People like to talk about how therapy is the safe haven for all your
problems, but I want to give some helpful tips about the negatives I've
experienced to show that it's not always true: your therapist will say
you can talk about anything, but be ve...
View more
People like to talk about how therapy is the safe haven for all your
problems, but I want to give some helpful tips about the negatives I've
experienced to show that it's not always true: your therapist will say
you can talk about anything, but be very careful. If you start talking
about other issues beside what you are originally there for, be prepared
to have your therapy terminated by the therapist at any time and be sent
back to your GP. if your therapist starts talking about working with
others, it's their flowery way of telling you they can't/won't be
treating you for much longer because they're referring you to someone
else. remember that to your therapist you are just a job; don't bother
telling them they make you feel safe, loved, happy, etc... because they
don't and can't legitimately accept those feelings and you'll be
devastated when they're not reciprocated (also see point 1). your
therapist is always taking notes about you and how to appear - and you
should do the same about them. Either during or after each session, note
down whatever you think about what they've said or how they've said it,
such as if they're wrong about something. consider using a recording
device (even just your phone) to record the session for your own benefit
and so you can refer back to something you or they have said. You can
start recording and shove it in your pocket before each session. don't
be intimidated or pressured into revealing what you've written about the
session or your therapist, or that you're even doing so. don't be
intimidated or pressured into saying something you're not sure of or you
might regret later. If you're not sure about something, say you're not
sure or have to think about it some more, and between sessions think
about why they're asking, your possible answers, how your answer is
going to be perceived as a reflection of yourself, and if you even want
to answer at all. don't feel as though you need to go through the entire
"termination process" if you or they terminate therapy. It's your choice
to leave at any point; you're under no obligation to be there if you
don't want to be. be extremely careful about doing or saying anything
which may be perceived by your therapist as you being in imminent
danger, especially based on your mood, because they may try to
physically restrain you which could be severely distressing. ask them to
be unambiguously clear about what they mean if you don't understand.
CBT, positive thinking, changing your thinking, is it possible
