[growlycat]

When you need a break from intense sessions, what do you do to have a lighter session? How do you ask for it? What do you end up doing or talking about?

Need ideas. I’m calling “uncle” on the intense work for now

[atisketatasket]

I don't think I've ever had a full "lite" session. I've had occasional "lite" moments in sessions, and I ask for them: "can we talk about something less serious for a bit?"

At this point Info usually starts recommending movies. She goes to the movies a lot.

[DP_2017]

I'm nervous to post here now since our stuff can be stolen but I do these often

It's easy because usually we chit chat like friends anyway, so we just do that, we focus on things like, plans for the weekend, or what my dog has been up to, things that don't cause intense emotions or stress. if it gets too be too much, you can always change the topic, you are in charge of what to discuss or not

[awkwardlyyours]

A whole session devoted to Elf on the Shelf (Blondie decided to educate me on all things Elf.. when I said I’d never heard of it along with what she does with it and how exactly her younger son reacts to it)?

ETA: I usually just say I want to talk about something lighter. Topics have included Blondie’s tastes in music, movies, hair stylists, vacations, beliefs, family, dating and so on.

It’s odd but I have a really hard time talking about my own light stuff — I’d much rather interrogate Blondie on her choices.

Sometimes when I started by saying I wanted a light session, we ended up unexpectedly getting into heavy duty territory that I hadn’t been aware was a touchy issue(s) for me.

We talk about what we’ve been reading, some of the more humorous postings on psychcentral or the internet in general. We talk about our hobbies and future endeavors such as travel. She’s a writer and I like hearing about her group get togethers. When I would look her up on the internet I would share what I found. We talk about snowflakes and flakelets and my originally believing she was one. I share work and personal videos with her, along with YouTube and music.

Three quarters of my sessions are lite. . At Xmas I talked about therapy being over because I will have reached a couple more goals shortly when I return this spring or summer. She said we did not have to decide now. It’s not about the income because I pay her less than $13.00 an hour. I had an unplanned session with her on the phone last week - five minutes for my problem and 30 minutes shooting the breeze. It was very lite.

[junkDNA]

In the treatment center he would take me on walks on trails thru the woods and show me plants and tell me their names. Or we would swing on these swings hanging from 2 giant trees. He played catch with me once, we've played games and rummy as well .We've walked a lot during sessions, still do today. Sometimes I ask for a light session but sometimes t just knows . We talk about current events or religion or philosophical stuff and of course tv and movies. Not so much about music.

[toomanycats]

I resist lite sessions like nobody's business. I hate them. They feel like wasted time.

Usually we talk about progress. Sometimes we talk about tv shows (we share a love for all things geek-y) or music we like. Mostly though it is a lot of light moments, rarely is it a whole session.

[ruh roh]

I might bring in artwork, pictures I've taken, or talk about things that felt good to do during the week. Not long ago, I asked if my dog could sit on the sofa with me (he's not tiny) and he climbed up and joined in the session. It was fun to see the delight on her face.

I don't think light sessions are wasted at all. For me, they reinforce the things I do to feel better outside session.

[MessyD]

Interesting you posted it today, as I just had one of those light sessions myself. I never thought I needed one because I feel like it's more useful when it's intense or maybe that I get more out of it. And when I first started going, most of them were lighter because I had hard time opening up. But recently I had lot of quiet intense sessions and I'm realizing now that maybe I needed a break from it? First I did cancel last week, for different reason but maybe deep down I need a break? And today I just went in not wanting to do anything intense. I didn't ask for it, maybe I joke around more but when he was asking me to talk about something I ended up telling him that I didn't want to talk about it today and perhaps something lighter. So we mostly ended up talking about what could happen or what I am afraid of and how I judge myself. So overall it was emotionally light but still productive because I have learned little bit more about myself so I don't feel like it was wasted session. And I don't have to deal with a therapy hangover.

[mostlylurking]

Originally Posted by toomanycats

I resist lite sessions like nobody's business. I hate them. They feel like wasted time.

Yes, I feel really sad and disappointed if time is spent on a lighter moment and then I leave having not said something I wanted to say, because I ran out of time. So, lighter moments make me extremely antsy.

