Posted by Dinah on November 11, 2002, at 8:28:10
In reply to Difficult clients » Dinah, posted by mair on November 10, 2002, at 20:56:36
I think you're right Mair. I'm probably not as difficult as I think I am. At least that's what my therapist tells me.
But I do think I'm a much more difficult client than you are. :) I'm not just talking about therapeutic progress, although I confess that he told me after I had begun to trust him at five years, that he had from time to time considered whether he could help me during those five years.
I'm more talking about my challenging him constantly, not letting him get away with vague statements. Taking offense very easily and letting him know it. And mostly the phone calls. When I have a meltdown I might call him five or six times. Never long phone calls, and mostly left on his machine, but I'm sure they're annoying. Especially since I am not at my most rational at the time. Then there are the times I internally battle over calling him and call and hang up before anyone answers several times. He knows about these because he has caller ID.
He has chosen to take a compassionate stance towards the phone calls and reassures me that they are not a bother. I never call in the middle of the night or anything. He says that he sees them as a measure of my distress. But I'm not sure most therapists would choose to take that stance. :(
poster:Dinah
thread:1493
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20021109/msgs/1511.html