Is your therapist interested you as a whole person not just the problems?

Just been thinking about this lately.

I think it's important to feel like your therapist knows you at least to some degree. What makes you you? what do you like or dislike etc. To ask questions and be interested in you personally.

Otherwise how do you make a genuine connection?

[ElectricManatee]

Yeah, I think she probably is interested in me as a whole person. She has said that counseling psychology is about working with both strengths and weaknesses. I have shared things about my friends and my hobbies and my job, which are important parts of my life that aren't directly related to my problems. Her knowing about the many facets of my life sometimes means that she makes better, more informed suggestions about problem-solving or strategies to calm myself, etc.

I think so, yes. And I think she's interested in helping me see myself that way.

[stopdog]

I hope not. I am not hiring the woman for that at all.

yes she loves to hear about all aspects of my life especially my work.

Absolutely. I wouldn't have it any other way. I am much more than my problems.

[MessyD]

Not sure how interested he is but I think he knows me better than anyone else does

[satsuma]

Yes. We spend time chatting about stuff, as well as difficult therapy work.

I know he sometimes does this to help me be calm, but also he's genuinely interested I think. And a few times I've thought he was being curious, and I kind of redirected the conversation, because he was asking about things he wanted to know more about but they weren't things I wanted help with, or I had another thing I wanted to speak with T about. I'm glad that we're friendly and he's interested, but I'm also conscious that T's help and support is a resource in my life and I want to make the best use of it.

[Swimmersusan]

I think so, I think it gives her more of an insight to my daily life which can also help with the issues I face. So we talk work, hobbies and so on a fair bit!

[ScarletPimpernel]

I think my T is interested in whatever I bring to her. She doesn't start conversations. She leaves that up to me. But once I bring up a topic, she's very interested, engaged, and asks questions. She's that way with my struggles, my successes, and even mundane things.

She even asked to see my wedding pictures next time I see her!

[Spangle]

My t is always saying that I am not just the issues I bring. He wants me to see myself as a whole, which I find quite difficult. He wants to know every little detail about what I think, feel, enjoy, hate etc. So yes, my t is very interested in me as a whole person.

[InnerPeace111]

I get the feeling that, yes, my T is interested in me as a whole person. It’s a good feeling.

I felt they were, although one of them was pretty bad at interpreting me and I constantly felt misunderstood and put in boxes that did not fit. I was not so interested in having them tap into everything about me, I preferred if we focused on specific areas and things that were related to those areas, rather then attempting to see me as a whole - I just don't believe the latter is possible within the limitations of therapy and feel that promising/attempting to do so is unrealistic, even if someone is in therapy for many years, which I was not interested in anyway. But I do appreciate when a T listens and is able to see issues in their context, without imposing stereotypes and superficial generalizations - my last T was quite good at it.

[healinginprogress]

Yes, she's interested in the whole me. My issues aren't my life but they invade all aspects of it. So she wants to celebrate the good as well as deal with the bad.

[stopdog]

What would be the point of letting the therapist know about the good? I do not see a therapist about the things that are okay. She is not allowed to celebrate anything with me. That is mine and if others are to be included - it will be real people. The therapist does not get that part of me.

Originally Posted by stopdog

What would be the point of letting the therapist know about the good? I do not see a therapist about the things that are okay. She is not allowed to celebrate anything with me. That is mine and if others are to be included - it will be real people. The therapist does not get that part of me.

In my case, it is important that my therapist understand my interests, the positive aspects of my life, etc. because those are what give my life some balance and motivation. When things are not going well, the therapist can help me tap into those parts when I've lost sight of them. Therapy can be very negatively and problem focused, but I am more than the negative and sometimes it helps to have reminders of that. It isn't really about celebrating; it's simply about not being a one-dimensional being.

Originally Posted by lolagrace

Absolutely. I wouldn't have it any other way. I am much more than my problems.

Exactly that! And that's what my t sees, and has always tried to help me see.