Posted by Dinah on September 6, 2007, at 8:07:30
In reply to Therapy session disaster, posted by RealMe on September 5, 2007, at 23:14:15
I agree. It doesn't seem wasted to me. It should lead to a very productive session next time, since it brought up so many old feelings.
This is a huge issue with me because my therapist never gives a minute over fifty (well, maybe a handful of times in twelve years, and only if I was trying to leave). Yet he often starts late and there for a while was often ending on time, catching up time on me. It all blew up one time when I was late for the second time in however many years I'd been going, and he ended as if he would have started on time had I not been late. And he *never* starts on time. Ten minutes late is the norm.
I went ballistic, accused him of catching up time on me, listed all the times he'd done it, etc. etc.
It still comes up from time to time, and since he's so often late I don't usually bring it up at the beginning of session. I just very significantly look at his clock and my watch. And if I don't feel like leaving when he picks up his pad, I fold my arms and shoot thunderbolts at him from my eyes. And he responds appropriately. It really rarely needs to be mentioned anymore.
I think it's great that you brought it up as early as you did, and are addressing it openly. Over time maybe you can begin pointing out at session beginning if he's starting late (since yours doesn't habitually do that) so that there's no problem at the end. My way of pointing it out at the end of the session doesn't work nearly as well, since once I fold my arms, the session is essentially over and I'm just keeping him there like a mean teacher on the last day of school until the bell rings. :)
But definitely not wasted. Not only did it bring up the old feelings of not bothering anyone, but perhaps some lingering mistrust about his doing this in the past.
poster:Dinah
thread:781066
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20070904/msgs/781111.html