Dear Client

love it!

Oh God you're coming here again today, aren't you? Ugh.

I thought I'd managed to offload you on to MH services.... But you keep coming back. It's been 2 years. I can't help you anymore.
Why can't you just see that you are a lost cause?

I really don't know how to deal with you.

I'm having a great time without you. I don't even want to do back to work. Maybe I'll just retire.

Dear Butterfly,

We've been working together for a few months now. Last week you said you haven't shared your biggest issue with me yet. Why not? I get that you are scared but please trust me. I promise I won't laugh like you said one of your former therapists did, that was very unprofessional of her. I promise I won't judge you either.

Hey Art, do you understand yet why I said your realization was freeing? I'd bet that you do.

I'm glad you came back, you were right about this being the best part of your work, it's the part that's going to make it possible for you to say goodbye in November.

I have really enjoyed working with you and walking beside you on your journey. It has been an honor indeed.

Love,
T

who are you?

You're hopeless. I've never met anyone as stubborn as you.

Fixed it...

Hugs... thx.. the stubborn thing is something he actually said though :/

Jo
I've decided to cut my holiday short as I know how much you are suffering while I'm away. I know you are feeling abandoned by me & know too that you will not sleep well either. I want you to know that I'm safe & will look forward to seeing you this Monday.
Love TD

Dear Rainbow,

You know how much I care about you! That is why I think it is time for you to start seeing me every 2 weeks. Your goal in therapy was to be able to end therapy but you seem to have forgotten that. You are capable of handling whatever comes up in your life even if you disagree. I am not abandoning you! It's not that I don't want you to tell me about your life and support you. But we can't be friends. I am your therapist and I have a responsibility to do my job. We will wind down gradually, and of course you can come back if you need to even when you no longer are seeing me regularly. I want updates about your artwork too. But you can't keep coming to see me just because you like me so much. I know parts of you understand that. I trust that your Self can comfort the parts that don't. I am saying this because of my love for you. There will always be a place in my heart for you. I am proud of all you have accomplished in our work together!

Love,
T

I am wondering if I should read this to her but I don't think I could.

Annie,
Why do you still bother coming to therapy? You're hopeless. A lost cause.
T

Oh man, thank you, it made me laugh out loud.

My therapist would probably say something similar. Or perhaps he'd ask, "are you in love with me? Because that's creepy."

I'm just a psychiatrist. Not a magician.
I prescribe you meds - you don't take them.
Well. As you wish.
I give up.

Dear Tea, I completely agree, we would be great together. Transference shmansference. Lets go get a coffee. Yours, T


[^^I'm paraphrasing. Obviously it would be a lot longer and wouldn't include the term 'transference shmansference', no definitely not. You get the gist though.]

Dear Art-

After that deep session last week, I'm surprised that you haven't emailed. I think I miss that despite myself... will I see you next week??

-T

Malika, you don't need to be so anxious when you come here. You are less anxious when you feel in control of a setting. You think I am in control here and I can see into you, but really you are in control. You should keep trying to pull your book bag away from your chest when you are here. It will not hurt to let me in.

Dear stop:

Can't you just be happy you're not forced to stay in the state hospital, forever? Before medications that's what would have happened to you. There's meds now. Suck it up buttercup. I don't understand why you can't hold down jobs. You're on meds. If you're unstable on meds, maybe someone should have you committed.

Enjoy your trip, Daisy. I'll enjoy your trip very much. It'll be a week that I don't have to listen to your s***.

Dear LT,

WTF?

T (am I even still T anymore?)

Annie,
I'm glad you're feeling better. Could you at least for once try to be present in the moment and FEEL the happiness you're feeling? You say it won't last; you'll be depressed again. Well, you're probably right. So feel happy now, while you still can! You're wasting your time trying to find things to be sad about.
T

Now maybe I didn't mean to treat you bad
But I did it anyway
And now maybe
Some would say your life was sad
But you lived it anyway
And so maybe
Your friends they stand around they watch you crumble
As you fall to the ground
And someday
Your friends they stand beside as you were flying
Oh you were flying oh so high
But then some day people look at you for what they call their own
They watch you suffer
Yeah they hear you calling home
But then some day we could take our time
To brush the leaves aside so you can reach us
But you left me far behind

Now maybe I didn't mean to treat you oh so bad
But I did it anyway
Now maybe some would say you're left with what you had
But you couldn't share the pain
No, no, no

Couldn't share the pain they watch you suffer
Now maybe I could have made my own mistakes
But I live with what I've known
And then maybe we might share in something great
But won't you look at where we've grown
Won't you look at where we've gone
But then someday comes tomorrow holds a sense of what I fear for you in my mind
As you trip the final line
And that cold day when you lost control
Shame you left my life
So soon you should have told me
But you left me far behind

Now maybe I didn't meant to treat you oh so bad
Oh but I did it anyway
Now maybe some would say you're left with what you had
But you couldn't share the pain
No, no, no

Dear Client,
Maybe now you know how challenging it was with you. She wasn't wrong when she wrote it was very difficult for everyone. Like pulling teeth is right. I have to admit I was happy to transfer you. I was out of my depth with you.