My T has none except for me. Or at least that is my fantasy. In the two and a half years that I have been working with him, I have never seen another patient until like three weeks ago, I saw a younger guy come out of his office. I was going to go into the parking lot and jump him until I adjusted my fantasy and decided it was probably T's nephew just returning a DVD. (I know, I'm sick).

The best part about my fantasy? T plays along with it. It's so funny. Yesterday as I was leaving, T asked me to bring in an 'evaluation' tomorrow when I see him because he would really like some feedback on how therapy is going-- what's good, what could change, etc. He said, "If you come up with a really good idea, I might have to steal it!" And I said, "Steal it for who?" And T replied, "Ohhh, well, in the chance that I ever had any other patients, but right now it's only you."

What was even funnier was that right before, T had told me a story about another patient that he had. He had never done this before. It was nothing too detailed, it was actually just a funny story having to do with how the guy felt about his blood glucose level. So when T made the comment about having no other patients, I said to him, "So that story you told me before about that guy.... that was make believe, right?"

At this point we were standing in the waitingroom and T just goes, "OK SEE YOU TOMORROW" and I raised my hands in victory and said, "Kicked out!!! HAHA" and left. LOL.

So does your T have other patients? LOL
Do you choose to believe he/she does?
Have you seen them?
How do you feel about them?

[jbug]

My T has other patients and I want to kick them when I see them LOL. She is to be mine all mine *evil laughs* When I go into her office sometimes her coffee cup is where I sit and it throughs me off and she has to move it before I can sit down. Her office is set up where there are two chairs facing each other with a couch in between and I sit in one of the chairs and she sits on the couch. I've never sat on the couch and don't want to.

Jbug

[Mouse_]

When I mention to T that other people have been in the room crying, because I noticed the tissues going down, she asked if that felt like an intrusion?

No, my T doesn't have other patients. After me, nor does he have any more patience.

However, there was this old lady that walked out of his office the other day -- must have been lost or something.

Anyway, she was checking out and said, "Now, I bowl with the ladies on Tuesdays and Thursdays." He said, "Oh, now we don't want to get in the way of that." My T asked if she could take an appointment right before she bowls. He told her that she could wear her bowling shoes, LOL. And the lady said, "Well, okay, just don't keep me too long." I got the biggest kick out of that answer. I wanted to yell, well, I'll take any extra time that she doesn't want.

I've also seen him with some kids. He's good with kids and old ladies.

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jbug said:
My T has other patients and I want to kick them when I see them LOL.

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You are a woman after my own heart.

hahahaha...I love this!

My old T had NO other clients (in my mind of course)

I demanded the last appointments and had the rule that no clients could come before or after me. And I would purposely try and chain myself to the chair, so she could not ever think of having other clients in it.

My new T has already mentioned that she has other clients, at which I made a face. But since I havne't been with her that long, she probably doesn't care anyway.

I wonder if every client thinks like this, or just the more screwed up ones? (no offense meant to anyone)

One time I faced the reality (ONE TIME) and said, "I have one therapist. You have many patients."

My T had the most beautiful response:

"Do you think you are like my other patients? I have never met anyone like you."

[Fuzzybear]

[Christina86]

Totally ruins the fantasy when my T actually sees my friends before and after me. lol

(She's doing a placement before she actually 'becomes' one, and it's kinda unavoidable to know which friends talk to her... although she does try!)

... sometimes I wish my friends would get sick so I get to see her longer. Sigh.

[sidony]

I've met my T's other clients!!! It sure does feel weird. Naturally I try to convince myself that he likes me better than any of them. But group is a mindf#%k in that sense. Especially when it gets into questions like "so you don't care if I like her better than you?" -- something along those lines that he asked me when I was refusing to acknowledge any rivalry with other group members. I still refuse to acknowledge that. (FYI, I'm sure that's not a direct quote and he was in no way saying he did like her better, just trying to frame rivalry in some way that I wouldn't avoid it -- a complete failure on his part since I'll always avoid it.) Hehe. (Yes, there are some things in group which I avoid -- there's only so much I can handle!)

