Posted by fallsfall on July 25, 2004, at 22:56:33
In reply to Anyone had interesting therapy stories lately?, posted by Dinah on July 23, 2004, at 11:51:21
My therapist is on vacation for 2 weeks. I saw him on Friday and wrote this:
My therapist and I had a nice session today. I had a dream last night about my daughter and about his vacation. We talked about that. We also talked about when I was little and my parents would go out (each to their own meeting, on a weeknight) we would have a babysitter. I was probably 3. I liked to look out my window before I went to sleep. The house is L shaped, and from my window I could look into the kitchen and through the kitchen into the living room. When my parents were home I would see them. When they weren't home, I found comfort in looking out the window to the place where they usually were. We had a witch old lady babysitter. I swear she sat at the top of the stairs. She must have listened for the sheets rustling because I didn't even get to the floor before she yelled at me to get back into bed. I wasn't trying to be bad. I was just looking for a little comfort. The same thing applies to looking my first therapist up on the internet.
I told my therapist that I appreciated him letting me know that he would be sailing - that was like giving me permission to look out the window. I asked if his kids were going - no, but one might join them for a couple of days. I talked about how it was sad for me when the kids didn't go on vacation with me anymore. Sailing for him is like skating is for me - it is a passion. Even when I'm not skating, it is still a passion. He agreed that it was a passion for him, and he wasn't likely to give it up soon. I'm really glad that he will be doing something that he really likes. I would think that 2 weeks on the ocean with his wife would be very peaceful, she seems like a nice person.
I verified that I have his cell phone number. He reminded me (which I knew) that sometimes he has no cell phone service, so it could be a couple of days before he could call back. He doesn't expect me to need to call, neither do I, but having the number is like having permission to look out the window.
He said something along the way about talking to my parents the next morning about how it was hard to go to sleep when the babysitter wouldn't let me look out the window. I know I never told them about it. My mother knew I didn't like that babysitter, but I'm pretty sure she didn't know why. His point was that now I can talk these "traumas", and that can make it easier.
He's leaving tomorrow and will be back probably Aug 9 (Saturday). That gives him a day or two in case he has trouble getting back before my next appointment.
It was a nice session.
He'll have a good time, and I'll be OK. I am sad.
We talked about the hospital - I told him which one I would go to. We both agreed that I would only need that if something really unforseen happened. But he wouldn't be mad if I needed to go. I tried to explain that I was less interested in staying for a long time than I have been in the past, but there really wasn't time to go into that in detail.
He looked happy to be ready to go.
Given the turmoil we've been having for the last month or more, I was really glad that we could pull together before he left. I wouldn't say that this was talking about superficial stuff - but it seems to have prepared me well for his vacation.
poster:fallsfall
thread:369422
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040723/msgs/370543.html