Psycho-Babble Psychology Thread 361431

Shown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.

 

Telephone calls to your T

Posted by rockymtnhi on June 28, 2004, at 18:36:48

I am in a bad place right now and feel like I need to call my T outside of his office hours. He said that it is okay for me to call him anytime, including the during the middle of the night if I need to. Have any of you called your T in the wee hours of the morning or on the weekend? How was it for you afterwards? Did it help to move your therapy along?

I can see myself calling him and then feeling stupid for doing so afterwards.

Thanks.

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T » rockymtnhi

Posted by Fallen4MyT on June 28, 2004, at 19:15:42

In reply to Telephone calls to your T, posted by rockymtnhi on June 28, 2004, at 18:36:48

Hi I am not on here often in summer so I hope to catch the post you post when you say you called and are glad of it :) I have a T that told me the same..and he means it I found out when I called and have called maybe 4 times since that first call...So call please they like you to do that they ones who don't will tell. I think your T will respect you more for it cause it shows he/she matters to you and you take therapy seriously

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T

Posted by shadows721 on June 28, 2004, at 20:02:54

In reply to Telephone calls to your T, posted by rockymtnhi on June 28, 2004, at 18:36:48

I have called my T a few times. I think it helps, because so much goes on in between t. I tend to forget things and have to play catch up. T's know that there are times when you need them outside of that therapeutic hour. Give it a try. It might help you through this difficult time.

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T

Posted by bent on June 28, 2004, at 20:39:29

In reply to Telephone calls to your T, posted by rockymtnhi on June 28, 2004, at 18:36:48

I have called my T several times. All but maybe one call has been during business hours though-i usually leave a vm and she calls me back. Because their practice has an on-call therapist after hours, I cant reach my T directly, unless by chance she is the one on call. I have never called the on-call therapist. I am usually afraid to but if I really needed to I would. I dont make it a habit of calling her but I think she appreciates when I can express what I need from her, and sometimes that happens between sessions. If your finding yourself needing the support of your T, make the call. That is what they are there for. It's important to do what you need to do for yourself. Good Luck.

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T » rockymtnhi

Posted by terrics on June 29, 2004, at 19:15:29

In reply to Telephone calls to your T, posted by rockymtnhi on June 28, 2004, at 18:36:48

I could call my old T. any time and anywhere, even on vacation. She never minded and it did not mess up anything. terrics

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T » rockymtnhi

Posted by DaisyM on June 29, 2004, at 21:38:56

In reply to Telephone calls to your T, posted by rockymtnhi on June 28, 2004, at 18:36:48

See my post below...

My Therapist encourages calls when I need him. It has strengthened our relationship, not hurt it. That doesn't mean I don't feel like I'm bothering him. I always do. He always tells me he's rather know what is going on and it isn't a bother. I rarely call on the weekends but have.

The hardest part can be leaving the message and then waiting for them to call back. Their schedule can mean you wait for hours. So if it is an "emergency" you should say so. I'm really good at the corporate message voice, so it has taken awhile for him to know what to really pay attention to. Coded messages don't work either. If you say, "you don't have to call me back" but you really want them to...you might get your feelings hurt. Ask for what you need.

It will make you feel better.
Daisy

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T » DaisyM

Posted by Dinah on June 30, 2004, at 9:44:35

In reply to Re: Telephone calls to your T » rockymtnhi, posted by DaisyM on June 29, 2004, at 21:38:56

> Coded messages don't work either. If you say, "you don't have to call me back" but you really want them to...you might get your feelings hurt. Ask for what you need.

Wise wise words, Daisy. I used to think I don't want to bother him, and I don't want for him *not* to call when I've asked him too because that will really hurt, so I'll tack on the "you don't have to call me back", but he'll understand that that really means "if this is really a bother and you don't want to call me back you don't have to, but i'd really like you to call me back if it isn't a terrible imposition but I'm putting it this way so that if you don't call back I won't be tremendously hurt." When I said "you don't have to call me back" he didn't hear "you don't HAVE to call me back" he heard "you DON'T have to call me back.

It works a lot better if you just tell them what you need. They may or may not give it, but you've got a lot better chance. Or maybe next time I'll just be honest and say "if this is really a bother and you don't want to call me back you don't have to, but i'd really like you to call me back if it isn't a terrible imposition but I'm putting it this way so that if you don't call back I won't be tremendously hurt."

Stream of consciousness voice mail.

 

Re: Telephone calls to your T » Dinah

Posted by daisym on June 30, 2004, at 13:42:06

In reply to Re: Telephone calls to your T » DaisyM, posted by Dinah on June 30, 2004, at 9:44:35

It's funny because I learned this lesson on the other end. I would have students from my classes, especially my childbirth classes, call and say that. So I would wait until class the next week. And of course they would say, "didn't you get my message?" Now I call back.

With my therapist, it doesn't matter what I say, unless it is to confirm that I got a message from him or something equally mundane. He typically calls back, even if it is to say, I got your message, or to check in about whatever I said. I can remember once saying, "this is an update, etc. and REALLY, you don't have to call me back. I'm fine." And he didn't that time. But I meant it and was OK with that.

Why is it so complicated? I guess I'm back to my core issue of bothering people. *sigh*


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