I commented a couple of days ago on how I only have one T while he has lots of clients. He said "oh so I have a lot of other Sidonys around here somewhere? I wonder where I put them?" That was helpful. It's hard not to think of one giant Conglomerate Client (<- like my technical term I made up?). We're all unique. I try to remember that.

Sidony

Sid, I honestly don't know how you do it. If I was in a group with other patients of my T, it would turn into a group brawl, lol.

Another question for all of you-- does the gender of the patient matter?

I know that I was to see a male patient, I would be upset.
If I was to see a female patient, I would be devastated.
If I was to see an attractive female patient, she would be finding herself a new therapist.

[ECHOES]

You and T are a riot.

Unfortunately I have seen the whole range of other patients... male, female (had been crying--Hey, don't you be working your way into MY T's heart! She's MINE!!), a couple, and one little boy and one little girl (she was SO cute.. long curly brown hair, a dress with a full skirt, and cowboy boots!! joyfully prancing / dancing / skipping around the lobby.. Dad ignoring her completely.. I wanted to smack him).

So I guess I've been desensitized. Now the only ones who bug me are the new ones... (DO NOT THINK YOU WILL REPLACE ME!!).. and I can tell they are new because she leaves a clipboard out for them with a note (like she did for me my first time) to complete a very brief half page form.

Even if I don't see them sometimes I see evidence... I really really hate seeing paintbrushes soaking on her desk. That really makes me jealous! I always have to comment "You've been painting!" as if she'd had a spare hour and decided to paint with big chunky brushes to fill the time waiting for Her Very Favorite Patient...

[Defective]

Im the opposite to the majority here. Im always hoping my t had many other patients and at least one was in a worse place than me. Not because i wish pain on anyone else but that they would get the scrutiny of being thought about during off time. I want my therapy to be pretty spontanius because i like to argue and debate what she said and the more time she has to think about it the less likely ill win

[MissCharlotte]

Well, the truth is there is only one other patient that I know of because there is a distinct depression in the seat of the leather chair. I think of that person as the %#@&#!.

[Izzyparker]

I have seen several of my t's other clients. It's terrible how I make snap judgments about them as I passed them in the hallway. She has a couple of elderly clients that I have no adverse feelings about. Then there are two female clients that are not attractive in the least - so of course I feel superior to them (how pitiful) and then there is the young attractive thin girl who must be her favorite. I don't like her too much.

I try my best to avoid running into her other clients but she schedules her clients only 5 - 10 minutes apart. So it's easy to pass each other in the hallway. It sucks.

One time when I felt my t was in a particularly bad mood, I almost had the courage to tell the next client, "Whoa, Dr. is in a really foul mood today so watch out."

[bipolar_bear]

My t shares a waiting room with other t's. My they must be very busy as she only has me; doesn't she?

BB

[sidony]

Hey Pink,

Yeah I wondered about how I'd stand it. It's really not that bad though. It helps that the females aren't that attractive -- I feel mean saying that but I'd hate to have some gorgeous model-type in there with me -- I'd want to deck her. I'm not bothered by the male patients really. I like best that some of the others are in couples therapy (rather than individual) -- that seems less threatening somehow.

I don't know -- it's kind of wild and weird to watch T interact with someone else. What freaks me out is if I look over at him and he catches my eye. I'm afraid it looks like I want something or something. He'll invariably ask me to weigh in on something and I hate it. But I also kind of like it. I'm a mixed bag. Group attention scares the bejesus out of me, but I feel better after having it for a while than if I sit there in silence.

It's all a giant headf*#k and I often wonder if it's just masochism that sends me there!

Sidony

[chaotic13]

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Miss Charlotte said:
Well, the truth is there is only one other patient that I know of because there is a distinct depression in the seat of the leather chair.

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LOL, that thread was soo funny.

I know it sounds like I am lying or in denial but... I really take comfort in knowing that my T sees a lot of other patients. If it is denial then I content to be in it. Don't know why? I guess it just dismisses my fear that my wacko symptoms are somehow topics of discussion at the family dinner table. "Man, today I saw this really freaky chic who...." I guess also it's a matter of competence-- if she treats a lot of patients then she's likely seen it all and nothing I say will likely surprise or knock her off her game.

