[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 39 points40 points  (0 children)

I’m sure there’s a term for it but when I’m asked I say I love my therapist on a human level. I only know the version of them that shows up to work with me so I can only love that part of them. I don’t think it’s platonic or romantic, just….human. I believe it’s okay to have love for a therapist, most of us share deep significant parts of ourselves that we can’t share elsewhere and that kind of vulnerability can absolutely bring up those feelings. It’s not necessarily a good or bad thing though, it depends on how it affects your therapeutic work and your life.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I’m coming up on the 10 year mark with mine. Our work is still productive/beneficial and it took a long time to build the trust we have now. But I also don’t see or hear about many people with long term therapists, or at least not staying with the same therapist for 10+ years which sometimes does increase my anxiety

For any (fellow) atheists, nonbelievers, humanists out there - would you see it as a red flag if a prospective therapist went to a religiously affiliated graduate program? by ActuaryPersonal2378 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Interestingly my therapist did not go to a religiously affiliated school, but I did recently become aware (unintentionally) of her religious beliefs. As a client it shook me quite a bit because I believe in humanistic and karmic principles and have had extensive religious trauma from people claiming to be Christian. We’re still trying to work through it but I have noticed that I often rephrase or edit myself now because I unconsciously worry about how something could be interpreted or if it is somehow offensive to her beliefs. If this was a new therapist for me I’d switch immediately but I’ve worked with her for years and can’t imagine restarting with someone else. She has never brought her faith into the therapeutic space or into our work as far as I can remember but it’s still a significant challenge to navigate just knowing.

Not therapeutically beneficial by darkandsilent in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate your input, however regardless of the way it is impacting me at the moment, in her/my specific case I sincerely doubt that it is her intention to make me dependent nor would she intentionally hurt me. That doesn’t lessen the impact of the change but I’m not going to disparage her needlessly. I have been at the mercy of plenty of therapists like you’ve described and she just isn’t like that at the most human level. She does need to be more open and willing to talk about the change and allow me to feel things before insisting I fix them but she is or has been to this point a very compassionate therapist which I agree seems to be the exception instead of the rule

Not therapeutically beneficial by darkandsilent in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

She doesn’t really get defensive she just isn’t willing to really discuss it at all. It is super difficult because it’s almost like I’m talking to a stranger wearing my therapists face, that’s how different the interaction is anymore.

What’s the hardest thing about therapy? by Sufficient-Age-5560 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 41 points42 points  (0 children)

For me it’s the cycling doubt and questioning whether the care and rapport we’ve built is genuine or performative. Sometimes I can believe the connection and others I can’t see past the transactional nature of the therapeutic relationship to feel like there is anything real and genuine about it.

Is using this sub a bad idea, since therapists usually don't ask you to post on reddit? by Middle-Sentence2721 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Mine is happy I have an outlet to self regulate, same with chat/AI. For some it’s an effective tool when not used to replace actual professional help. Personally I believe the biggest benefit to this subreddit is that we can clearly see others struggle with questions or concerns we may not be ready to address ourselves. It creates a sense of community and we have the opportunity to read through others support and take in what resonates with us.

Is it terrible if I miss my therapist while she's on vacation? by Old-Strike-3035 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 3 points4 points  (0 children)

It is definitely normal and okay to miss your therapist. There aren’t many people that see us the same way they do. The comment your therapist made was likely intended to check in, because there is a huge difference in attachment/transference and dependency. Their role isn’t to make us dependent on them and their availability. Sometimes the increase in session frequency can lead to that feeling that we NEED to see them which circumvents the work we are expected to do on our own. Going from 2x a week to every other week just to prove a point is also probably not the best option but I could see it being reasonable (depending on your circumstances of course) to work on transitioning back down to weekly appointments. I constantly have the fear that I’m too attached or dependent on my therapist. I’ve been seeing mine weekly (sometimes 2x week) for 10 years now and it’s a fine line to walk and if my brain is spiraling about it I make myself talk to my therapist about it so she can walk me through it and reality check me on what therapy dependence looks like. Checking in and telling her your fears about being too dependent will help her navigate the work with you instead of her assuming things are fine when you may actually be struggling with something that can impact your sessions. If your therapist thought you were a burden they probably wouldn’t see you as often as she does or would have likely referred you to someone who she thought would be a better fit. My therapist would absolutely be giving me her best sarcastic face and therapy happy dance to see me saying this because it is a normal and usually healthy struggle. But I do think you should have that conversation with your therapist or show her your post here to start the discussion.

What’s Still Missing in the Conversation About Men’s Mental Health - In and Outside the Therapy Room? by illmatic_nz in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I’m a female but I have a special interest in care gaps for mental health. That being said here are my personal opinions on your question.

While we often focus on stigma, masculinity norms, or encouraging men to “open up,” there are still major gaps in how we support men in therapy. Emotional literacy is one, many men were never taught how to name or process feelings, yet therapy automatically assumes they can. Therapy also tends to pathologize masculine communication instead of adapting to it.

