[DP_2017]

So many boundaries, so many rules, at times its hard to know what's ok and what isn't.

I know some T's will do things for clients that are outside the office and I don't mean things like email etc, I mean things like.... I've read some T's will go to client weddings or some will do on location things for clients with phobias. Some walk etc....

What sorts of things do your T's do or would they do? Just curious to know...

My T walks with me every session that weather permits, and he has said we will work on my phobias out of the office when that need arrives but it hasn't yet so who knows if we actually will.

[CharlieStarDust]

when she thought I was in danger, she offered to go to the ER with me. But I wasn’t in danger - and I likely wouldn’t have wanted her to come with.

[DP_2017]

Originally Posted by CharlieStarDust

when she thought I was in danger, she offered to go to the ER with me. But I wasn’t in danger - and I likely wouldn’t have wanted her to come with.

That's still really nice though. I am glad you were not in danger though

[Argonautomobile]

Not a damn thing. Literally nothing. I think that's why "rules" around boundaries have never been unclear to me. I would be very confused about how to use out-of-session contact or anything "extra"

[healed84]

We had a session at the sight of my trauma.. at his suggestion.

I know that he goes driving with at least one of his clients and said he has done exposure therapy for people afraid to fly.. so they take short flights.

He once offered to drive me to the drug store down the road so I could buy and pregnancy test.. lol that was more tongue and cheek, but I knew he would have done it if I would have said sure let’s do it!

[stopdog]

I can't think of anything I would have wanted them to do. When my person died, the woman offered to come to the hospital (I declined - there were enough people I had to deal with without adding a therapist into the mix) and said she would have attended the funeral except she was out of town (I don't know why she said that). I heard the first one attended court with a client for support - not as a witness.

The second offered to do a couple of out of office things once after I was in a motorcycle accident. I declined that as well.

In general - those guys seem to think of themselves as more important/useful than I do

Nothing for me, but I never asked anything else except normal sessions in the office and email. I would actually have declined everything outside of these. One of them did mention doing something in person for a client outside of session but I must have given him a weird look as he became a bit defensive and never brought anything similar up again.

[maybeblue]

When I was very young I had a therapist offer to go to the doctor with me because I was very nervous about it. I decided having her there would make me even more uncomfortable so I turned her down. I did appreciate that she offered.

Other than that I can't think of anything any of them have offered, and I have to be honest I wouldn't like it if they did. For example, I wouldn't want to go walking with my therapist because I would be nervous someone would overhear us and I wouldn't want anyone to see me with him and ask about it later.

For the same reason I wouldn't invite any of them to any social events. I don't want to have to explain how I know them.

[LonesomeTonight]

MC walked with H and I in the courtyard behind his office a couple times because I was having a panic attack and wanted to go hide in the bathroom, but he suggested walking together instead (it helped). A few years ago, he also met us for a session at the coffee shop across the street--I felt a little weird with that because other people were around, so I didn't feel as free to talk or show emotion. It was a lighter session though, so was OK. I know he regularly meets some of his teen clients there for sessions.

Oh, and when I was first working with ex-T on panic and OCD stuff, one of my fears that tended to trigger panic was eating in restaurants. So she had said at some point, she could have gone to a restaurant with me for the session. We never actually did that though.

[kecanoe]

T1 has attended a pdoc appointment and an appointment with Ex-T with me. Texts, emails, calls are ok, but he may not respond until work hours. He usually does respond pretty quickly though. If it's during work hours, he responds between sessions, so sometimes it is a couple of texts, then wait an hour, then another. If I texted or left a message that it was urgent, he'd respond regardless of the time.

I've never asked to walk. I think he would do that.

T3: nothing. She is in a group practice, and they have someone on call after business hours.

I doubt either would attend a social thing like graduation or wedding. T1 might attend a funeral if I asked him.

[toomanycats]

Phone calls, emails that's it

[ElectricManatee]

I haven't spent time with my T outside of the office, except for running into her at the grocery store. I don't think I would want or need to see her outside session, with the possible exception of a hospital visit in specific circumstances. I do think she would probably do that.

Sometimes I feel like she is included in things without needing her to actually be there. She was incredibly helpful in supporting me while I was working on my dissertation. It didn't occur to me to want her at my defense presentation (and it would not be related to my therapy so she wouldn't have gone), but I did give her a copy of the acknowledgements page where I had thanked her, among other people. She seemed really touched by it. So in a way she was part of my accomplishment, but sort of in the background.

[SalingerEsme]

I only realize how strict my T is by reading here. I have literally never seen him exit his suite of office space. I am not even sure he exists where there is sunshine or rain lol. Maybe if something horrendous happened , he might visit me in a hospital, but short of that, he wouldn't .

So maybe not necessarily "out of office" but there are some little things she does like hugs after sessions, particularly after rough ones, and she will randomly email me with things that she sees that reminds her of me or that she thinks I would appreciate (random jokes, movie/music suggestions, etc.).

[MRT6211]

I have an atypical relationship with T because I am in a program where I take groups with her, too. So we interact a lot outside of our sessions. I like he more informal relationship we have though, and that I actually know things about her and her life from her personal (relevant) examples.

But as for special things she does...well I write in my journal to her every night and she reads it, comments on Microsoft word on it, and then sends it back to me so I can reflect on comments and then we talk about the big stuff in session.

She also one time showed up at my pdoc appointment without me knowing she could do that/was going to do that beforehand (they work as part of the same treatment team). I felt a little ambushed but I was also glad to have her there as she reminded me of symptoms I was having that I had forgotten. It kind of made me feel like a little kid who’s mom was speaking for them at a doctor’s appointment though...not gonna lie...but I don’t like pdoc at all, and I like T a lot, so overall it was good.

[ScarletPimpernel]

My T doesn't do things with clients outside the office.

go on walks. go out to eat, go to my house, go to the market, go to the park, things like that

[DP_2017]

Originally Posted by Starry_Night

go on walks. go out to eat, go to my house, go to the market, go to the park, things like that

sounds more friend like than therapist like, well on some of that anyway

[ruh roh]

We went on a walk when the building workers were jackhammering to such a degree I wanted to smash their heads into the wall, so my therapist suggested that we just get out of there. She would probably be okay with other walks, but the area around her office is not very pleasant. I don't really have a reason for other outside of the office sessions, but she did say she would visit me in jail or the hospital if I asked.

[MoxieDoxie]

My T came and watched me coach a crossfit class. I can not remember the reason why. I had to tell everyone he came to watch a class to see if he wanted to join.

[healinginprogress]

Nothing beyond emails. I like to imagine in an emergency she would be willing to come to the hospital (like, I'm dying or an immediate family member is dying), but I'm not sure I would want her to do anything else. It would probably muddy the waters too much.

[MobiusPsyche]

Mine doesn't do anything outside of the office hours (aside from responding to emails as I said in another thread).

[rainbow8]

My T and I went on walks twice, early in therapy. She offered other times but I didn't want to. She came to my husband's funeral and to my house to pay a condolence call the next day. My former T showed up at my house right before she did. They don't know each other. I am grateful that she came.

My T also went to an art show to see my painting when I wasn't there.

My former T attended my daughter's wedding because she knows my son-in-law's family. She and I used to see each other at events in my community and it worked out okay except for one time. We were at a lecture and the only seat available was next to me. I was panicky the whole time!

[Amyjay]

Nothing that I know of. Well she is also an equine therapist. But I don't do that with her.

[annielovesbacon]

She hasn't done anything nor do I think she would. She works in a clinic, not private practice, so I'm sure there are plenty of rules she must follow that may not necessarily be her own rules.