Psycho-Babble Psychology Thread 333704

Shown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Therapy Refund Dream

Posted by tabitha on April 7, 2004, at 11:22:14

Ate lots of ice cream before bed and I think it gave me a weird dream. I was in group therapy and there was a huge crowd outside the door, I couldn't hear over the crowd, got mad because the therapist wouldn't close the door, then people were walking through the room and I got madder and madder. Finally demanded a refund for the session. My therapist wrote me a check for $345, but she made it out to me plus 2 of my coworkers. I got even madder, said 'what am I going to do with a check made out to 3 people?!' I also had the thought, Hey, I have to go to Babble and tell everyone I had such a bad session that my therapist gave me a refund. Then I tried to leave the building in the elevator, but it was crammed full of medical personnel with carts of medications, and there were huge black ants. I had a fuzzy sweater and the black ants kept crawling onto it. I screamed and moved away from the ants and then they went after a blond woman, and there was a big black ant in her hair but she didn't notice.

 

Re: Therapy Refund Dream » tabitha

Posted by Dinah on April 7, 2004, at 18:30:57

In reply to Therapy Refund Dream, posted by tabitha on April 7, 2004, at 11:22:14

What a fascinating dream. Will you bring it up next time in group? :D

I think I like any dream where there's a refund for a bad session. I'd like reality where there's a refund for a bad session even better.

 

Re: Therapy Refund Dream » tabitha

Posted by fallsfall on April 7, 2004, at 21:44:55

In reply to Therapy Refund Dream, posted by tabitha on April 7, 2004, at 11:22:14

I wish I was good at dream analysis. There's got to be lots of good stuff in there!

 

Re: Therapy Refund Dream » tabitha

Posted by noa on April 8, 2004, at 9:22:01

In reply to Therapy Refund Dream, posted by tabitha on April 7, 2004, at 11:22:14

WOW--that is a cool and wild dream!

Do you think you might have issues with your group therapy experience? ;* )

 

Re: Therapy Refund Dream » tabitha

Posted by joslynn on April 8, 2004, at 10:56:05

In reply to Therapy Refund Dream, posted by tabitha on April 7, 2004, at 11:22:14

Hmm, ok, the loud people outside the door...maybe they represent things that you think are intruding on therapy? You were upset because the therp wouldn't close the door, so maybe that means that you feel he is letting his own distractions intrude? Or that he is not placing firm enough boundaries (represented by the door) on the distractions.

The ants...interesting. Have you seen those Dali paintings where there are ants crawling over watches and other things in the desert?

 

Re: Therapy Refund Dream

Posted by tabitha on April 8, 2004, at 11:15:56

In reply to Re: Therapy Refund Dream » tabitha, posted by joslynn on April 8, 2004, at 10:56:05

The ants are there because on the weekend I picked up a copy of a Them DVD (old sci fi movie about giant ants) and was reading the back of the box-- didn't buy it. The blond I think is from reading a babble thread here about blondes. I think maybe the noise and the crowd and the frustration with the open door are from my recent experiences with a painting crew at my house. There's also a payment for that coming up, and I've been fretting about wanting to withhold some payment. So maybe it wasn't really about therapy at all? The group and therapist might have just been there because I had gone to group that evening. The frustration with not being heard might be from trouble I had with a friend recently. He always calls from a cell phone in a noisy public place and half the phone call is about how I can't hear him.

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation

Posted by tabitha on April 8, 2004, at 23:26:30

In reply to Re: Therapy Refund Dream, posted by tabitha on April 8, 2004, at 11:15:56

about how the dream isn't really about her. We ended up talking all about how I manage to completely avoid thinking about how I feel toward her, and how it's normal for clients to feel attached to therapists. I said I didn't need to have feelings for her, since I was paying her and she was a service provider. She said So I'm just an object? It went on and on. I'm really afraid to even consider how I feel about her. I just don't want to go there.

Just what I need, more stuff to work on.

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation » tabitha

Posted by fallsfall on April 9, 2004, at 9:04:51

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation, posted by tabitha on April 8, 2004, at 23:26:30

Yes, this is the hard work.

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation » tabitha

Posted by Dinah on April 9, 2004, at 20:37:28

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation, posted by tabitha on April 8, 2004, at 23:26:30

I used to say that to my therapist! Or very similar things. He tells me now that he found it hurtful then, tho he really didn't give any sign of it at the time (consummate professional that he is).

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation

Posted by DaisyM on April 9, 2004, at 22:04:52

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation, posted by tabitha on April 8, 2004, at 23:26:30

Tabitha!
I should record some of my sessions. They sound so similar to what you just had. Only I now admit to my feelings and need for him. And then run like he** from all of it.

Sheesh!

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation

Posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 9:34:55

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation » tabitha, posted by Dinah on April 9, 2004, at 20:37:28

My goodness, I can't even imagine that she'd feel hurt by me. First thought-- with all the money I've paid her, why would she bother to feel hurt?

You know, I also thought I didn't get attached since she keeps herself out of the discussion, focuses on me, isn't self-revealing at all. Then she told me that therapists who work that way are *more* likely to have clients get crushes and so forth.

I feel a little pressured to have feelings toward her now. Have to talk about that. We also talked about my feelings toward a group member. One session he and I had a special moment, then lo and behold after that I start coming up with reasons not to trust him. I guess I have issues with this whole attachment thing. It's confusing.

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation

Posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 9:36:56

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation, posted by DaisyM on April 9, 2004, at 22:04:52

> Tabitha!
> I should record some of my sessions. They sound so similar to what you just had. Only I now admit to my feelings and need for him. And then run like he** from all of it.
>
> Sheesh!

Well I think I understand the fear. Who knows what nutty reactions I'll have if I ever get that far.

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation

Posted by gardenergirl on April 10, 2004, at 10:16:23

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation, posted by tabitha on April 10, 2004, at 9:36:56

When I was talking with my T for the first time about feeling attached to him, I conveniently took off my glasses. It made it so much easier if he was just a blur across the room. Didn't have to see his face, his reaction, etc.

gg

 

Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation » gardenergirl

Posted by noa on April 10, 2004, at 14:22:00

In reply to Re: therapist doesn't buy my interpretation, posted by gardenergirl on April 10, 2004, at 10:16:23

>When I was talking with my T for the first time about feeling attached to him, I conveniently took off my glasses. It made it so much easier if he was just a blur across the room. Didn't have to see his face, his reaction, etc.

gg

Hey, I do that, too! Whenever it gets intense, I think I do take off my glasses. Because I can't see much of anything without them, I guess it creates a feeling of distance.


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