[WrkNPrgress]

I recently met a man whom, upon first meeting, we discovered he knew my therapist. In fact, he was quite excited to hear that my T was still practicing and asked me where and what office, etc. I got along with this person really well and enjoyed his personality. Later I went to 'friend' this guy on Facebook and I noticed he had friended my T, so I relented. The cyber-proximity felt too close for comfort (I figure if the guy wants to add me, he can.)

It was no surprise to me that he knew my T since this is a small town and social circles overlap but I'll admit I'm a bit envious of them. To see them buddy-up while I'm on the sidelines is something that stoked feelings of outsider-ness. I know this is just a cognitive distortion but there it is.

Have you ever known anyone who was actually friends with you therapist?

Yes and it's really hard not to be jealous and envious of their friendship.i wanted to hear about my t and their relationship but it always hurt to hear but then I realised that their relationship with t wasn't the same as mine and that was ok but don't tell me about it.

[MobiusPsyche]

They think they're nurturing a connection with you, talking about something you have in common (T). True, but they're also messing about with therapy feelings like connection and transference and stuff...but they don't always realize this.

[Favorite Jeans]

I work closely and am friends with the daughter of a (now deceased) T I had in my late teens and briefly again in my twenties. When I made that connection a few years ago I felt a bit nauseated. I've never told my friend that her mom used to be my T. It seems too weird to me and I know that it's not information I can take back if I don't like my friend's reaction. She doesn't talk about her mom a lot but I definitely listen when she does!

[therapyishelping777]

I used to go to church with my previous T and her daughter was in my daughters grade and school so knew a lot of people who knew her as a friend. It wasn't awkward with her personally, she was more a friend type therapist. also, I have recommeded a few people to a T who is a friend of mine so have been on the other side of knowing friends who went to my friend who was a T.. and they never talked of any bad or awkward experiences with her.

[AncientMelody]

Yes.

My former psychiatrist/therapist is friends of a former college, a family practice doctor with whom I worked for three years from 2011-2014. She also apparently graduated highschool in the same class as one of my male cousins and a church friend of mine. I do not know if she knew them or not, as it was a graduating class of several hundred people and I only discovered this after I was finished seeing her. She's also the aunt of a little girl who attends the same library story time that my daughter and I attend.

[Yours_Truly]

Well, not friends, but I discovered that my therapist's husband was my best friend's boss at a small newspaper where the communication was quite a bit more then some boss/employee dynamics. It was a little odd... my friend told me a bit about my therapist's husband and how T. often frequented friend's place of employment to have lunch or spend time with her husband. I knew they were only acquaintances at best. Where it did become uncomfortable is seeing the therapist (and the boss-husband) with my friend at said friend's wedding reception not long after the therapist dumped me. I felt those exact same feelings you described of "outsider-ness" strongly. Not only that, but I was the unsuccessful one with the mental health condition. It felt like, here we go, once again in my life I'm the inadequate outsider.
Sidenote: I didn't and don't live in a small town and the therapist's office was outside of the large city we all lived in. Go figure.

I don't know if this counts. I've a number of situations...

I have reason to believe my adult son is an aquaintance of my psychiatrist's own son. Obviously neither would realize my situation but it has made me uncomfortable a few times.

Worse still I know my father knows my psychiatrist on a professional basis. They are both faculty of the university medical school. I know my psychiatrist would never break confidence still it is uncomfortable.

But, the most awkward situation was in the hospital. One of the psych nurses is the best friend of my ex husband. He exused himself of any assignments to me but still I cringed each time I saw him. Even though I know he professionally couldn't say anything I still imagine he told my ex - who would have giggled at the news - I was in the hospital.

[coolibrarian]

My T and I have several mutual friends, but only 1 of them knows that she is my T.

[Pennster]

I was seeing someone for another professional purpose, and I was pretty sure he and my therapist had to have been friends, as they lived in the same small city and had overlapping interests so would have been part of a small social circle. My therapist claimed not to know the guy, but I think he was fibbing- I really appreciated the little fib, because it allowed me to speak freely about the guy when he did something that troubled me.

[runlola72]

A lady from church worked in the same office as my T. It was a little awkward, but she never shared stories about T or anything. I can see how that could be weird...

[AllHeart]

Originally Posted by WrkNPrgress

Have you ever known anyone who was actually friends with you therapist?

How about this one - my therapist and I became friends. T introduced me to one of her really good friends. This friend and I hit it off great and became friends. Then I discovered how crazy this friend is so now we're not friends. Totally awkward!