Lying down on the couch in therapy

PurpleBlur · Aug 29, 2018, 03:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waterlogged

I currently lay down on a couch. And I see my T 4-5x/week.

I spent the first 2.5 years sitting up, so I have a pretty good internal idea of my T’s facial expressions. Eye contact was really challenging and so not having to make eye contact has been helpful. I also used to have really rigid body posture, and laying down helps me relax a little bit sometimes. I think it has also increased certain periods of regression, or allowed younger feelings/states to come out.

It’s easier to find my internal feelings and affects usually.

I try to handle logistics sitting up - before I lie down. It is more vulnerable in some ways, like sometimes I feel watched or scrutinized. It’s all part of the work though.

4-5 times! wow! i wish i could afford that...

waterlogged · Aug 29, 2018, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PurpleBlur

4-5 times! wow! i wish i could afford that...

I have pretty good insurance, and live in a state with mental health parity (in that whatever my insurance would cover for medical appointments, they have to cover for mental health appointments).

nottrustin · Aug 29, 2018, 07:19 PM

Emdr t does not have a couch just 2 office chairs, 2 formal high back chairs and an exercise ball. She sits on the ball. I am not fond of her chairs as I feel it is to formal.

I always sat on Ts couch. I liked having space to move around but would never lay down.

Elio · Aug 30, 2018, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Starry_Night

well, my therapist and I used to both lay on our backs next to each other on the floor and prop our feet up on her couch. Does that count.?

I have wanted to do this. I mentioned it once but never came back to it.

Elio · Aug 30, 2018, 10:14 AM

I primarily sit on the floor, sometimes I'll lay down to do an activity. A couple sessions ago I laid down on the floor because I had gotten very sleepy all of a sudden.

I tried leaning back on the couch once and it was not good for me because I could not contain/regulate the emotions that came up for me. At that time, I was still sitting upright and I condense myself down when I am trying to hold stuff in (together). Leaning back does not allow for that type of regulation, I had to leave session because of feeling like I was about to explode.

DP_2017 · Aug 30, 2018, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcl6136

Do you mean to say you take your DOG to therapy???? This would be a dream come true for me!!

Yep. He's my ESA for anxiety. He's well behaved too so t is ok with it.

Sep 01, 2018, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elio

I have wanted to do this. I mentioned it once but never came back to it.

We actually cant do it anymore. Both of us are getting too old and our backs are too ackey to try to get down on the floor. We would never get up!
Now when we actually get to see each other (we live in diffrent countries) we go for walks, or sit in a restaurant or find a bench to sit on next to each other.

starfishing · Sep 08, 2018, 11:56 PM

Update: therapist brought up the couch again. I've been having some intense trouble talking the past two sessions, about a difficult topic that recently came into focus, and he still thinks lying down might help. So I said I'd been thinking about it, and that given how things are going I'd be willing to try it.

He was really reassuring about how flexible it could be--that he could sit in sight of the couch or behind it, that I could feel free to alternate between sitting up and lying down as much as I wanted, etc. So I'm going to at least try to try it next session even though it still seems strange, and I guess we'll see what happens.

SheHulk07 · Sep 09, 2018, 02:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by starfishing

Update: therapist brought up the couch again. I've been having some intense trouble talking the past two sessions, about a difficult topic that recently came into focus, and he still thinks lying down might help. So I said I'd been thinking about it, and that given how things are going I'd be willing to try it.

He was really reassuring about how flexible it could be--that he could sit in sight of the couch or behind it, that I could feel free to alternate between sitting up and lying down as much as I wanted, etc. So I'm going to at least try to try it next session even though it still seems strange, and I guess we'll see what happens.

I'd be interested in how it goes when or if you try it. My T2 actually bought it up again this week as well, and asked if I thought more about it. I laughed and said yes, that I've thought way too much about it esp the logistics. I told him I wonder about walking straight into the room and laying on the couch or how it works. He said I can do whatever I want and whenever I want. I keep wanting to try it but I chicken out when I get there because I don't want to break down and cry if things get too intense.

starfishing · Sep 09, 2018, 03:16 AM

Yes, will let you know when/if I give it a try. The potential increase in intensity and/or vulnerability scares and unnerves me too, but I feel like it's worth a shot if I can get myself to do it. My therapist has been right in the past when he's suggested other ways to move things forward more effectively, so using the couch seems far more plausible than it might with a therapist I trusted less. Maybe if I give myself permission to just sit on it or something...

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Lying down on the couch in therapy

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