Anxiety Support Group
Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...
I'm a college student who will be headed home for summer break. I have been seeing a therapist at school for the past 9 months for an eating disorder, OCD, and anxiety. Now that I am going home for the next 3 months, I wont be able to see her, since I go to school out of state.
I am debating whether to go back to my old therapist (let's call her L). I saw L last year for around 9 months, and only stopped seeing her because I went back to school. I am thinking about calling her up and seeing if she'd be willing to see me over the summer, but I am feeling nervous about going back to an old therapist. It just seems like we closed the books, sort of, and it'd be weird to open it back up again. That, and I worry she won't want to deal with me. While I have made a little progress I feel like I haven't really made all that much...I am still dealing with the same fears, struggling with my weight, etc. I worry she will see me as a failure or a "difficult case" and won't want to deal with me.
But at the same time, I sort of feel afraid not being in therapy. I actually enjoy going because I know I will have an hour every week to talk about whatever is bothering me. I worry this means I am dependent on having a therapist. I've been in therapy for about 17 months straight now, and I worry this is too long...how long do people usually stay in therapy? I know the answer probably varies. I am just worried I am being "needy" by wanting to stay in therapy.
Sorry this was so long, I just really don't know whether I should call up L, or take a break from therapy until fall. I know nobody can make the decision for me, but I could use some advice, if you have any to offer. Thanks so much for reading.
I am debating whether to go back to my old therapist (let's call her L). I saw L last year for around 9 months, and only stopped seeing her because I went back to school. I am thinking about calling her up and seeing if she'd be willing to see me over the summer, but I am feeling nervous about going back to an old therapist. It just seems like we closed the books, sort of, and it'd be weird to open it back up again. That, and I worry she won't want to deal with me. While I have made a little progress I feel like I haven't really made all that much...I am still dealing with the same fears, struggling with my weight, etc. I worry she will see me as a failure or a "difficult case" and won't want to deal with me.
But at the same time, I sort of feel afraid not being in therapy. I actually enjoy going because I know I will have an hour every week to talk about whatever is bothering me. I worry this means I am dependent on having a therapist. I've been in therapy for about 17 months straight now, and I worry this is too long...how long do people usually stay in therapy? I know the answer probably varies. I am just worried I am being "needy" by wanting to stay in therapy.
Sorry this was so long, I just really don't know whether I should call up L, or take a break from therapy until fall. I know nobody can make the decision for me, but I could use some advice, if you have any to offer. Thanks so much for reading.
One thing I have learned is that we all move at different speeds when it comes to therapy and you can't rush it. Whatever speed you are moving at is the right speed for you and any good therapist knows this. They may push you a little (sometimes a lot) in order to get you to move forward but they still know they need to wait for you to be ready.
My advice to you is to call your previous therapist and setup an appointment. You can go a few times and if you feel it doesn't feel right to see her again then you can decide to stop until you get back to school. You always have choices.
Take care
Can you use the services of both under what medical plan pays for therapy?
Can one be a consulting therapist? It would be beneficial for one to know what they other is doing to help you.
I hope you can figure out what is best for you. It will be easier to make a decision once you know what insurance will allow.
i also recommend you contact your previous therapist and just set up an appt. Then please share all these feelings and questions you have with her. It's important to talk about your fears and worries - that's part of the therapeutic process. You don't have to figure it all out by yourself. you may want to talk to your previous' therapist about her contacting your college therapist to facilitate the transition now (if you stay) and when returning to school. Take care.
You see your doctor as needed, your chiropractor, dentist, attorney, etc. Therapists are the same. You wouldn't feel bad if you got bronchitis three years in a row or if you needed a cavity filled, right?
And most often the issues we have tend to be chronic. Back aches, headaches, scoliosis, etc. Over the years, our doctors help us manage these things and when we have an issue we go back for more advice or ideas.
Mental health is the same - anxiety, depression, OCD, etc. can be long battles and therapists know that. Their job is to help you manage it so you can have the best life possible.
Everyone works differently with their therapist. For me, when things are going well, I'll check in a couple times a year just to fine tune. When things are more challenging, I'll go every couple of weeks and if I have a major event I'll go weekly.
Think about how you're feeling. Certainly if you feel you can manage you can tell your therapist you'd like to see how it goes and you'll call if you need a session.
There is no time that is "too long" to be in therapy. Things like anxiety, OCD, and eating disorders are often a lifelong (or at least a long-term) struggle, and even those without specific diagnoses can benefit greatly from having an objective third party to discuss life events with. You never have to justify the desire to see a therapist - not even to the therapist.
You also shouldn't worry about your old therapist being disappointed or thinking you're too difficult because you're not "cured." Likely they'll be thrilled that you're continuing with therapy - it's common for people to start and stop, or to give up if they don't feel that they're making progress quickly enough. That you're continuing to try and work on yourself shows that you are a strong person, and your former therapist will likely be very amenable to working with you while you are home, assuming that there is time in their client load.
Additionally, definitely check out whether or not your school therapist does phone or Skype sessions if you prefer their counsel. They might not, but it's worth a shot.
Definitely stick with it, and good luck!
Therapy is a good outlet to have if you are having anxiety and other stuff but it's only good if you are learning skills to better cope. Cause isn't that the goal :)
My school therapist can't do Skype or phone sessions. I wish she could, but I am honestly not so sure it would be all that helpful anyway. I still haven't called my therapist back at home, but now I am worrying about transportation. I am not sure I will have a way to get to my appointments, so I am trying to figure that out before I decide whether or not to call.
Thank you all again for taking the time to reply. It means a lot!
Wretched, I know, but what can you do about that?
The funny thing is this: therapy will relate and help, but the work the patient must do.
In essence, you can take all of the prior lessons learned from therapy and still apply them to your everyday life without seeing a therapist.
I myself find often that if a patient is very sick, during the first period that easily can last months and years, then the patient does not grasp significant strides, significant setbacks, and significant lessons.
Due to PTSD I am learning that in the past I reacted to soooo many people because I was reliving a crime, now only to wonder how I could have made such fatal mistakes, then attempting to tell myself that I simply did not know and that a disease stopped me from getting to the correct goals. Very strange
I completely agree with you... it definitely can take awhile to actually start to get anything out of therapy sessions. I know for me personally, it takes awhile just to develop trust with the clinician. I do feel I have made some progress in the past few months of therapy, which is why I hate to stop...I just don't know if I go back to my old therapist if we will pick up right where we left off, or if it will be like starting all over again.
I am glad to hear therapy has been useful for you in understanding your past and how it affects you today, and I hope that you continue to heal :)