]

I have phone sessions with t1 when I am out of town. Face to face is my first choice, but I do find the phone sessions helpful.

[BonnieJean]

I've had a few phone sessions over the years, billed, and due to my inability to get to the office. They are awkward at first each time.

[AllHeart]

I've done several phone sessions with my t. I prefer in person sessions, but phone is better than no session and are usually just as effective. Actually, I sometimes am able to get more things out over the phone because I don't have that in person fear of embarrassment. Good luck with your phone session if you do it!

[Pennster]

We do Skype sessions pretty often, because I travel a bit and he might get sick or it snows or whatever. I hate to miss sessions so we just switch to Skype and keep going. It's very much like a normal session, only I miss the eye contact. Lasts the same amount of time and is the same price. Mostly it feels very much the same as an in-person session, but i think once or twice I have held something back until the next session because I wanted to say it in person.

I did phone sessions with my t for quite awhile - after I'd seen her in person for a year, she moved to another state, and I didn't want to start over with anyone else so she suggested it. They worked very well for me, because during that time there were things that we talked about that it was easier for me to say on the phone because she couldn't see me and I couldn't see her seeing me if that makes sense, and we did phone sessions for 2 years or so and then 8 months ago she moved back here and I resumed seeing her in person. I wish you all the best.

[AncientMelody]

Sort of. She does not schedule or do "official" phone sessions. Unfortunate because I worked an hour from her work so towards the end it's been getting impossible to meet for a session. But a few times I've been in crisis she's called and spoken to me for 10-15 minutes. I think on probably 3 occasions and yes they helped

[nottrustin]

I have never had a phone session however we have raffled on the phone a few times when I have struggled. She refused to charge me even though I requested she do so. We email instead including when she is on vacation. I prefer email because I never want to feel I am imposing on her personal life. So we touch base that way. The have been a couple of times (not during her vacation) where I told her I was having a hard time and could she call when she was free.

I've done many with different therapist, because of travel or permanent moves. They were always very helpful because I was actually, doing my life. My last therapist never charged when I was on vacation for distress calls, even if they were as long as a session.

[Bipolar Warrior]

I have done a few with my uni therapist whenever she has been unable to come in, for various reasons like car problems or doctor's appointment. There was also one time when I overslept and missed my session and she called me later that day because I was upset. We talked for forty minutes, and I felt much better afterwards. I'm not sure I could have sat on that pain for a whole week, so I really appreciated it. Overall I have found that the phone sessions are helpful, and for me definitely better than having no session at all.

[laxer12]

My T suggested it when I went home over winter break for a few weeks. We decided not to schedule it before I left but that if I decided I wanted it, I could email her and we would find a time. I was gone for three weeks and was feeling stressed after being with my family so I really wanted to talk to her.

We ended up talking on the phone twice during that time and it was really helpful. I'm pretty quiet in general so there was one awkward moment where I didn't say anything and she asked if I was still there but other than that, it went well.

I actually told my T via email that I would call her at our scheduled time. I didn't like that she answered so professionally when she obviously knew it was me but I guess it was the professional thing to do.

Overall, it was very helpful. We talked about ways for me to cope with being around my family so much and what the experience was like for me. For me, I think the biggest benefit was that it reminded me that I still had her and that she cared. I actually talked to her the day before Christmas Eve which felt kind of special because I'm not sure she actually went to her office that day, just talked to me from home. At this point in time we had been working together for a little over a year so I felt pretty comfortable with her.

If you think it might be helpful for you, I would suggest giving it a shot!

[with or without you]

I have done many of these with a previous T. They were always charged like a normal in person visit. I don't like them anymore because I isolate myself enough as it is, and we can't see each other's body language & expressions so things can get taken the wrong way.

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[runlola72]

2 therapists back did a few sessions for me when I was sick. She only offered it to patients she trusted, she said. I didn't like the phone sessions as much, but then again, I am not a phone person.