[growlycat]

Usually lite sessions make me frustrated too because it means I had a hard time opening up. But this is the first time in a long time that I just want to either play a game with him or go for a walk. His newer building is not situated in a place where walking is desirable.

I want to shoot pool with him, is that weird?

[DP_2017]

Originally Posted by growlycat

Usually lite sessions make me frustrated too because it means I had a hard time opening up. But this is the first time in a long time that I just want to either play a game with him or go for a walk. His newer building is not situated in a place where walking is desirable.

I want to shoot pool with him, is that weird?

No, its normal to want to do fun and friend like stuff. Can you play pool there?? If so, why not ask?

I love going on walks, with winter here though I don't always get to lately, sometimes its too icy or cold. We will be coloring on Tues though... when is your next session?

[growlycat]

Originally Posted by DP_2017

No, its normal to want to do fun and friend like stuff. Can you play pool there?? If so, why not ask?

I love going on walks, with winter here though I don't always get to lately, sometimes its too icy or cold. We will be coloring on Tues though... when is your next session?

My next session is Saturday. His building does have Fooseball table. Can’t remember if that side of the floor has a pool table too. It’s a very industrial building and I think there are smaller tech companies there that have shared toys in the common areas.

[DP_2017]

Originally Posted by growlycat

My next session is Saturday. His building does have Fooseball table. Can’t remember if that side of the floor has a pool table too. It’s a very industrial building and I think there are smaller tech companies there that have shared toys in the common areas.

Weekend sessions would be nice, it's worth asking about.

The thing with keeping busy like that too though with lighter sessions is sometimes you freely talk more about things you didn't expect, because you get more relaxed etc.

I've blurted out a lot of things I didn't intend to in lighter sessions.

[Elio]

sometimes we play, sometimes we talk about just what's going in my daily life, like tv show or movie I've watched or football, I've shared music with her.

I feel lite sessions are "wasting my time" as it's hard to get an appointment, and I need approval off work for each one. So though I don't leave raw during lite sessions, I leave with regret that we didn't go "do hard work". Lite sessions for me tend to be cognitive in nature, and due to me struggling to open up.

[growlycat]

Eek does this mean I’m better and don’t need therapy all the time anymore? The horror.

[Elio]

Originally Posted by DP_2017

Weekend sessions would be nice, it's worth asking about.

The thing with keeping busy like that too though with lighter sessions is sometimes you freely talk more about things you didn't expect, because you get more relaxed etc.

I've blurted out a lot of things I didn't intend to in lighter sessions.

yea, last summer I went through a period of saying I wanted to slow things down a bit and bam next thing I knew I was talking about female medical exam that went really badly. So it's kind of odd how that can sometimes happen.

[junkDNA]

Originally Posted by growlycat

Usually lite sessions make me frustrated too because it means I had a hard time opening up. But this is the first time in a long time that I just want to either play a game with him or go for a walk. His newer building is not situated in a place where walking is desirable.

I want to shoot pool with him, is that weird?

My t and I did that!!! I beat him hehe =P

[junkDNA]

I don't think light sessions are wasted time for me. It's important in my therapy to take breaks and not get overwhelmed with trauma work and to maintain the "relationship " and trust with t in order to continue doing trauma work

[ScarletPimpernel]

I don't ever have "lite" sessions. We're always working on something. I wouldn't want "lite" sessions. For me, it would feel like a waste of time. My T feels the same way. That's actually one of the reasons we're tapering down our sessions: because I don't have as much to talk to her about.

[growlycat]

Originally Posted by junkDNA

I don't think light sessions are wasted time for me. It's important in my therapy to take breaks and not get overwhelmed with trauma work and to maintain the "relationship " and trust with t in order to continue doing trauma work

Yeah I think I am in this camp for sure

Originally Posted by growlycat

Eek does this mean I’m better and don’t need therapy all the time anymore? The horror.

Definitely not. Sometimes one needs lighter sessions where it's not work work work all the time. If I got to see my T weekly or had a guaranteed slot (I don't), I'd eventually want some light sessions because serious sessions all the time is so tiring, plus I know so little about T's playful side.

[captgut]

Originally Posted by growlycat

Eek does this mean I’m better and don’t need therapy all the time anymore? The horror.

Every time we have "a lite" session I think that I don't deserve therapy anymore, that he's annoyed with me and so on