I saw T on Friday, and it was our last session before an 11 day break (I'm going out of town). We're in the middle of some intense trauma work, and I was sitting there in the office at the beginning of session feeling like I SO do not want to get into that before break. But I didn't know what else to do. So I asked him if he had any games or cards around so we could just play He didn't, but he invited me to bring a deck of cards and leave it there so we could play when I wanted to.

We DID do the trauma work. When we talk about it, he sits with me on the couch, I think to help me feel less alone. It feels good to have him there, and I DO feel less alone. But it still SUCKED, and I left wishing we could have just played. It would have felt better to just connect with him instead of opening up those old wounds.

SO, I've decided I need some play therapy. I'm going to bring Uno to my first appointment after break and see if he'll play with me (I know he will). I just want to sit on the floor, and play, and connect, and be there and feel safe and take a break from the heavy stuff.

I know there was a thread on here about playing games with T. And I think someone...kiya, maybe?...does play games with T. Does anyone else play games in therapy? I actually have this HUGE desire to fingerpaint with T too.

Seriously, I think I'm regressing in every way. Is that "normal"? Any thoughts?

Maybe I'm in the parental transference a little too deep. Or maybe a younger "me" wants some time in there. Hmmm.

Post deleted by Riptide

Oh, I *know* play therapy is for children! That's why I'm wondering what my deal is.

I do know that almost every time I've honored some deep need/want I've had in therapy, something positive has come from it, even though I never could have predicted what it was going to be. Which is why I think T will go along with it and play a game with me, even though it falls outside of "normal" adult trauma therapy.

I guess I'm wondering where that need is coming from....and if I'm the first one to have it!

I'm SO not artistic, btw. I picture art therapy as being a huge exercise in frustration and embarrassment for me. Unless knitting counts?

[MissCharlotte]

Earthmama

I had the thread on playing games. It's my fantasy too!

I have colored at T's with pencils and I play with beeswax sometimes.

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Maybe I'm in the parental transference a little too deep. Or maybe a younger "me" wants some time in there. Hmmm.

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I don't think there is such a thing as "too deep." It's how we work through difficult trauma. Yeah, my younger me needs to play frequently -- it is she who colors.

Let us know how the Uno game goes.

[serafim_etal]

Like Kiya, *I* often play games with T in therapy. In my case, DID is involved and she is almost exclusively playing with littles. Basically at these times she IS doing therapy with children...they just happen to be in an adult body. However, I firmly believe that everyone has at least one "inner child", and that inner child is wounded in many cases. In DID those inner children are very separate and defined...in a person who is not DID, they are less separate and defined, but still there. It sounds to me like there is a "little earthmama" that has some needs. I think sitting on the floor and playing some games with T is a great way to nurture "little earthmama" and perhaps meet those needs.

I also think that knitting is definitely great self-nurturing and a type of art therapy for some people...for me it's an exercise in frustration though! You might consider taking some knitting to T with you, knit away as you talk...you might be amazed at how productive the session is.

Sera

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serafimetal said:
It sounds to me like there is a "little earthmama" that has some needs. I think sitting on the floor and playing some games with T is a great way to nurture "little earthmama" and perhaps meet those needs.


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I think "little earthmama" likes being recognized because your post made me smile. Thanks.

[(JD)]

I wouldn't worry about the transference at this point, as every good therapeutic relationship needs some transference, imo. Let the therapist keep track of that, not you.

Play therapy works, whether it's a physically young child, or an inner child.

[Kiya]

*grin*. my last t did attempt play therapy. She sat right down on the floor with crayons or stuffy bears... the only thing the littles would do was use the crayons. they wouldn't play with the bears. I do wish my new t would let us color. I finally brought pens and paper to my session last time and then t looked at what had been doodled.