[LonesomeTonight]

Inspired by conversation on the Couch, figured this could be a fun thread: While every therapy client is unique, there are certain categories into which many could fit. So, what are those categories?

[atisketatasket]

My former mother-in-law would be the self-promoting saint: someone who goes to therapy just to complain about their lives but is too involved in their self-image to actually change.

I would be the hostile client with the mega-chip on their shoulder.

The list is really endless. I don't think it's that different from the kind of categories we assign to people we meet socially: clueless jerk, wet blanket, and so on.

[Argonautomobile]

From the horse's mouth: Trauma & Attachment Therapy: Long-Term Clients

Types of Client-Therapist Relationships

LOL!

This could be interesting.

Based on my own family:

1. The committed/consistent client (me) -- always attends, works hard, determined to do whatever it takes to get it done and over with, even if it takes forever. Finally graduated! Yay me!

2. The ambivalent client (my husband) - up and down, back and forth, not always consistent about attendance -- remarkably even with that, he made great strides and hasn't needed therapy in years. Therapist had the patience of Job with him.

3. The short-term, easy fix client (one of my sons) -- easy in; easy out. Took only a few sessions. Has never needed to return (and probably didn't really need to go in the first place).

4. The not really ready for prime time client (another son) - started going and wasn't really ready to face his issues head-on. Gave up and hasn't returned, but he's done okay. I suspect he'll return some day when he's really ready to.

5. The wall arguer/resistant client (another son) -- didn't last long in therapy. He considered therapy a good forum for arguing (he'd argue with a wall). He was amused by therapy but I highly doubt he really got any benefit from it. When the therapist stopped amusing his whim to argue, he got bored and stopped attending. He's been fine without it; he also probably never really needed therapy.

Originally Posted by Argonautomobile

From the horse's mouth: Trauma & Attachment Therapy: Long-Term Clients

Types of Client-Therapist Relationships

Liked the first list (second one seemed vague): I'd be the Big "T" Trauma client on the first list with some of the severe dissociation and horrible trauma mixed in (minus the awful attachment part -- never was an issue for me).

[MrsDuckL]

Originally Posted by Argonautomobile

From the horse's mouth: Trauma & Attachment Therapy: Long-Term Clients

Types of Client-Therapist Relationships

I really liked that first list as well! Her website looks like an interesting resource.

Based on that list, I guess I would “big T” trauma client, although my life is stable and has been so for the past decade. I guess a better description of myself would be the super reluctant/ hard to open up/ slow to trust client. However, when I do trust, I’ll be honest and open and tell secrets and stories I’ve never told anyone. I know I can be intellectual and witty, so I always like to believe that gives me bonus points as a client. I definitely will be in therapy for the long run, so I guess I’m also the committed type, determined to eventually make sense of myself.

[unaluna]

I was thinking about asking my t what is so weird about how i do therapy, because hes kinda said so a couple of times. Now i definitely will. Not sure i wanna hear the answer. Or that he will even answer because its in a way i havent yet become aware of. I hate when that happens.

Eta - okay, i read the attachments. Yeah ive been the last 3 types in Robins list, in sequence and in series.

Not sure. I think I'm a mix of Big T Trauma and Bad Chemistry, but I don't agree on the whole "the relationship is everything" thingy. I want help, not hugs, if you get what I mean.

Eew I did NOT like that Robin person's attitude. Total turnoff. Uck. She looks terribly mean.

Originally Posted by ArtieSwimsOn

Eew I did NOT like that Robin person's attitude. Total turnoff. Uck. She looks terribly mean.

I didn't really see it as mean -- just very straight forward and to the point. The audience appears to be other therapists, not clients, so the tone was set for that audience. There's a certain dry humor about it in spots -- again used with a specific audience in mind I'm guessing.

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by ArtieSwimsOn

Eew I did NOT like that Robin person's attitude. Total turnoff. Uck. She looks terribly mean.

