[LostOnTheTrail]

Hi, all.

The past couple of weeks in particular, I have really noticed the toll that therapy takes on me mentally and emotionally. The effect seems to linger for a few days after the session, and leaves me feeling almost as though I have had an alcoholic drink or two. What are your favourite ways of recovering after therapy sessions? (I am going rather deep at the moment with R, so I think that might account for some of the effect.)

I seem to dissociate for the rest of the day afterwards, and I'm looking for suggestions that are more proactive than that.

[Tbhimscared]

I wish I knew the answer. I feel the same way after mine, and the whole day leading up to sessions I'm extremely anxious and want to throw up and I'm shaky and light headed all day

[lucozader]

If it's at all possible I try to spend some time in nature - even if it's just the nearest park. Breathe some air, watch some birds. I find that really helps me to ground myself. If it's been a difficult session T will generally suggest now that I find myself somewhere green to go afterwards.

If I can't do that, I cuddle my cat as much as possible. That helps too.

Sorry you're finding yourself so heavily affected by your sessions, Lost. You are doing good work.

[anais_anais]

I try to schedule my day so that therapy is in the morning and work is late afternoon/evening... after a hard session I can very easily flop into bed and then glaze over and stay there, but I try to go for a walk, do a few very light errands, then go to a cafe and have a nice drink and write or read a bit.

For me I used to feel like this after every session, but now it's starting to be more sporadic. At first I was worried that maybe I wasn't pushing myself hard enough in session. But I think the truth is that M and L and I are getting better at knowing my limits and keeping me safe.

[LonesomeTonight]

If I've had a particularly rough one, I'll have a beer or two...probably not the most functional way of dealing with it, but oh well. Some time to myself helps--I hate having session and then having to deal with people immediately after a tough session...though when I do, it often seems to just put off the emotions, and then I feel them later, when I'm alone. Listening to music helps, too. Or posting on here of course!

Also, it often helps me to e-mail T or MC, though I try not to do that as often as I used to.

[Sunflower123]

I always feel better when I get through a therapy session. I must be doing it wrong.

[stopdog]

I have never felt better after an appointment. A few times I left not worse - more now that I don't let the woman speak her gibberish to me. But when she was allowed to talk it was horrible.

I like to have morning sessions, first thing in the day, and then go to work or do whatever else I need to. Emailing my thoughts to the T helps in the moment but if I do it as a habit, it's more frustrating than useful because it can get obsessive.

[DodgersMom]

Originally Posted by Xynesthesia

if I do it as a habit, it's more frustrating than useful because it can get obsessive.

learning this the hard way, even though i never do more than 1 a week, i can't help but feel this way and he always says its ok but still...

Originally Posted by DodgersMom

learning this the hard way, even though i never do more than 1 a week, i can't help but feel this way and he always says its ok but still...

One of mine is also always OK with my emailing as much as I want. I brought it up quite a few times how it is frustrating for me, but he never said it is wrong or that I should not email. The other T though was all over the place, sometimes he said we should not communicate via email, other times even that some emailing was included in my fee, then that he won't communicate with me via email but then he does a lot. That was much worse and very confusing than the other one who expressed no concerns about my emails and just regulated his own responses and engagement.

[feileacan]

I have sessions every day from Mon-Thu and sometimes it is really difficult to get going with the rest of my life. On two days my sessions are very early in the morning after which I go home and sleep for 1-2 hours. I've found this to be one of the best recovery methods for me because sleeping sort of restarts me. On two other days my session are in the mid morning and after them it will usually take me 1-3 hours before I am able to start working. On those days I struggle the most.

[LostOnTheTrail]

Wow, feileacan...

You are very strong. I can't imagine dealing with the ups and downs of a session four days a week. For me, sleeping seems to intensify that blurriness, probably because I'm then worried about disrupting my nights further.

I rarely feel able to do anything productive after therapy, so I relate to that.

[feileacan]

Originally Posted by LostOnTheTrail

Wow, feileacan...

You are very strong. I can't imagine dealing with the ups and downs of a session four days a week. For me, sleeping seems to intensify that blurriness, probably because I'm then worried about disrupting my nights further.

I rarely feel able to do anything productive after therapy, so I relate to that.

Thanks. Having frequent sessions has its advantages too - you never have to fry in difficult emotions alone too long.

I couldn't imagine going just once per week because then I don't think I would dare to open any topic because then I would be left in limbo for the whole week. I don't think I could tolerate it. I guess I wouldn't even dare to approach any difficult topic in that setting.

[benzenering]

Most of my therapy sessions are difficult. I journal after every one. It helps me unload, and also connect the dots between therapy and real life.

(I'm surprised no one else mentioned this!)

[LostOnTheTrail]

Originally Posted by benzenering

Most of my therapy sessions are difficult. I journal after every one. It helps me unload, and also connect the dots between therapy and real life.

(I'm surprised no one else mentioned this!)

Thanks, BR. I journal as well, but that doesn't really seem to help with the hangover-type sensation. I haven't really had a chance to talk with R about the post-session experience yet, because we dive so deep. I wrote a poem a couple of weeks ago though, that I am tempted to share with her for that reason. I seem to express myself better in verse somehow.