quote:

Originally posted by the dude:

quote:

I just wish the guy would offer a word or two of encouragement once in a while.

could you elaborate on what you mean? I think if a T isn't giving encouragment on the work you've been doing them something is missing.

Antoni

I guess what I mean is that he's not a "hey you're doing great, hang in there" kind of guy.

When I feel wretched, I go in there and I go off on how I am never going to get better, how this therapy is useless, how I should be better by now, that I'm helpless in the face of my symptoms etc, etc.

When I do this, instead of words of encouragement, he generally points out - in his way - that (1) I *am* slowly but surely getting better and (2) that the part of me that is going off on the negative comments is the part of me that is responsible for my symptoms; the critical me, the gremlin, my inner bastard, whatever you wanna call it. And, this thing is just getting the better of me that day, and that IS NOT the actual, true me.

He's also very good at getting me to FEEL the emotion behind my symptoms - the stuff that my anxiety is trying to keep me from feeling. So I'll end up sobbing, which almost always makes me feel MUCH better.

So, while it's not your typical encouragment, it does feel good to get this perspective and to get some of that poisonous emotion out.

Hope this makes some sense.

Russ