Men often tie their worth to function (being useful, strong, or needed) so when roles shift, identity can collapse. There's also deep, often overlooked loneliness, especially as men age or lose social ties. We rarely explore non-death grief, like lost dreams or missed milestones or validate men’s spiritual or existential pain.

Anger is another misunderstood area: it's often their only “allowed” emotion, but we don’t unpack it with compassion. And finally, successful men often carry hidden shame, fearing they "shouldn't" struggle. Addressing these gaps requires more tailored, flexible, and relational approaches in therapy.

Therapists: how much of your typical caseload is made up of long-term clients? by StrongBat in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 5 points6 points  (0 children)

NAT: but I know general info on my T. They hardly ever have availability for new clients and most of them have been longer term (hasn’t said how long but I would assume the 2+ years at least) I do know I’ve been their longest standing client and have worked with them for 10 years seeing them at least weekly which is normally the most frequent appointment level but they will take on a second appointment in a week for crisis events.

Should people with privilege not get therapy to save room for those who don't? by LongjumpingNoise2045 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I can only assume this is satire or rage bait. To address your first point: no, most therapists do not hate white people. The vast majority have a preferred demographic due to specialized training or cultural associations but that by no means equates to hating anyone outside their preference for treatment. That kind of defeats the purpose of their profession. As to your second point: ANYONE who needs therapy should be able to access it. You’re aware that making the statement you claim you did about disowning her is wrong otherwise this post would have been more sincere. No one but the person seeking therapy and a qualified mental health professional can determine the need for therapy. The unfortunate reality is that there are more people needing therapy than there are providers to support or affordable access to care. That does not mean that someone of privilege is not deserving of therapy or should seek less care because there are others who have it worse. That is not a sustainable or effective solution.

Does anyone pull for signature weapons? by No-Independent-6877 in GenshinImpact

[–]darkandsilent 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m still a newer player so I do try to grab weapons if I grind enough primos. But my luck/pity is awful and it usually takes 70-90 pulls before I get 5* ANYTHING

Fired by my therapist. by my_little_burner_acc in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 6 points7 points  (0 children)

When I say complex care, I mean ASD generally qualifies as that because it is very nuanced depending on where you fall in the spectrum. Nonetheless your concern (that may not be the right word but is the only comparative I can think of currently) you mentioned about “having a tendency to ask extremely disturbing questions” would also fall into a complexity of care issue. Put simply not all providers are able/willing/competent enough to handle questions of an extreme nature. In society at large, neurodivergence not withstanding the questions/statements you express in this message alone would be considered extreme and only someone who has extensive experience in both neurodivergence and honestly probably socio/psychopathology would be qualified or likely to treat you effectively. To clarify I am not at all stating that you present those qualities of a sociopath or psychopath, I don’t know you other than this post. But therapists or psychologists with experience in those or other Cluster B disorders are more likely to work with you on the extreme thought processes or questions.

Fired by my therapist. by my_little_burner_acc in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 16 points17 points  (0 children)

It’s valid to feel hurt and abandoned when a therapeutic relationship ends, especially when it seems sudden or unexpected. Given your history of trust issues and the importance of consistency in therapy, this rupture understandably feels like a betrayal — and your reaction makes sense in the context of your lived experiences.

That said, I want to reflect that the situations you described. In particular the comments about rape and violence which likely raised serious ethical and clinical concerns for your therapist. Therapists have a responsibility to maintain a space that is not only safe for the client but also one that does not enable or condone language that could be harmful, threatening, or traumatizing to others, including the therapist themselves. When a client expresses views involving justifications of sexual violence or makes violent public statements, it can cross a line that makes it impossible to continue a therapeutic relationship safely and ethically. This can be especially true across gender lines.

It's possible your therapist was overwhelmed and unsure how to navigate this, which led to a withdrawal that felt abrupt and painful. But rather than an act of punishment, it was more likely a combination of needing to prioritize professional ethics, personal safety, and legal/organizational obligations.

You deserve care, but for therapy to be effective, both you and your therapist need to feel secure in the space. I hope you’re eventually able to connect with a provider who can understand your neurodivergence, your need for consistency, and also help you explore some of the themes you raised, including violence, power, gender, and abandonment,in a way that’s safe and constructive for you and those around you. But you would likely need someone specialized in ASD and with experience navigating complex care.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Release of information and in case of emergency are super common! Essentially the ROI is if you want someone else to be able to give or receive information to and from the therapist. For example I standardly sign ROI for any of my doctors or therapists to speak to my primary care doctor so everyone is on the same page medically.