Lol. I thought she looked androgynous. And her attitude is like, its her job to be the whipping boy, its a tough job, but someones gotta do it - like its not always fun but it has its rewards. I think my t has a similar attitude. He is THERE for you.

[ElectricManatee]

Originally Posted by ArtieSwimsOn

Eew I did NOT like that Robin person's attitude. Total turnoff. Uck. She looks terribly mean.

Yeah, a couple of people say she sounds irritated in the comments, and she responds with clarification. I actually kind of like that experienced trauma therapists can parse people out in this way. It's reassuring that I've spent all my life wondering why I'm so messed up only to realize that my problems make total sense to other people who haven't even met me. I'm imagining her laying this out for newer therapists, maybe on a whiteboard. I think you can see patterns and still respect people as individuals and treat them kindly.

[LonesomeTonight]

The super-attached client, who would be devastated if the therapist had to cancel for the week entirely, especially at the last minute (but who would change her appointment time if the therapist asks because it would be easier for something else in the therapist's schedule)

Oh I am the stubbornly-refuses-to-change-even-though-she-desperately-wants-to client. Over and over and over again!

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by ArtieSwimsOn

Oh I am the stubbornly-refuses-to-change-even-though-she-desperately-wants-to client. Over and over and over again!

I am a subset of that type, the Sysiphean client - i change a little, fall back, then have to start all over again.

See, OTHER people around here know some greek stuff too! (not you artie, i still think youre a three musketeer)

[atisketatasket]

Originally Posted by unaluna

I am a subset of that type, the Sysiphean client - i change a little, fall back, then have to start all over again.

See, OTHER people around here know some greek stuff too! (not you artie, i still think youre a three musketeer)

"Other people" know how to spell "Sisyphean."

[unaluna]

Originally Posted by atisketatasket

"Other people" know how to spell "Sisyphean."

I wondered if i got it backwards! Um - i spelled it the Russian way? Ive got Kislyiak on my mind today. Did i spell that wrong too? This is why italians dont believe in the letter Y! Ee grec indeed!

[atisketatasket]

Originally Posted by unaluna

I wondered if i got it backwards! Um - i spelled it the Russian way? Ive got Kislyiak on my mind today. Did i spell that wrong too? This is why italians dont believe in the letter Y! Ee grec indeed!

The Y is fine, you put an extra I in after it.

If he was your client and you were a therapist, he’d be throwing a now because you can’t spell his name.

Though Sisyphus could probably use some therapy too: “why do you keep replaying your journey up the hill with the boulder in hopes of a different outcome?”

[RaineD]

I'm the very strongly but insecurely attached client who pretends to be rational but is actually crazy.

[Out There]

Originally Posted by ElectricManatee

Yeah, a couple of people say she sounds irritated in the comments, and she responds with clarification. I actually kind of like that experienced trauma therapists can parse people out in this way. It's reassuring that I've spent all my life wondering why I'm so messed up only to realize that my problems make total sense to other people who haven't even met me. I'm imagining her laying this out for newer therapists, maybe on a whiteboard. I think you can see patterns and still respect people as individuals and treat them kindly.

Yeah , I like this in my trauma T - he's totally got it and knows what's going on and where to go , not like it's all a mystery that he doesn't know how to deal with.

[stopdog]

True believers, regular believers, evangelists, agnostics, and atheists

[stopdog]

Originally Posted by ArtieSwimsOn

Eew I did NOT like that Robin person's attitude. Total turnoff. Uck. She looks terribly mean.

Strangely enough she's one of the ones I only mildly dislike rather than completely despise

She reminded me of the first t I saw that I walked out on mid 1st session many moons ago

[stopdog]

Originally Posted by ArtieSwimsOn

She reminded me of the first t I saw that I walked out on mid 1st session many moons ago

I may be going out on a limb here, but it's possible that you and I are going to tolerate different therapists and perhaps even completely not tolerate each other's type. Just a wild guess

[growlycat]

This might be me- the agreeable client, relatively easy, shows up, pays on time
But if there is ever a problem beneath the surface you may not realize it until it’s too late You are left wondering as a t, what happened?