[OliverB]

Somtimes I give my therapist drawing I have made from my mental disorder, how it feels inside my head as a gift because I am grateful he helps me and is involved in my case, at other times I give him poetry -made by other people, very classic authors- to explain how I feel and because I know he likes reading a lot.

Is it uncommon or boundary crossing?

Not a boundary crossing unless one of you deem it to be so. I gave my T a poem I wrote. He loved it

[ruh roh]

I don't think it's uncommon. I have given art to my therapist, and she's made it a very positive experience. The way she responded felt really good.

[fullsassahead]

I don't think giving something such as art or writings is crossing a boundary. Unless, of course, it is harmful for you or damaging to the therapeutic relationship. However, there are few instances where I feel that would be the case.

I have not personally shared writings or artwork with my current team. However, I did while I was in treatment for several months. It was very beneficial for both myself and my treatment team when I was able to share my experiences in a different medium. I tend to best express myself in my writing, but it is difficult for me to share as I am so perfectionistic and critical of how and what I write. I wish I was more confident in my ability or felt worthy of sharing such works because I do feel it could be a helpful adjunct to traditional talk therapy.

Recently, I have considered sharing something with my T. I have a dissociative disorder and another part has drawn and written something for my therapist. It's just a juvenile drawing with some words misspelled, but I have been drawn to sharing it with her. However, I feel it wouldn't be received well and I have such tremendous shame that I have resisted sharing it as of yet. That being said, more and more of these pictures and notes have been found around my bedroom and I think I will eventually need to work up the courage to give them to her.

If it is helpful and okay with all concerned, by all means, continue doing what you're doing. Helping your therapist understand you is never a bad thing in my opinion.

[mostlylurking]

One thing I've learned here in the therapy forum is that everyone's therapy looks different and there's tremendous variety in how it's done. If it's helpful to you to share your artwork, or poetry that puts your feelings into words, that seems like a very positive thing to do. Sounds like you're finding ways to communicate things that are difficult to verbalize.

[OliverB]

I wonder what would be a boundary crossing drawing....

[ruh roh]

I don't think it's possible to give a boundary-crossing drawing, unless maybe if it's a sketch of the therapist's house, which would be more of a privacy violation.

Did your therapist or someone suggest it would cross a line to give drawings?

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by ruh roh

Did your therapist or someone suggest it would cross a line to give drawings?

No, he said ''thank you, it's nice'' and smiled.

[ruh roh]

Originally Posted by fullsassahead

I don't think giving something such as art or writings is crossing a boundary. Unless, of course, it is harmful for you or damaging to the therapeutic relationship. However, there are few instances where I feel that would be the case.

I have not personally shared writings or artwork with my current team. However, I did while I was in treatment for several months. It was very beneficial for both myself and my treatment team when I was able to share my experiences in a different medium. I tend to best express myself in my writing, but it is difficult for me to share as I am so perfectionistic and critical of how and what I write. I wish I was more confident in my ability or felt worthy of sharing such works because I do feel it could be a helpful adjunct to traditional talk therapy.

Recently, I have considered sharing something with my T. I have a dissociative disorder and another part has drawn and written something for my therapist. It's just a juvenile drawing with some words misspelled, but I have been drawn to sharing it with her. However, I feel it wouldn't be received well and I have such tremendous shame that I have resisted sharing it as of yet. That being said, more and more of these pictures and notes have been found around my bedroom and I think I will eventually need to work up the courage to give them to her.

If it is helpful and okay with all concerned, by all means, continue doing what you're doing. Helping your therapist understand you is never a bad thing in my opinion.

What makes you think she wouldn't receive it well? It cannot be any worse than what I've given to my therapist (trust me), and she does not make any of it feel embarrassing.

I've done a couple of drawings about my process and t asked to keep one of them. i've written several poems for her that i gave her and then she has copies of a bunch of my other poems i've written during therapy too. and i gave her a copy of my poetry book after i published it too.

[mostlylurking]

Originally Posted by Nocter

I wonder what would be a boundary crossing drawing....

Are you worried about the content, e.g. very creepy or violent imagery, or sexual imagery? I would think most T's could handle that, although if your T himself is in the drawing as well, it could get a bit more complicated.

[OliverB]

Originally Posted by mostlylurking

Are you worried about the content, e.g. very creepy or violent imagery, or sexual imagery? I would think most T's could handle that, although if your T himself is in the drawing as well, it could get a bit more complicated.

It's a bit creepy because it's from voices and fear that's come from beyond reality and attacks me in the phyisical World.

[mostlylurking]

I can't imagine any boundary issue with giving him creepy drawings, since they are for the purpose of describing to him what it feels like to be inside your head. You could describe these attacks in words, or you could draw them, but either way you're communicating what sounds like suffering that you are going through. Your T would want to know about that suffering, and the nature of it.

Our T's hear about a lot of frightening and painful experiences, but that's the nature of their jobs... I think it's absolutely okay to show him the drawings.

I've given my T something I've painted expressing my feelings and regularly give her writings where I quote articles, blogs, books and poems which I've found express things I want to say.

I've been asked to draw something by ex T as homework before as well.

[rainbow8]

I've given my T poems and artwork throughout my therapy and she always accepts them. I even showed her some x-rated drawings that I did, and though I was embarrassed, she wasn't.

[Unrigged64072835]

I've done art therapy with my T. He has copies of a few of my drawings. It was back when I was trying to create more art. That failed but I keep doing other things now.