[ElectricManatee]

Does your therapist know that you post on a therapy-related forum? If so, have they expressed an opinion about it? If not, is it because you wouldn't tell them or because it hasn't come up? Do you think participating here is helpful for you?

I have mentioned PC briefly a couple of times (not by name), and my T seems pleased that I am posting here. But then sometimes I think she is pleased by everything I do in a totally nonsensical way. (Unconditional positive regard screws with my head sometimes.)

It has been helpful for me to think about what therapy is and isn't, and it has been extremely helpful to read about other people's experiences. I don't really care that my T could potentially recognize me based on things I have posted here because I haven't said anything here that I wouldn't say to her face. I also think people having a place to share things that trouble them about therapy can help prevent destructive things from happening behind closed doors.

[toomanycats]

Yes, my T and Group T both know.
They haven't expressed opinions.

[ruh roh]

Yes. She read some of it and said she's surprised I'm still in therapy.

[growlycat]

Yes I've had old my t about an online therapy forum but not pc specifically. He hasn't asked beyond what I tell him.

[Out There]

Yes , they both do. I find it helpful , but I don't put my life online. I think one was more interested to look in general , but said what about my privacy. I said I don't post anything I wouldn't share with them or would bother about them seeing so it was no big deal. I rather think T's would do well to read forums and get a reality check. If I was a T I most certainly would.

Yes and he knows I find it useful so he trusts that.
My former T was against it, he even kind of admitted he knew that other posters would be against him. It's harder to gaslight someone who has access to other viewpoints.

[ScarletPimpernel]

My T knows. She encourages me to get support from here when I need it.

[MrsDuckL]

I relate so hard to the unconditional positive regard screwing with my head! Omg yes! I just told my therapist last week even after a couple of months, I often forget he's on my side. (Nothing personal, the man couldn't be nicer--I'm just not used to the support.)

And I've honestly never thought to bring up posting here occasionally. I like to pretend therapists don't spend a lot of time here themselves. ;-) I feel like I often use this board to ask questions I'm not ready to ask my therapist himself. I think once or twice I maybe brought up something I read here in an indirect sort of way, but that was about it. If my therapist reads stuff here and does recognize me, he's not said anything, at least.

Edited to add--I've found reading and posting here very helpful, the insight of other's experiences in a similar situation is great. Thankful for such a great group.

[Lemoncake]

I'm a new member, but I haven't mentioned it yet. I don't think I would give the name as I've used direct quotes from him.

I like being able to get other opinions from people who would actually understand.

[stopdog]

There is no reason for the woman to know or care. I would never ask for her opinion on anything I do. It simply has nothing at all to do with her.

[satsuma]

I don't think my T knows. But he did once suggest looking for a forum like this, when I said that I wanted to know about other people's experience of therapy. So I don't think he would mind or think it was a bad idea.

I think that I'm not keeping it secret, but just that it's not a priority in my life so I don't want to spend time in my session discussing it. I want to spend time talking about things that are more of a priority for me.

[precaryous]

Yep. I think she would rather I'm not here at all. PC can stir me up.

[ElectricManatee]

Originally Posted by precaryous

Yep. I think she would rather I'm not here at all. PC can stir me up.

In terms of the therapy relationship? Or just in general?

[BudFox]

One therapist, in defensive mode, implied I must have been reading "stuff online" by which I think he mean client forums, and that's why I had issues with therapy.

As for unconditional positive regard, if someone in real life treated people this way, they'd be said to have a personality disorder.

[InnerPeace111]

No, my T does not know that I read and post here. I have no plans to ever tell her. I just simply do not tell her things that I think are irrelevant and have no bearing on my own therapy.

It was actually my therapist who led me to seek out PC, albeit indirectly. He said once that he wishes I could find support within people who share similar experiences. Doing so IRL seems unfathomable to me, so I sought out support online.

I'm very glad I did. But no, we've never talked about PC directly. I wouldn't mind if he knew, since I share with him most of the thoughts I share here. I just don't think it's important that he knows what I do with all of my time.

My t does. I know he occasionally reads but we never talk about it as I usually use pc as a sounding board and I will talk to my t when I am ready.

Oh good god no, I would never tell them. She would stalk me and then shout at me for writing all of those things about her. I admire the people who do tell though. I would find myself censoring what I wrote if t knew or sometimes trying to please her. I know she wanted to read something my thesis and I found myself writing things that would please her instead of the truth so in the end I had to write two versions. I know, crazymaking.

[jeremiahgirl]

I told my T about it he seemed Interested, but I think he forgot about it 🤣.

[Anastasia~]

I've told my T that I do post online, but I don't think I told him where. We have maybe talked about it once or twice. He doesn't give his opinion either way as if it is good or bad.

Many times, I would bring in post so that we cold go over them together, because I would convince myself, mostly from reading this forum, that the ruptures members here were having with their therapist. But—I was wrong.

[nottrustin]

No I have not told her. She knows I participate in a few online support groups...the only one I have mentioned is for parents

[LostOnTheTrail]

I've never mentioned it, and I don't feel as though it would benefit me any to do so. However, I get a lot out of being in an environment where people understand what the therapy experience is like.