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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by Dinah on July 11, 2007, at 1:07:39
In reply to Re: Comfy cozy » Dinah, posted by Poet on July 10, 2007, at 20:35:16
:-)
I'm not sure my therapist and I have enough in common to comfortably chat about movies. I'd probably learn something about him I'd rather not know. Hmmm... that's probably also a chance with the ungame. No wonder I've unconsciously put off buying it. Come to think of it, I even brought up that concern once. He said it was true that when he's played it in the past (with clients younger than me) he was careful to screen his answers to get across the message he was trying to get across.
The rare times that my therapist emailed me, he always signed with both his first and last names, and it always bugged me. Like I know that many [T's first name] writing from [T's email address]?
Geesh.
Posted by Angela2 on July 11, 2007, at 14:33:52
In reply to Comfy cozy, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2007, at 17:35:23
aww, I like your title "comfy cozy" :)
That's cool that you are so close w/ your therapist. I wish that I was with mine. I've never called her, though, I don't know if I'm allowed to. I've never asked her.
Posted by Racer on July 11, 2007, at 23:09:24
In reply to Re: Comfy cozy » Poet, posted by Dinah on July 11, 2007, at 1:07:39
> > The rare times that my therapist emailed me, he always signed with both his first and last names, and it always bugged me. Like I know that many [T's first name] writing from [T's email address]?
>
> Geesh.Actually, that sounds like a phenomenon I experience with a lot of doctors -- I have trouble with addressing them as "Dr So'N'So," when they do not address me as "Mrs X." I have so much trouble with trying to "win approval" from perceived authority figures, which I'm trying hard to work on, so I am very aware of the name thing. For several years now, I've avoided calling any doctor "Dr Whatever."
If I were a in your T's shoes -- which would be too big for me, since I have little feet -- I might do that to try to even the intimacy issues, if that makes sense. I wouldn't want to sign with just my first name, if that felt too intimate and personal, but I wouldn't want to sound so impersonal as to write "Dr X," either. And I might end up writing my full name...
But, that is only one guess...
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:39:03
In reply to Re: Comfy cozy, posted by Angela2 on July 11, 2007, at 14:33:52
He's not generally good on the phone, although a couple of times he's really been great. Still, knowing I can call him keeps me from needing him too much.
Have you asked your therapist about phone contact?
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:41:26
In reply to Re: Comfy cozy » Dinah, posted by Racer on July 11, 2007, at 23:09:24
He identifies himself as {First Name} on the phone and in phone messages, and in fact he always did.
I suspect that he is not terribly comfortable with typing, or emails. And so in response he follows a formula. I never thought I'd find something he was worse at than phone calls, but he is absolutely positively worse on emails.
Posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:42:57
In reply to Comfy cozy, posted by Dinah on July 10, 2007, at 17:35:23
I know that relying on gimmicks to keep boredom at bay might be seen as a sign that therapy should be reevaluated. I'd even think that if I were reading it from someone else.
But I'm not sure I'll ever be ready for that.
Posted by Maria01 on July 12, 2007, at 22:05:20
In reply to I ordered the Ungame, posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:42:57
I dunno...I guess my take is a little different. I think boredom/routine creeps into all of our relationships, regardless of what kind of relationship it is. IMO, every relationship needs new things introduced into it from time to time to keep it "fresh" so to speak. Not so much a reflection on the relationship as much as it's a reflection on human nature in general.
Just my .02 =)
The Ungame should be fun!
Posted by Dinah on July 13, 2007, at 0:17:28
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame, posted by Maria01 on July 12, 2007, at 22:05:20
Thanks.
I'm a bit afraid I'll learn more than I need to about him, but I'm sure he'll keep his therapist hat on and be careful.
Posted by sunnydays on July 13, 2007, at 7:25:53
In reply to Re: Comfy cozy » Racer, posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:41:26
My T is a really slow typer (I want to do it for him when he's putting appts. in the computer). But he lets me email him as much as I want, thankfully, because it helps so much. I don't know if I'd say he's worse. He's more helpful on the phone, for sure, but that's just because his email responses are always only a sentence or two. A couple times I've gotten multiple paragraphs, but it was when I was really in crisis, and it must have taken him forever. Anyway, I know where you're coming from with the emails Dinah. It's hard only getting a little response when I've written pages.
sunnydays
Posted by Angela2 on July 13, 2007, at 17:38:24
In reply to Re: Comfy cozy » Angela2, posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:39:03
I had an appointment w/ her today and forgot to ask. Tho I was going to ask. But I'm sorta thinking about switching Ts..
Posted by OzLand on July 13, 2007, at 22:04:04
In reply to I ordered the Ungame, posted by Dinah on July 12, 2007, at 20:42:57
Okay; I admit; I don't know what the Ungame is. What is it?
Posted by Dinah on July 13, 2007, at 22:48:14
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » Dinah, posted by OzLand on July 13, 2007, at 22:04:04
I hope that link works. :)
Posted by Honore on July 14, 2007, at 10:23:21
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame, posted by Dinah on July 13, 2007, at 22:48:14
Sounds like fun, maybe. Wish we could all play.
Honore
Posted by confuzyq on July 14, 2007, at 14:49:30
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame, posted by Dinah on July 13, 2007, at 22:48:14
Hi Dinah, thanks for a great idea! I think I'll get this for my family. My mom would be thrilled, as she's been trying to get us to play any board game, monopoly, scrabble, etc. when I come for a visit (they live in another state). But we don't all enjoy the same subject matter, and my bro and me haven't taken her wishes very seriously. This type of game seems like just what we need.
