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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
Hi all babblers. I just thought I'd share a positive therapy situation, since I've been sharing mainly negative ones so far. You may recall that I've had trouble with my T moving away, then not getting along with the new one, then getting some flack from the old one about quitting.
So yesterday I had double therapy sessions. One to say goodbye to the intermediate T that I wasn't getting along with, then one with a new T that I've seen a couple of times and was considering working with. The first one was really difficult, but honest, and I said goodbye maybe forever, but left the door open, just in case. We talked about why I needed to quit, and she was supportive. I left feeling even more confident that she wasn't the right therapist for me.
Then I had a session with the new person who is an art therapist. It was a fabulous session. I managed to paint a picture of something that has been really difficult for me to talk or even think about. But she said just the right things to give me permission and encouragement. I felt downright giddy about having gotten that painting out, and we hung it on the wall and talked about all kinds of related things that are usually too difficult, but seemed really easy and comfortable. We sat on the floor together, and talked about my goals for therapy, and she suggested how she'd like to work on them, and it all sounded so incredibly perfect! I love her already!
I know there are difficult times ahead, but I'm back in therapy now, and feeling very incredibly optimistic and happy. I love the idea of doing art in therapy, and I think it's going to help a lot. Yay!
I wish I could give you all a piece of what I'm feeling. It's the kind of thing you just want to pass around and share. I hope you all have great therapy sessions like this in store.
pegasus
Posted by fayeroe on June 6, 2004, at 20:28:01
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
pegasus~~I have a secret...I'm a phototherapist. You're gonna do really good work in art therapy. I can tell from your initial response with your new T. Congratulations!
Posted by Poet on June 7, 2004, at 0:53:44
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
Pegasus,
Thank you for the positive story. I needed to hear one.
I'm so glad your new T seems to be a keeper.
Poet
Posted by Aphrodite on June 7, 2004, at 9:38:29
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
That sounds so wonderful! Did you already have artistic tendencies? Is art therapy something for those of us who can only draw stick figures?
I also like the image of the two of you sitting on the floor! I think that would dissolve a lot of the artificial doctor/patient barriers and lead to an intimate conversation.
Thanks for sharing! Hope the trend continues; you deserve it!
Posted by Dinah on June 7, 2004, at 10:32:45
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
Posted by pegasus on June 7, 2004, at 11:16:47
In reply to Re: Good therapy story » pegasus, posted by fayeroe on June 6, 2004, at 20:28:01
Wow, interesting. Does that mean that you are a therapist who uses photography for therapy? Do clients take photographs, or look at photographs? Do tell more, if you don't mind.
pegasus
Posted by pegasus on June 7, 2004, at 11:20:37
In reply to Re: Good therapy story » pegasus, posted by Aphrodite on June 7, 2004, at 9:38:29
Oh, I'm a stick figure drawer as well. Although I've always loved to doodle around with art supplies. Art supply stores are my second favorite places in the world (libraries being number 1). But I have no exceptional artistic talent, and am not an artist. I don't even doodle all that often. But I found myself always pulling out the crayons in my old therapist's office, so when I was looking for a new T, and found info about an art therapist who seemed to have good credentials, I tried her out. And I'm so glad!
pegasus
Posted by pegasus on June 7, 2004, at 12:54:23
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
Posted by fayeroe on June 7, 2004, at 15:53:38
In reply to What is a phototherapist? » fayeroe, posted by pegasus on June 7, 2004, at 11:16:47
A phototherapist uses photographs to open patients up and share their feelings. I do a variety of things including showing them photographs that I've taken, having them take photographs and giving them portraits of themselves to color/manipulate/write about. It is a fairly rare therapy and I love it. It works very well with addictions and mental illnesses. I once gave my patients throwaway cameras and asked for pictures that depicted them as a person. One young man crawled into a dumpster and took his photo because his dad had always told him he was trash.......I've never forgotten that young man. I wonder where he is and how he's doing. My daughter is in the art therapy field.
Posted by pegasus on June 8, 2004, at 12:54:45
In reply to Re: What is a phototherapist? » pegasus, posted by fayeroe on June 7, 2004, at 15:53:38
Wow, amazing! It sounds like a good way to really involve oneself in the therapy in a more complete way. Like that client putting himself in a dumpster. Spending time in a dumpster to communicate how you feel has got to have a big effect on one, I would think. Much more than just talking about feeling like being in a dumpster. I've never heard of this approach before, but it sounds great.
One thing I'm liking about art therapy so far is that it seems like the art comes from a different place in my mind than the talking does. I don't know much about art therapy theory, but I'm feeling like I'm more easily tapping into some big scary issues.
Plus it is so helpful to have something *else* in the room for both of us to focus on sometimes. It feels like it takes a lot of pressure off of me, and I feel a lot more comfortable. And I just love the process of setting up the paints or whatever, and matching materials, colors, textures, etc. to feelings and thoughts.
pegasus
Posted by fayeroe on June 8, 2004, at 20:32:20
In reply to Re: What is a phototherapist? » fayeroe, posted by pegasus on June 8, 2004, at 12:54:45
You've totally got it. There is "someone" else with you and that is the creative part of you that is joining the mix. It is so much easier to express oneself when you have a "jumping off" point such as a painting, sculpture, photograph. It's just too cool. Something else that is REALLY dramatic is when I take portraits, in black and white, of the patients and they hand-tint them. You would NOT believe what comes out in that! It is awesome. And I also have a closet full of clothing that is used for "dress-up" and then snapshots are made. The choices in the clothing is very telling. One of my favourite photographs that I own is of three patients, older men, wearing rudolph red noses and antlers for Christmas cards for their families!! One man told me that he could not remember ever having fun in his family setting. He cried because I "gave" him permission to do that.
Posted by ghost on June 14, 2004, at 0:25:47
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
Posted by shadows721 on June 14, 2004, at 18:49:15
In reply to Good therapy story, posted by pegasus on June 6, 2004, at 16:47:00
That's great. I hope that you will share some more of your experiences with the art therapist with us. It would be interesting to try and interpret them, sorta like dreams. Maybe you can paint an image from a dream like I do.
Posted by shadows721 on June 14, 2004, at 18:53:53
In reply to Re: What is a phototherapist? » pegasus, posted by fayeroe on June 7, 2004, at 15:53:38
It sure sounds like your work is powerful. I think I have seen a picture with the hand tinting on it. I saw black and white pictures of 200 year old oak trees in the morning fog in a park. The artist hand tinted the fog with different in beautiful vibrant colors. It was really outstanding.
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