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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 9 of 9. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 10:37:59
I usually go to my T once a week - but in the case of emergencies or severe ruptures I've gone in for an 'extra' session. Anyway, in my last session my T suggested I might want to consider going twice a week on a more regular basis. I guess this suggestion does not surprise me, and I'm pretty amenable to the idea. We've been doing a lot of tough work recently and I always have too much to talk about in each session. One of my problems is in putting too much 'pressure' on each session - worrying that it has to be the perfect encapsulation of my thoughts and feelings for the week. So I guess I see various ways in going twice a week could possibly help.
I scheduled a second appointment for this week.
So I guess I'd be interested to know if any others made the switch from one a week to twice a week? Was it temporary? Did it help in any way?
Thanks,
Recently
Posted by Dinah on February 4, 2009, at 10:57:16
In reply to Twice a Week., posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 10:37:59
Twice a week therapy is not once a week therapy twice a week.
It is something totally and completely different.
Where once a week therapy often involves a catalog of what happened that week IRL, and a recap of the prior session, twice a week therapy has tons more continuity. I find myself picking up where I left off the previous week, which lets us go way deeper.
In fact, it's so much a different experience that I find once a week therapy annoying. After Katrina, my therapist moved three hours away, but was in town one day a week. We tried having double length sessions, but that was not at all a good solution. So once a week, when I could, I'd take a day off and drive to see him. When I was really busy at work, and couldn't do that, we tried to schedule mid week phone calls.
Eventually, he did move back. But I'm left with the strong belief that twice a week therapy is far far more helpful for me than once a week therapy.
But your mileage may vary, of course.
Posted by raisinb on February 4, 2009, at 11:43:59
In reply to Twice a Week., posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 10:37:59
I switched from once to twice a week after about 2 and a half years of therapy. It is something completely different, as Dinah said. I like it more--it's enabled me to have a much deeper relationship with my therapist.
Freud, who often saw his patients five or six days a week, used to talk of the "Monday crust" that he had to break through after a day or two off.
I think I used to have a "week's crust." I noticed I used to be traumatized, sad, or rejected, or full of love or longing after sessions. Then as the week went on I'd eventually get angry at her. This is how I learned how often I used anger as a defense mechanism against self-hatred and vulnerability.
I am angry much less often at twice a week. And when I am, I can differentiate between justified anger at a crossed limit and anger as a defense.
I do have a caveat, though. When I first started going twice a week, it didn't take long to enter a suicidal depression. It was the longest (3+ months) and worst I'd ever gone through. It was absolutely awful and I think it was in part a consequence of that twice a week therapy.
As I look back, though, I realize it was a developmental stage. That depression was a kind of break in myself. I emerged a substantially different person. Sometimes I look back (it was less than a year ago that it started) and can't even understand the person I was before it.
What I'm getting at is that going twice a week moved me deeper, more quickly into something I think I needed to go through anyway. And might have been inevitable. I am glad it happened now because it pushed me to change in ways I didn't think possible. But it wasn't any picnic.
So my advice to you is that more therapy will definitely have an effect--and a good one--but perhaps be prepared for it to be harder in some ways.
Posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2009, at 11:48:41
In reply to Re: Twice a Week. » Recently, posted by raisinb on February 4, 2009, at 11:43:59
I know when going mine was only every few weeks and she forgot what we had even discussed last session probably why stopped going. It was start all over again. Not good. I'd think twice a week would be good. Love Phillipa
Posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 17:44:37
In reply to Re: Twice a Week. » Recently, posted by Dinah on February 4, 2009, at 10:57:16
>
> Where once a week therapy often involves a catalog of what happened that week IRL, and a recap of the prior session, twice a week therapy has tons more continuity. I find myself picking up where I left off the previous week, which lets us go way deeper.
>I think the continuity aspect of going more frequently appeals to me too. I feel like I often leave many 'loose threads' that never get picked up again. I am anxious to see how it goes.
Recently
Posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 17:50:16
In reply to Re: Twice a Week. » Recently, posted by raisinb on February 4, 2009, at 11:43:59
>
> Freud, who often saw his patients five or six days a week, used to talk of the "Monday crust" that he had to break through after a day or two off.
>
>
I had never heard of the 'Monday crust' concept, but it really does make a lot of sense. And I think it's applicable to my experience.>
> What I'm getting at is that going twice a week moved me deeper, more quickly into something I think I needed to go through anyway. And might have been inevitable. I am glad it happened now because it pushed me to change in ways I didn't think possible. But it wasn't any picnic.
>
> So my advice to you is that more therapy will definitely have an effect--and a good one--but perhaps be prepared for it to be harder in some ways.
<Thank you for your perspective. It's good to think about it that way. Speeding everything up - both the good and the bad consequences of therapy...
Recently
Posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 17:51:29
In reply to Twice a Week., posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 10:37:59
Posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 17:52:47
In reply to Re: Twice a Week. » raisinb, posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2009, at 11:48:41
I feel like my T forgets what I've said sometimes after only a week. I can't imagine going every few weeks - that must've been difficult.
Recently
Posted by Phillipa on February 4, 2009, at 21:35:07
In reply to Re: Twice a Week. » Phillipa, posted by Recently on February 4, 2009, at 17:52:47
In a word it was ridiculous Hence stopped what was the point? Love Phillipa
This is the end of the thread.
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