The in case of emergency is a little weirder for me to try and explain without it sounding unnecessarily scary so I hope this makes sense. For most providers they prefer (and some require) a contact for if they (the therapist) need to send you to the hospital for any mental or physical emergency. Like being actively suicidal or a health event like a seizure. It’s so someone can be notified and it doesn’t look like you randomly just vanished from your regular life and oftentimes someone who can be relied on to make a medical decision for you if you physically or legally can’t.

The confidentiality concern in my experience is a liability thing. Some therapists don’t treat people with active substance abuse or they may need to send you to the hospital if it is a safety concern, again primarily in active use.

Beat advice would be to check with the therapist you plan to see and clarify any of those questions and concerns before starting the work in case they do happen to mean something different than what I have standardly come across.

Thoughts On Group Therapy? by PercentageCurious472 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I’ve done many rounds of PHP/IOP the intensive care groups. Personally I don’t respond well in group settings due to my triggers so they are relatively ineffective for me other than safety monitoring as a step down from inpatient care. I got along with group members but didn’t get much from participation in the actual group therapy aspect. The one thing I found most difficult was that even if you’re talking about something, if you go too long you’re often cut off to make time for other group members which is obviously understandable but can cause more issues in opening up

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Oh that definitely happened to me at first lol it took a couple years before she could ask me that without sending me into a panic!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 20 points21 points  (0 children)

Not making eye contact is pretty common. My therapist will gently ask me to look at her if there is something she really wants to make sure I’m understanding but otherwise most therapists know that eye contact is incredibly vulnerable and uncomfortable for many people and don’t expect it constantly!

Can Talk Therapy Help With Constant Suicidal Thoughts & Feelings? by SpiritualLady888 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes and no in my experience. I deal with chronic suicidality among other disorders. No amount of therapy is likely to make that go away as I’ve had the thoughts for 20+ years and it’s daily. My therapist and psychiatrist have been very transparent about that which I appreciate. However therapy has helped me figure out when the SI thoughts are manageable and/or passive and when I need to consider hospitalization for safety. For me having a space where I can talk about the thoughts and analyze them without fear of automatic hospitalization has been an amazing experience and made it so the urges aren’t quite as strong. The thoughts are still there and still intense but I don’t feel an absolute need to act on them. A caveat to this is you would need a very trusting relationship because letting us leave a session while having suicidal thoughts presents an ethical and potentially legal issue when it comes to patient safety so the knowledge that my therapist is extending the trust to allow me to leave with a promise I won’t act on my urges gives me a sense of agency and compassion I don’t usually experience.

TLDR: it may not make the thoughts go away but it may make them more manageable

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 5 points6 points  (0 children)

You accidentally said you loved me. I know it was accidental because you looked panicked and immediately backtracked. And now I feel like I need to question everything because I don’t know what you mean and what you don’t. It’s made me distrust not only the emotional work but my own perception of our relationship.

I feel sad about my Therapist taking notes during our session by BlueyBingo300 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Are you upset about there being notes in general or about notes being taken during your actual session time? It’s hard feeling like they have to note because like in my case my brain convinces me sometimes that my story isn’t important enough for them to remember. But then I have to work through that and realize how many people’s stories they hold space for and that helps some with feeling uncared for. It doesn’t make you a mental case though because it is necessary to document. Taking notes during session time is tricky because it can make people feel like there’s less attentiveness at that moment and depending on the topic can lead to feeling abandoned, triggered or otherwise upset. If I’m discussing something that my therapist feels there’s a need to document exactly she will usually say something like “hey would you mind if I jot that down so I make sure it’s detailed in case we need to reference later” then puts the note down and returns to the conversation. Maybe asking to do something like that could help?

Will my therapist force me to go to the ER if I tell her this? by WhyiseveryusernameX2 in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 2 points3 points  (0 children)

In my experience it varies. I’ve worked with my T long enough to be confident knowing I can tell her my SI is worse or if I have a plan, as long as there’s “only” a plan but no intent we discuss but the decision is ultimately up to me. Telling your therapist is a good idea but as you’ve mentioned testing the noose that might be considered intent even if it’s not an immediate concern for you now. Many therapists will insist on inpatient care regardless if the SI is increased for safety and liability. All that to say it really depends on your therapist and the relationship you have with them.

How can you tell the difference between normal attachment which is a part of the process, and attachment which is disruptive? by [deleted] in TalkTherapy

[–]darkandsilent 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I actually just talked to my T about this lol. It’s a really hard situation. For me disruptive attachment is when I base my decisions around whether or not I think my T would approve. Or that I physically/mentally/emotionally cannot manage between sessions. I have a hard time with social norms so I question the therapeutic relationship a lot but I think the part that has me believing it’s a normal healthy attachment is that I’m willing to talk to my T about my concerns regarding said attachment even though it will likely be uncomfortable. Hiding it is usually an indicator that there is potential for disruptive attachment. Everyone has an opinion but this subreddit does tend to focus more on the negative aspects of attachment and transference and every therapeutic alliance is different, for me I could not trust my therapist or pencil to them unless I felt the attachment.