I wanted to ask, do you have any other favorite conversation/communication-enhancing games? Having "winners" would be ok, but in my family, anything very complicated would be subject to avoidance or procrastination. All players would be adults, and I wouldn't want total fluff and cliche, but to accommodate certain of them (read: 80-something dad), the subjects shouldn't get TOO personal.
Either way thanks, I'm glad this one came up! :-)
Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2007, at 10:18:18
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » Dinah, posted by confuzyq on July 14, 2007, at 14:49:30
My family and I laughed ourselves dizzy with Would You Rather
They're a little miffed at me because I'm too good at reasoning out their choices, but the answers are hilarious, and the challenges can be too, but allowing enough choices so that even I and my son can participate without undue embarassment.
Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2007, at 13:50:12
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame, posted by Honore on July 14, 2007, at 10:23:21
Well, if it came down to it, I don't see that we couldn't all play. :) Seems like the most important part of the game is the questions, not the board pieces.
I laughed later the day I posted about The Key. Not that I don't frequently use that terminology (and not just with my therapist) for being on the other side of an ah-hah experience.
But it suddenly struck me that when I was telling him my reservations about using the Ungame, I likened it to a long married couple going to a key party.
Which made him laugh, but maybe also made him understand what I've been saying.
The funny thing was that after I said it, I realized it would be fun to have a key party of Babblers, and have a short experience with each others' therapists. But maybe not....
It would be fun if it were feasible to have a Psychology Board Babble Fest where we not only came ourselves but paid our therapists to fly over and have a Babble therapist convention of sorts.
Posted by confuzyq on July 15, 2007, at 15:23:49
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » confuzyq, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2007, at 10:18:18
Thanks, looks like a blast! If consistently being able to figure out my familys' reasoning could be annoying to them, they better prepare for some very bad cases of that lol. They might even have to break out the special-occasion-only peach schnapps for this one! ;o)
> My family and I laughed ourselves dizzy with Would You Rather
>
> http://www.amazon.com/Zobmondo%2521%2521-Would-You-Rather-Boardgame/dp/B000232ZK8/ref=pd_bbs_sr_2/102-2773771-9438552?ie=UTF8&s=toys-and-games&qid=1184512516&sr=8-2
>
> They're a little miffed at me because I'm too good at reasoning out their choices, but the answers are hilarious, and the challenges can be too, but allowing enough choices so that even I and my son can participate without undue embarassment.
Posted by OzLand on July 15, 2007, at 16:50:50
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame, posted by Dinah on July 13, 2007, at 22:48:14
The link worked; thanks. Now I know!
Posted by TherapyGirl on July 15, 2007, at 18:19:39
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » Honore, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2007, at 13:50:12
I love the idea of a convention of our Ts. Can you imagine what they would say to each other? Oh, to be a fly on the wall during those breakout sessions. LOL
Posted by Dinah on July 15, 2007, at 18:38:08
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » Dinah, posted by TherapyGirl on July 15, 2007, at 18:19:39
I can see it now.
"It's so good to finally meet someone who has had the same experiences in therapy" ;)
Posted by TherapyGirl on July 15, 2007, at 19:56:19
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » TherapyGirl, posted by Dinah on July 15, 2007, at 18:38:08
LOL.
And Daisy's T could be the keynote speaker...
"How to say the right things in therapy even when you don't know what the heck you're doing..."
Posted by sunnydays on July 15, 2007, at 21:22:49
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » Dinah, posted by TherapyGirl on July 15, 2007, at 19:56:19
Hey! My T's as good as Daisy's! :) But he doesn't like public speaking, I don't think, so maybe they can cohost?
:)
sunnydays
Posted by TherapyGirl on July 16, 2007, at 17:39:21
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » TherapyGirl, posted by sunnydays on July 15, 2007, at 21:22:49
I knew I was leaving some of the good ones out. :-)
Of course, your T should do a joint keynote presentation with Daisy's T.
Maybe my T and Dinah's could do breakout sessions. Mine is fabulous in moments, but right now lacks the consistency of yours and Daisy's.
Posted by Dinah on July 16, 2007, at 17:42:22
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » sunnydays, posted by TherapyGirl on July 16, 2007, at 17:39:21
> Maybe my T and Dinah's could do breakout sessions. Mine is fabulous in moments, but right now lacks the consistency of yours and Daisy's.
rofl.
I think my therapist and I ought to do a joint session on fighting to relationship. I don't know of anyone who's worked harder under more uncongenial circumstances than we have. I'm not sure we'd even like each other if we'd met outside therapy. Yet I adore him, and I think he's reasonably fond of me - after only twelve years.
Posted by TherapyGirl on July 16, 2007, at 18:12:37
In reply to Re: I ordered the Ungame » TherapyGirl, posted by Dinah on July 16, 2007, at 17:42:22
Excellent idea for a breakout session, Dinah. So the program so far is:
8-9 Keynote Address
How to Say the Perfect Thing in a Session
Even if You Don't Have Any Idea What to Say
or DoJoint Presentation
Daisy's T and Sunnyday's T9-11 Breakout Sessions
A. How to Be a Fabulous T in Moments
TherapyGirl's T
B. How to Fight to Relationship, Even if
You Wouldn't Like Each Other Outside of
Therapy
Panel Discussion featuring Dinah and
Dinah's T
C. How to Fight Your Possible Attraction to
Your Client and Still Do Good Therapy
HappyFlower/MyCupofTea/Slugdoo's TAnyone else?
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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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