Posted by Dinah on April 1, 2005, at 18:13:48
In reply to Re: About quitting.... » Dinah, posted by pinkeye on April 1, 2005, at 17:31:30
My therapist never ever tried to keep me, other than always insisting on a final session to talk over what was bothering me. But when I slunk back to him, he always took me back, and didn't take out any feelings he might have had about my inconsistencies on me.
I think therapists are, or should be, trained that when dealing with people who have had insecure attachments in their early life they're in for a fair amount of testing.
They may heave a deep sigh. Or smile an understanding smile. Or limit their practice to a certain number of difficult clients at a time. Or limit their practice to clients who aren't, as one therapist so delicately put it (if I remember correctly) oozing transference.
I am so very happy that my therapist was willing to be there, a safe and steady refuge, even when I was unreasonable, contradictory, annoying, hurtful, and even when he didn't understand me or why I was doing what I was doing. And I didn't understand either.
I'm not sure that's expecting perfection. I think that's expecting adequate training in therapists who do analytic work or interpersonal therapy. I imagine a fair number of CBT therapists just avoid clients who ooze transference (smile) since they view themselves as teachers.
My therapist views the relationship itself as the means of change.
poster:Dinah
thread:478144
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050329/msgs/478701.html