Reparenting/Inner Child Therapy. Taking a teddy bear/cuddly toy into therapy session?

Since August I have been having a mixture of person centred/reparenting/inner child/nurturing touch therapy. I've been seeing my therapist about every 2 weeks and have covered a lot of topics.

I haven't seen my therapist for 3 months as I felt loads better and like everything was fixed. About 6 weeks ago my mental health took a massive decline but I found it hard to reach out to tell my therapist I was struggling. Eventually I managed to arrange a session for this Friday afternoon.

The past few days I've been having intense memories related back to my Dad leaving me when I was 4 years old. I think it's because Fathers Day is coming up in a few weeks. I'm now 23 but my Dad is still very closed off emotionally and he's never been someone I can fully open up to.

Anyway I've recently found myself cuddling my teddy bear more while watching tv/reading. I've also found it it's the only thing that gives me some comfort. I texted my therapist last night asking if I could bring my teddy bear with me on Friday but felt embarrassed about it. He replied really kindly and said he was happy that I was able to ask him and of course I could.

So I was basically wondering if anyone else has taken teddies/cuddly toys into a therapy session and what your therapists reaction was like?

I've not done this, but plenty of other people on here have. T's are fine/supportive. Some T's keep plushies in the office to loan to clients during session. Other T's have given clients plushies as gifts.

It's okay to seek comfort. I hope you feel better.

I took one in but more to share a story about it with her than for comfort. I have brought in a wide variety of things in to share for different purposes. The one that was sort of more along you question was something I just so happened to have in my bag when I was having a really hard time. It is this ball that when squeezed blinks red, green, and blue lights for about 20 seconds. I used it to keep me present and calm down when I was very upset. I had asked for a moment so she was already sitting back observing me. She accepted it with little comment. What was said about using it was positive and supportive.

One time I ran into another client that had brought in a stuffed animal for support. I had the chance to talk to this other client. They disclosed they were going through a tough time and was using it for support. So, not that unusual I guess.

My t has a couple of soft toys that clients have either given him or made for him. Not big enough to cuddle and he keeps them near the window where his desk is. He does have pillows on the couch I will sometimes hold. And I suggested that his couch needed a throw blanket and one magically appeared one day. I have a storage bag full of childhood animals which I haven't taken to therapy. I would like that level of trust in therapy. He is caring and understanding but not sure if he'd get snarky about plush animals. His humor can hurt sometimes. But I digress. I think it is a lovely idea.

My therapist suggested a teddy bear actually I am doing a lot of reparenting and imagery work and I need something....haven't gotten to do it yet though, don't know why.

I think it is a great idea though.

I bought a therapy bear which comes to most sessions with me. Sometimes it stays with T and she tucks it up in the soft toy box. She has given me a bear too, and when I don't have mine and I am struggling she sometimes gets one for me from the box.

I use it as a source of comfort and grounding really. Doing reparenting work too. My T is supportive and understanding. She holds my bear if i ask her to and has let me take a photo of this too.

You do what you need to, sounds like your T will be right there with you.

i'd feel too weird doing this but if you wanna, go for it

i bring my dog to my sessions and i guess in a sense its the same. i know its gonna get too humid here soon to bring my boy and i am not sure how ill manage with just me and T. it might be really awkward

my T gave me a stuffed animal. he also sewed the stuffie up for me once after showing T on skype that it was ripped

We used two dolls in my therapy. One just sorta lay on my belly. The other sat snuggled in t's elbow. I liked seeing him sit with the baby year and year, never getting tired of holding it (me). Never having to get up and go do something else more important, ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS!!!

ALWAYS!!!

Hmm. Sometimes your feelings about things dont come out until later

I didn't think I would because I thought it would be infantile or make me regress or something , but I have two cuddly Snow Leopards that occasionally make it to therapy and my T welcomes them. The Snow Leopard is my power / totem animal and also is the little me. So I call him the " cub " and I'm the adult Snow Leopard who's able to take care of him , he's OK now , he's safe. My T said hello to him when he turned up , which is important.

The wolf is my totem animal and i have a stuffed "little wolf" who stays at my T's and often goes with her on breaks. I of course am big wolf
My T's totem is the otter and she gave me a stuffed otter who goes home with me

I took my comfort blanket into one of my sessions. It was when I was really going through the ringer with my attachment and inner child crap.
My T didn't bat an eye...in fact, she held it for me when I needed to tell her something deeply awful. I don't know why I gave it to her to hold, but she said maybe it was because I didn't want to sully it! She was definitely right.

I sometimes take my teddy and my T is fine with that and she has also given me a teddy to keep. Can I ask what your inner child/reparenting/nurturing touch therapy involves? Just because I have felt a lot like that little girl of late and struggle with that. thank you.

I have a plush dog I bought for myself and asked T to name and give to me before a log break. We also do re-parenting work and she was happy to oblige. She even gave the dog a ribbon collar and name tag.

I'm glad to hear your T was supportive.