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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Tabitha on November 11, 2003, at 23:52:37
Group therapy is hard. It's going well, but man it sure stirs up a lot of feelings. Anxiety, anger, abandonment stuff. My individual session is 2 days later. I feel like I need some kind of ritual to get back into real life and put the feelings on hold for 2 days til I can process them in the individual session. Any suggestions?
I've been going to the store to get junk food and videos afterward-- but it's like devoting a whole evening to therapy recovery. Then 2 days later, more upset. I wish I could just switch it off and function normally. Maybe that's not realistic.
I think I'll just make myself do some chores like hang up clothes.
Posted by Dinah on November 12, 2003, at 0:26:49
In reply to How do you wind down after sessions?, posted by Tabitha on November 11, 2003, at 23:52:37
I favor the forgetting nap myself. If I do it really well, I can manage to pull myself together after a twenty minute nap in the car (not while driving of course). If not, maybe an hour's nap at home. But there are those days when a forgetting nap does take most of the evening. Sigh. It doesn't seem to be related to the degree of upset either.
Biofeedback, HAH! I can manipulate my body pretty well on my own. :)
Can't quite manage to describe how to do it though.
It sounds like your group experience is really worthwhile, Tabitha. Are you glad you committed to it? I can see where so many more issues would come up. After all, our therapists probably have a range of buttons they push, and we'd never get to understand our other ones as well as if we would add more people to push different buttons.
Posted by Tabitha on November 12, 2003, at 6:57:24
In reply to Re: How do you wind down after sessions? » Tabitha, posted by Dinah on November 12, 2003, at 0:26:49
> It sounds like your group experience is really worthwhile, Tabitha. Are you glad you committed to it? I can see where so many more issues would come up. After all, our therapists probably have a range of buttons they push, and we'd never get to understand our other ones as well as if we would add more people to push different buttons.
>I don't think my therapist actually pushes many buttons at all. It's rare. She's so good at making it all about me-- mostly I just report 2nd hand button pushing by others. So, actually reacting during therapy is kind of new. I don't know if it's worth it or not. The days I go in feeling good and peaceful, and come out stirred up, and stay stirred up all evening, well, than it just seems like so much irritation I don't need. Then again.. that's how I often feel about human relationships in general-- so maybe something will get worked out. Or not. It's all so endlessly confusing.
Posted by Dinah on November 12, 2003, at 8:19:58
In reply to Re: How do you wind down after sessions? » Dinah, posted by Tabitha on November 12, 2003, at 6:57:24
Wow. Your therapist doesn't push your buttons? I am astonished. I so often feel like the control panel at a nuclear facility. (Not a bad simile, unfortunately.)
And yeah, it does feel rotten afterwards. And every once in a while I do wonder if the benefits outweigh the costs. Do you find yourself bringing information you've learned about yourself to your real life yet?
Posted by justyourlaugh on November 12, 2003, at 11:24:21
In reply to How do you wind down after sessions?, posted by Tabitha on November 11, 2003, at 23:52:37
tab...junk food and movies is a treat..
you are allowed to treat yourself,
you deserve it..
quality of life is filled with treats and pleasures..
get it where you can...
but overdue anything turns pleasure into pain..
eat relax,,wind down from the stressors..
i find if i am watching movie after movie ...
i have to crocet or make buckey balls to feel like i am not waisting time...
go to library and pick up a "how to" book on your way home from "vidoe palace"...
oragami is a good way to be productive..
be good to tab
j
Posted by fallsfall on November 12, 2003, at 22:25:16
In reply to Re: How do you wind down after sessions?, posted by justyourlaugh on November 12, 2003, at 11:24:21
I sit by the river and watch the birds, or last time I watched the ice melt off the rocks as the tidal water came in. And watched the rocks disappear under the rising water. Sort of like watching paint dry, or grass grow.
In the past, I've done ice cream and swung on the swings. Or walk every aisle in the craft store looking at everything (book stores work for me, too).
These days I'm better by the next morning (at least able to function).
It sounds like group is valuable for you. My guess is that if you had your individual right afterwards that you wouldn't get as much out of it. Sometimes things have to bounce around in our heads for a while.
Of course, I've been accused of therapy being my whole life, so you might not want to base your model on me!!
Posted by Jellibabe on November 13, 2003, at 2:42:11
In reply to Re: How do you wind down after sessions?, posted by fallsfall on November 12, 2003, at 22:25:16
It's fascinating to hear how others cope. I don't cope very well I'm afraid to say. My appointments are late afternoon. Once I've driven through the traffic I just want get home to my bed. And I just curl up in a little ball and lie there and think. Sometimes I have to go and fetch my kids, (if they are not at home) and that is awful. My mother ALWAYS asks "so how was your "session"? It drives me nuts!!! Or worse - "What did you talk about?" As if I am going to tell her!!! All I want to do is get out of there and not talk to anybody and just be with myself and my thoughts. Sometimes I cry because I love my psychiatrist very much, he is like a father to me and I miss him terribly in between visits. (I only see him 2x a month).
So I find "winding down" very difficult. I also usually also think about things I should have said or forgot to say.
Ugh!!! The day after a session for me is the worst. I normally fax him the next day with things I have thought about and to tell him how awful I feel, that I miss him. Then I feel guilty for being a nuisance!!! Can I ever win?
Posted by karen_kay on November 13, 2003, at 18:20:41
In reply to How do you wind down after sessions?, posted by Tabitha on November 11, 2003, at 23:52:37
I usually try to write in my journal. This is to keep the material from the session fresh in my mind, as I have some problems with my memory. I always comment on what I liked about the session as well as what I thought he said or did wrong. I usually only discuss what I thought he did wrong in the next session though, not exactly sure why. I'm usually in a pretty good mood though, even if we talk aobut difficult subjects. I think it just helps to get it out. And I always call my sister and give her full details. I think I talk to her more about what is going on in therapy more than I do with my therapist. Hmm, maybe I should discuss this with my therapist? Karen
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