Couch 217: The Order of the Phoenix couch

I'm trying not to feel annoyed at my therapist. Week after next he's flying out for what's apparently an annual family get-together. He seems to do this every July. Some of his family have made up some rules for attendance I guess. Next week he is going to start taking everyone's temperature and wearing a mask. He said I didn't have to wear a mask, but he is going to wear one. He asked how I felt about all this. I told him I find the temperature thing to be a bit awkward (it's with one of those you point at your head). I also said I'd rather do remote sessions. I think I can probably deal with the temperature part, but I don't think I like the thought of him wearing a mask. He seemed dismayed and I told him I needed to think about it some more.

It came up again at the end of session. He said he wouldn't take my temperature and that he really wanted me to come in person since he was going to be gone the next week. He said "do it as a favor for me". He also pointed out that I don't really do eye contact and I responded that even so, I know he's wearing one and that I can still see him with my peripheral vision. After thinking about this some more, shouldn't I also be wearing a mask since the point of the mask is mostly to protect others? Are his other clients going to have to wear a mask and he's just making an exception for me because he knows it's triggering for me? I just don't like the thought of him wearing a mask. I don't know what to do.

Maybe ask him if you could be the one to wear a mask?

I haven't heard from former T this whole time since COVID started even though I've emailed and texted her. It's the longest I've gone without getting some kind of reply from her. It makes me really nervous that maybe she died from COVID or something. My texts go through so I think that means her phone is still on. It's been about two years since we last saw each other. Maybe she just doesn't care any more. Maybe my being hospitalized scared her. It sucks. I wish I could have her back. I would miss regular T but not like I miss former T. It's crazy that after two years it can still hurt this bad!

Absolutely. Personally, I was crap at eye contact before. Now I've noticed with my support workers wearing masks, I find it hard to look at them.
I really don't need any more barriers to my communication with R. As soon as it's remotely (!) possible, I think we'll have a conversation about return to in person work.
The trade off seems to be that I have opened up (read cried) more since this crap started.

What about wearing a clear face shield?

I find face shields creepier than masks.

Also they would make me expect to hear “ATAT...I am your therapist...”

I find them difficult to wear because so I'm not going to wear one unless it's absolutely necessary.

So sorry @NP_Complete I didn't know. Kit

That's perfectly understandable, NP. I am so sorry you experienced that.

I don't find them creepier. And if the client was wearing it - wouldn't that make the client the darth vader character? Which I kind of like the idea of.
"therapist.... I am your client" and then run them through with a light saber.

My injured dog came out of vet's office with a cone. I took it off and am obsessively watching him to make sure he doesn't lick the bandage.

My T is continuing with video sessions until a vaccine comes out because she has a coexisting condition (or whatever one would call it) that puts her at greater risk of negative outcomes should she get COVID-19. As do I. She is also the second earner in the house so doesn't depend on the income; she can handle it if she loses some clients over this decision.

I'm staying with her because, well, of course I would. Video is working fine for me and I've been with her for more than five years. I'm only going once a month at this point. If I stopped seeing her, I'd just stop therapy altogether. But I don't want to stop altogether; I'm preparing for my bariatric surgery later this year and need the support.

Still scared my uni will cut my School completely. We won't find out until the end of August. I really like it here. I've managed to calm down about it and stopped panicking, so that's progress.

So sorry, NP--I can see where they would be triggering.

When I was a child, I ate rock salt off the road.

I'm not sure how I'm feeling right now. Numb doesn't seem to fit. I'm not angry, not content or happy either. Maybe depressed or exhausted is the best word to describe it.

Sorry, I'm trying to stay away from all forums and social media because I'm sure people are fed up with hearing me complain about the same stuff. I feel absolutely crazy right now.

I just got H logged onto his very first Zoom meeting, with his fantasy baseball league friends who most of them live in California so he rarely sees them in person. They've been friends some of them since grade school and they're all 65+ now.

Hugs, SheHulk, I"m sorry you're still struggling so much. Please feel welcome to post here as much as you want/need.

things are hell right no .my stepmother who is dying just came home on hospice is nexdoor to me with my father. my father is being relentless with the demands that he is placing on me.he will do nothing to help

I can't articulate it fully, but my therapist taking my temperature, even if it's with an infrared thermometer, feels invasive.

I'm angry that he's going to get on an airplane and fly to a family get-together during a pandemic and that he's agreed to perform this theater of safety.

I don't know what to say granite except i'm so sorry you're dealing with that and sending you big safe hugs.

NP, this might not help since you would still be doing it because he asks, but would it feel better if you were allowed to hold the device and take your own temp? Or maybe even take it at home and send him a pic before coming?

SheHulk, I would be bothered if a therapist started talking about spiritual ramifications to suicide. Unless this therapist is doing pastoral counseling, and you have consented to the use of religion/spirituality as part of your therapy, it seems inappropriate.

I wouldn't find it helpful at all, and I think I would feel that way even if I weren't an atheist. How is telling someone they're doomed to continue suffering even if they choose to end their life supposed to be helpful? That concept, if I believed it, would just make me feel even more hopeless and stuck. SI is often a coping mechanism - not a great one, but many people have these thoughts because it helps to feel like if you can't take it any more, there's an out, an escape from unbearable suffering. While I understand why therapists aren't going to endorse it as an option, I don't think it's helpful or necessary for them to attempt to destroy this coping mechanism.

Made a pierogi pizza with a Trader Joe's butternut squash pizza crust. Pretty good--not having a second piece will be a challenge.

I ordered some tampons on Amazon because I can't locate my preferred brand locally right now (are tampons the new toilet paper?). The listing had a pic of a box of 34 and had a unit price attached that said something like 0.23 each. One of the Q&A's said it was for 4 boxes. The price was $31.95. If you do the math, that matches the unit price. The actual listing text didn't say how many boxes though. I decided to take a chance since the math worked out and the Q&A said 4. I received it today. It's one box. One box of tampons for $31.95. I usually pay $7.99 at the grocery store for this exact box. This feels like trickery and highway robbery. I am highly annoyed. I've requested a refund from the seller, however I couldn't figure out how to report them to Amazon for price gouging. I thought Amazon was cracking down on that kind of thing after the great TP and hand sanitizer shortage of '20.

Try amazon customer service? You get to chat or phone call. Or talk with a bot is the first choice.

Its waaaaay down on the list of your account or something. Or maybe even on the order.

I'm starting to panic. I haven't heard back from L yet today. She emails me every day. Last time I wrote her was 6 hours ago. I'm trying to be patient, but my mind is wandering to the worst. I'm really worried about her.