[peaches100]

Hey, let's try something. . .a bit of a game, if you will. Try to put yourself in your t's place and then respond to the following questions/statements the way you think she would answer.

1. I feel awful today.

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.

3. I don't feel like being here today.

[Angel_of_the_Past]

The way I think she would like to answer:

1. I feel awful today. (Good, so do I)

2. I'm afraid you don't like me. (You're right I don't like you but you're paying me to sit with you for an hour)

3. I don't feel like being here today. (Me either, I rather be on vacation)

JK--LOL

[notz]

1. I feel awful today. (Oh God, when do you not feel awful?)

2. I'm afraid you don't like me. (And your point is...)

3. I don't feel like being here today (Too bad you didn't act on that!)

LOL!

[SpottedOwl]

1. I feel awful today.
I'm sorry you feel awful, what can we do to care for you?

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.
Did I do something that made you think I don't like you?

3. I don't feel like being here today.
Where do you feel like being?

I don't know if this is supposed to be a tounge-in-cheek thread, but after a long time of struggling with what T thinks of me, I am at a point where I cannot imagine T being anything other than kind and compassionate.

I typed a reply and lost it...but essentially, I think my T would answer just like Spotted Owl's T.

[ECHOES]

1. I feel awful today. (can you say more about that?)

2. I'm afraid you don't like me. (can you say more about that?)

3. I don't feel like being here today (can you say more about that?)

hehe. just kidding, but not too far off. she always wants to hear more and her saying that tells me she is interested, she cares, and she doesn't want to be directive.

[dalila]

1. I feel awful today. So what's going on?

2. I'm afraid you don't like me. Tell me more about that.

3. I don't feel like being here today. Ok, I'll see you next time.

[skeksi]

1. I feel awful today.

Ohhhhh. I can tell from [your face, your body, your voice]. What happened?

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.

What does it mean, if I don't like you? How does that change this? He'd later add, I enjoy working with you, how could I not?

3. I don't feel like being here today.

You don't have to be here if you don't want to. I'll never force you to do something you don't want to do. But what is hard about being here today?

[Simcha]

1. I feel awful today.
"Why, what happened since I saw you last? Let's talk about it."

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.
"That's normal to feel that way in your situation. Many people who are dealing with the types of situations you are experiencing often express similar thoughts. It's very common that when someone is feeling depressed or anxious to think that other people are judging them. This is a type of distorted thinking called a "cognitive distortion" that is common in anxiety and depressive disorders.

I can certainly understand why you might feel that I don't like you, but that's just the depression/anxiety talking. I really do like you, and I think you are intelligent and have quite a lot to say that is worth listening to."

3. I don't feel like being here today.
----"Did you have a difficult last few days since our last appointment? What's happened lately?"

[sunrise]

1. I feel awful today.
[Makes noise of sympathy] "I'm all ears."

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.
"Ha. Ha, ha!" [looks at me to make sure I'm joking. I laugh. He laughs harder. We laugh together.] "HA HA HA HA HA!" (My T knows I would never say that because he knows I know he likes me immensely.)

3. I don't feel like being here today.
"I'm all ears."

[kim_johnson]

1. I feel awful today.

It would depend on how I said it. He probably wouldn't say anything. But if I squeezed out a tear or looked upset then he would lean forward and he does this empathizing face where I can tell he is trying to catch my emotion...

Sometimes... I let him a little... I don't know... Its hard to explain... I don't want to perform but I don't know how I'm supposed to be... Just kinda numb... I don't know...

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.

I guess he would look a little puzzled... Trying to figure what he might have done... He would probably just look puzzled until I elaborated or he would ask me to if I didn't.

3. I don't feel like being here today.

I think that would probably set the angenda for the rest of the session... he would want to know why...

[peaches100]

1. I feel awful today.

I thought you looked upset. Do you want to talk about it?

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.

Have I done something to make you think I dislike you?

3. I don't feel like being here today.

It's often at those times when you feel the urge to avoid that you really need to be here.

[Brian37]

1. I feel awful today

" and you pay me 150$ an hour to tell me that?"

2. I'm afraid you don't like me

" I'm afraid your right"

3. I don't like being here today

" If you weren't paying me 150$ an hour, you think I'd be here?"

sarchasm - my friend

[lifelesstraveled]

1. I feel awful today.
"Can you tell me what happened?"

2. I'm afraid you don't like me.
I haven't worked the nerve up to disclose this to her yet, though I do think about it all the time....if I had to guess she'd probably say, "why do you feel that way?" Then I'd tell her and then she'd say " what would wisemind say?"Then I'd be at a loss for words cuz i havent quite cracked the whole wisemind code lol!

3. I don't feel like being here today.
"Okay, that's okay, but can you tell me why?" I'd tell her Im not in the mood to be here, that's all (that is never a good enough answer i am learning that the hard way). She'd say, "well why do you feel that way?"

[phoenix7]

What I would like to be said;

1. I feel awful today
Why is that?

2. I'm afraid you don't like me
What makes you feel that way?

(I told a T once that I didnt want to tell him somethign because I thought he would think less of me and the T said I dont think anything about you at all - I'm not here to judge you or be your friend - Im here to help you deal with this - think i stopped listeneing after I dont think anything of you at all - too busy saying oh my god he hates me cos Im wasting his time!- I dont think he meant that but hey insecure is my middle name!)

3. I don't feel like being here today
What has happened to make you feel that way?

or maybe if they could say what they were thinking........
1. I feel awful today

yep thats because you never do what i ask yiu to do inbetween sessions - Get better already!

2. I'm afraid you don't like me
eek my non-committal therapist face must have slipped!

I dont feel like being here today

ok lets go out and hit a few balls in the park (im sure sometimes thats where theyd rather be told again that im STILL not fixed!

Did have one T say ok lets go for a walk then and we'll have our session while we walk - that was great! P7

[sittingatwatersedge]

1. I feel awful today
a. Oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Tell me what's up.
b. (Oops, I remember you called after session and told me that you had
strep. Yikes, I'm going to run out of this room!)

2. I'm afraid you don't like me
a. I have noticed that you are still very hard on yourself. What do you
think about that?
b. (I AM tremendously frustrated at your lack of trust. When in the
world are you going to trust me?)

3. I don't feel like being here today
a. Has something happened to make you say that?
b. (this is probably the sixth time you have brought up the idea of
quitting, but you really need help...)