What does your T do when you cry in session?

I cry pretty much every session. Usually all session. If we spent time dealing with my crying, we wouldnt do anything else.

Thanks again! I guess it truly depends on the T and their habits/protocols and such.

My session is tomorrow and like I said, I actually want to cry. I dont know why, but I think that itll help me progress better. I made a promise to myself that tomorrow I'm going to be authentic, and tell T whatever it is I feel in the moment, rather than putting on a brave face and saying I'm okay. Hopefully it goes well and I stick with my words.

I've come close to crying but never have in session. I asked him once if he got angry at people when they cried in his office. He seemed struck by the question. Took him a while to answer, but he said no. People got angry at me when I was little. A friend got angry with me not long ago for being too emotional. I don't know if I could cry in his company. I'd like to though. When I can trust him enough. Just to be myself without having to hold everything in.

My T says "Its ok to cry" "Its safe here" "Tears are healing". She makes sure I know she is there and to not be embarrassed and she holds my hand. After a session of crying she gives me a pretty tight hug. I was terrified to cry in therapy and now its the most safe place to cry for me.

I hope you are able to cry and you feel safe doing so. The first time is always the hardest and then after that its easier to let the tears flow.

I was in a crisis the first several times that I met with my T. I cried a lot and she offered tissues, but nothing else. She's a blank slate, so I can't imagine her offering any affection. I haven't cried in the past year or so, just the first couple of appointments.

I have yet to cry in session, only over the phone with t when my mother died. I'm not sure what she would do. We've joked saying she would probably jump for joy since I'd actually be allowing myself to feel anger or sadness all the way through (I never do. I push those feelings so far away), but I know for sure she'd never actually do that. Like the OP said, there have been a few times that I have wanted cry in session so my t could really see how I was feeling. But I've never been able to. I don't cry much I'm general due to the way I was raised where crying made things worse.

I voted other. My T usually just waits quietly until I've stopped crying. She doesn't offer tissues - they are on the table within reach if I need them. She doesn't try to talk to me until I've looked at her and re-established a conversational connection. She knows how I feel about touch (uncomfortable) so she doesn't go there; I doubt she would anyway.

For me, having my T just wait quietly is actually very comforting. She's giving me space to experience my emotions. Even though she's just sitting there, it still feels supportive; it doesn't feel awkward or like I need to stop crying.

Thanks for the replies! I just got back from my session and again I didnt cry but I sort of felt more easy going and comfortable. Have a session again next week so hopefully I can fully open up. Things are going well I hope.

In February i was severely depressed and suicidal... and very angry at the same time. I cried in front of my T because I couldn't handle it anymore. I just wanted to die and rip people's heads off at the same time. I think I had dysphoric mania.

My t just offered me some tissues and changed his tone of voice while he talked to me. I think he realized there was nothing he could do to fix my depression, so he tried to be comforting. (My depression didn't have a trigger... It just appeared out of nowhere, which is common with bipolar disorder.)

Mine just acted like it was okay and normal.

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That's wonderful that you felt more comfortable and easy going. You can't rush a good cry. Thank you for posting this.

I love the support I get on this site. Feels good to know there are others looking out for you ! I will update again after the session.

it took me 5 years of therapy to be able to cry and then nonstop crying almost every session after that. it took even longer to cry in group therapy. as a kid i heard the typical crying is weak or i will give you something to cry about. i would cry alone. i used to get mad at myself for crying and angrily rub the tears away.

I've never cried in therapy, but I think it's because I'm so emotionally dead, and he doesn't really push me that hard to the point that I could. And even when I finally do break down and cry in private, it's horrible. I mean like REAL blubbering crying, not just a few tears. It really wears down your body and physically hurts. If I want to have a good cry and sympathetic ear, I'll go visit my mother. She (usually) always knows the right thing to say. I have a feeling my therapist wouldn't.

I have only cried 5 or 6 times over the years. The first time she got up and handed me the box of tissues. Other than that, we just continue with and a grab a tissue if need be. However, when I do cry it is very short lived and only a few tears.

I work in a group therapy program we strongly discourage clients from giving other clients tissues and our therapists do the same. The reason is that it often can change the course of the discussion and "ruin the moment"

I have never cried in therapy after going for 1.5 years. I would love to be able to cry in from of T but I just can't it is so ingrained in me to hold it back that it is so hard to let go. I would honestly double my session fee one day if meant that I could break down my wall and let my tears fall in front of her.

She mostly just lets me cry, and I definitely feel her empathy. Sometimes she will say "yeah", in this very gentle voice and it's very validating. If I apologize for crying, she says it's OK. It took me a very long time to be able to cry in therapy, I was shut down for so long.

she offers tissues and then asks questions/tries to comfort me without physical contact.

I haven’t cried that much in session, I usually cry afterwards. But when I do cry in front of my T, he’ll say something like “it’s ok” in a really caring voice and he looks at me with compassion. I find it very comforting and validating. There has been some physical contact when we discussed ending therapy and I was really struggling. On leaving the room, he put his hand on my shoulder for a short moment. It was the first physical contact besides the usual handshake and it was very powerful.

Usually I just talk through the crying, if it's just a few tears. If I'm sobbing, she will be silent and let me sob. We don't address the crying now, after more than a year working together; it is just my nonverbal way of 'saying' that something makes me sad I guess.

I always make sure the tissue box is right next to me on the couch before I sit down. I forgot once and got up to fetch it when I first started crying.

I find the way she does it is respectful and appropriate for someone with trauma issues like me. Sometimes I wish she would hug me, other times I would be scared by that, and it's just not something she "does" so I try not to worry about it either way. We have directly addressed her "policies around touch" because I specifically asked.

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