forgetting parts of T sessions?

Sometimes after a session (if I am trying to think back) I can't always remember what happened or what exactly I said. I may have a feeling that I was talking a lot, but I may not remember what I said. Usually it happens if the session is really emotional. I was wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else.

For example, last time I went in my T tried to remind me of a discussion we had had a couple of weeks before, but she had to prompt me with almost the whole conversation before I remembered. I've mentioned it on the fly to one of my T before, however, I have never really got an answer about it. I feel too scared to bring it up any more directly, that if she knew she would think I was really crazy. (I don't know if that makes sense, being that I am already there.) I'm scared to bring it up for fear that i will find out that something else is wrong with me. Any advice or suggestions or anything?

if you can write it down after your session that might help - but for me - I cant remember most of what happens in the session - you will fnd you are not alone in this - somtimes we are in highly emotional states and I think that interferes with our ability to rememer jmo - take care

I think you'll get lots of answers saying that it happens to many people. I used to forget what my T said as well as what I said. I had a sense of the feelings of a session, but couldn't remember details. I think it happens when it's an emotional session because you're not thinking as much as feeling. The words just come out. My opinion, anyway. Or maybe it's a self-protective device when you're speaking about difficult stuff.

By all means, ask your T. I'm sure she'll reassure you. You didn't say if you also forget what your T tells you. Early in my therapy, my t told me that she "overtalks" because she knows people don't hear or remember everything.

I used to write what I said and what she said as soon as I could after my session; otherwise by the next day I couldn't remember. Years ago, a different t let me record our sessions. That was very helpful to hear myself and my t, and that's a sure way not to forget what you said. However, I didn't like listening to myself. In those days, there were long pauses where I didn't say anything. It was embarassing listening to myself sometimes. But I liked having my t's voice so I could listen to her as often as I liked.

Googley,

It could be anxiety, or just nervousness about the intensity of the topics. Or you might be dissociating. I used to always feel afraid like you do--about the fact that something "new" was wrong with me. But I realized that they were not new or MORE things but that my true self was emerging-- the self that was always there.

I like the idea of journaling right after session. You could even keep a journal in your car so you write down stuff right away.

((((googley))))

I always have a very hard time remembering what was said during the session. I keep wanting to bring up whether I can record our sessions, but I don't have the nerve. I should start to bring a pen/pad of paper so I can jot things down from time to time. Otherwise, I can only remember snippits of things...and the important stuff sometimes even gets garbled in my mind, so I'm unsure of what was really said.

I don't remember huge parts of most of my sessions - and sometimes I forget ENTIRE sessions. I've talked with T about this a lot. I'm really dissociative, so that is part of it. I ask T a lot "does therapy even COUNT if I don't remember it?" and he assures me that it does. Sometimes little bits of it will come back to me like little bits of a dream. If I have questions, I ask T and he fills me in (because he has an uncanny ability to remember every single detail of every single session!).

I feel like I am healing and moving forward, even though I forget a lot. For me, that's the most important thing...although when I first realized how much of my sessions I was "losing" it did freak me out. Now I just kind of expect it...

This happens to me on a regular basis. I used to worry that I was "crazy". I finally mentioned it to my t. He just shrugged and said it happens all the time. He explained that it has to do with how you process the things you have talked about in session. Don't worry

tulips

I would find this Very difficult. I do not always pick up on things while they are happening. Luckily, my brain seems to be really tuned in during my sessions, often when I am struggling between sessions, I've been able to go back and replay my mental tape.

I have had some sessions that were kind of mush. These were high anxiety sessions. I think your issue is likely related to anxiety. Maybe you could try some relaxation exercises before or during your session.
I would have trouble talking about this because I would not want to let others know that I did remember stuff. It would make me feel very vulnerable. Of course...that is where trust comes into play.

Thank you everyone for your responses.

I just wish that I could remember more of them since then I could use the knowledge more of the time out of sessions and remember positive things so I hopefully wouldn't go on such trips in my mind. I think I am going to try and start writing in a journal after sessions when I can (I have to go directly to work). As for the taping, I don't know if I could listen to my own voice. On the other hand I wouldn't mind being able to hear my T voice especially when I am feeling bad. When she goes on vacation sometimes I will just call her voice mail to hear her voice (her suggestion).

((((((((((((((((Googley))))))))))))))))))))

When she goes on vacation, could you ask her to leave you a voicemail to listen to while she is gone? T leaves me a voicemail after every session (I'm spoiled ) and I'm pretty sure that started when he left me a voice mail before a vacation...

My psychologist said you only remember about a third of the session, she always says I should write things down.

I think I was pretty good at retaining what happened, but often times later realized I'd said things in a way I didn't mean. I was always writing, writing, writing after sesssions though, so maybe that helped quite a bit. Sometimes emotional sessions did feel kind of surreal in retrospect.

I often have trouble remembering what happens in session but it seems to be associated with my mood. When I'm feeling particularly bad my concentration and focus is lacking and I just won't remember what we go over. Other times we have an intense session and I remember it was a good session but I can't remember most of it, or I can only remember what seem like insignificant things. I think recording or note taking would be helpful but I end up not doing that and I just scramble to journal about the session after it's over.

something similar happened to me last week my T read something to me that i wrote and i couldn't remember writing it. actually i can't believe that i wrote that.

Yes, I forget things that happened in my sessions too. I've kept a journal of what happens in therapy, but there are large gaps between entries. I have to go right back to work after my therapy, and if I don't write down what happened by that evening or the next day, I generally forget alot of it. Also, the higher the anxiety level and emotions during a session, the more I tend to space out or forget portions of it. In my case, I think it's dissociation.

i'm surpised at how many people journal straight after therapy! it sounds very dedicated to me (i'm too lazy... i want things to fix themselves with minimal effort) .

i forget things too. it depends on a few factors: how depressed i am (cognition slows down immensely), or how stressed out, or how emotional the session is. i used to dissociate too, but i think that had largely stopped by the time i got used to my old T.

I dissociate alot in session which causes me to forget alot of what my T is saying, or to only pick up little snipets of it.

When I am stressed or talking about something difficult that is when I notice it alot more. I think this is a normal reaction for many in therapy.