[krazibean]

yea, my T has other patients. and i'm like a sick freak about it, hahah.

when arrive at my appt, the road passes T's window and i always look in as i drive by. Sometimes i see the back of her head and someone sitting in my chair. usually i get myself through it by saying, "K B**ch im here its my turn out you go!!!!"

then when i sign in at the reception desk, i always look at the book to see if there is a name after mine so i know if she'll be thinking about her next client at the end of MY session. i told you i'm sick.

and one time i recognized one of her clients from my school. and what did i do? i looked her up in my yearbook and i stalk her on facebook, haha. cause yea, i'm sure her profile will just have T's name written all over it, yea.

but i try to think of our relationship as unique, and i hope that she looks forward to seeing me on the days that i come.

[sunrise]

I am so glad there are at least a couple of other people here who don't mind that their T has other clients. I was starting to feel really aberrant! I actually really like that my T has other clients. I feel a part of his "community of clients." I like to envision all the many people he has helped--this reflects well on him and gives me confidence in his abilities to help me and all of humankind (said with just a hint of wryness). The clients I have met, I have really liked talking to. I feel very open to them because we have something so important in common--we both share a relationship with this amazing guy, my T. And if they're like me, they love him, so by some sort of mathematical equation, that must mean we love each other, right? If a loves b and c loves b, then a loves c?

I have especially had long conversations with clients when T has accidentally double booked me with someone else. These people have been very nice. I especially liked one women with big eyes, kind of cute and chipmunk like. She and I "fought" over who wouldn't get to see T that day because it turns out both of us were dreading our session! Ever since then, when I see her, we smile or talk. She's a sweetie. I also like seeing the diversity of clients, sometimes solo women or men, sometimes couples, sometimes whole families or different combinations--a man and his son, etc. I remember one of the first times my husband and I did couples therapy, after us there was a crowd in the waiting room, 3 generations of a family, what a gaggle! I loved that, thought it showcased to my H my therapist at his best.

I had a dream once that T was doing therapy out of a room in his home rather than at an office, and I had to go there for my session. There was a big party scheduled there for all of T's clients, past and present. I joined in this party and had a great time. I loved seeing all of his clients, all of his successes. I remember they were all happy, well-adjusted people, and that gave me hope that one day I would be happy too.

One time T told me he was thinking of buying a special house just for therapy and he said this little house had separate entrances for arriving and departing clients. I thought, "huh, that would not be good, because then I wouldn't get to see your clients!"

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sunrise said:

I have especially had long conversations with clients when T has accidentally double booked me with someone else.

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Oh my...I would have died. You are strong because I would have needed 100 sessions to make up for T's mistake!

[Flowerb]

I should think not - Aren't I enough?!!

Once I said, "if I won the lottery I'd hire you as my own private therapist."
He said, "But I AM your own private therapist."

I really loved that.

[RozG]

the thought of my T cheating on me!!! LOL

[Monty_girl]

I'm very spoiled. My T only see's a hand full of client's privately. So I'm the only one he see's on a given night. He does have another job running a boot camp of boys as his day job. But the client's he see's in his private practice are ones that he has choosen to see. I had a hard time finding a T after I lost my old T and I had called this office to see if any of their T's would be willing to take me on. He called me back and stated that he wanted to work with someone who was DID and needed long term therapy. I've been seeing him now for almost 6 years.

So he's mine, all mine. So know one get any ideas.

[bluedevil33]

i don't post much on these boards, but i HAVE to respond to tell you all my crazy story. my old therapist (i'm with a new one now), i liked her a lot, but she was... having her own issues i guess, lol. i had seen her for 6 years, and the last two years i hadn't seen any other patients waiting for her after i'd come out of her office. i thought that was strange. so in the last year i was seeing her, someone from her office informs me that i am her ONLY patient and have been for a while, and that i no longer had to pay for sessions.

HUH???!!!!!!!! i knew my therapist was having issues and she wasn't all there...but... did i KNOW that i was her only patient??? nope. shortly after that i stopped seeing her. the story is so much more bizarre than i can explain on these boards. it was a very rought time for me, but i persevered and am doing very well with my current therapist.

i used to pray that i WAS her only patient.... isn't it ironic that for a while i was and didn't even know??? crazy stuff!!!