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Do therapists think about clients outside of session?
Yes, definitely. Sometimes in a healthy and helpful way, and sometimes in an overabundant, unhealthy way. For example, sometimes a therapist will think about a client who is attending a loved one’s funeral. They make a note of it to ask later how the client is feeling when it’s their next appointment. Of course. Therapist are people. Clients are people. Just as with any other relationship, we form much stronger bonds with some people than we do with others. If you feel genuinely cared for by your therapist, it’s real. It’s too hard to fake that. And the truth is that most therapists (myself and the therapists I refer to) care too much. We do think about you outside of session. We can notice if a client may be dissociated if we look out for the following cues: If the client feels in a fog. The client consistently asks therapist to repeat the questions. The client feels as though they are a long way away. If you believe you’re safe and comfortable with a hug from your therapist, it doesn’t hurt to ask for one. Of course, your therapist has a right to say no.
Do therapists think about me between sessions?
Your therapist’s relationship with you exists between sessions, even if you don’t communicate with each other. She thinks of your conversations, as well, continuing to reflect on key moments as the week unfolds. She may even reconsider an opinion she had or an intervention she made during a session. You want to see a therapist who you trust, respect, and believe has a good understanding of you and your symptoms, and you also want to get along with this person on an interpersonal level. A look can communicate so many things: compassion, caring, warmth. Your therapist’s hope is that if you meet their eyes, you’ll feel their positive regard for you. They want you to know you’re with someone who cares. They want you to know that how you feel and what you say matter to them. Psychotherapy is, for the most part, confidential. Patients of mental health providers like psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers reasonably expect that their in-therapy disclosures will remain private. So the best way to approach your therapist in public is to do as my patient’s friend suggested: Say hello. Most of us will simply return the greeting and look forward to seeing you back in the office. It’s okay to ask your therapist about their life. Any questions you have in therapy are valid and are likely relevant to the therapeutic process. Whether your therapist answers the question and shares personal information can depend on their individual personality, philosophy, and approach to your treatment.
Do therapists worry about their clients?
Although therapists are not obligated to show concern, care, or love to their clients, you should look for one that does. Find someone who wants to truly understand you, takes consideration of your whole context, and can empathize. Abuse shapes us in ways we may not even realize so you might not be sure where to even begin when bringing it up to your therapist. Take a minute and tell them you have a history of abuse to work through, but that you aren’t sure how to begin. Your therapist’s job is to help guide you through it. You have specific rights when disclosing your diagnosis as a client receiving therapy. For example, it’s your right to ask your therapist to tell you if they believe you have a mental health condition. If you want a diagnosis, you can ask your therapist upfront. There are a few situations that may require a therapist to break confidentiality: If the client may be an immediate danger to themself or another. If the client is endangering another who cannot protect themself, as in the case of a child, a person with a disability, or elder abuse.
How often do therapists have feelings for clients?
70 percent of therapists had felt sexually attracted to a client at some point; 25 percent fantasized about having a romantic relationship. However, actual relationships were very rare: only three percent had started a sexual relationship with a client. So clients often have feelings for their therapists that are like the ones that children have towards their parents. Sometimes it feels like falling in love. Transference is completely natural and normal, and it can enhance the experience of therapy significantly. You may be surprised to know that what you are experiencing with your therapist isn’t uncommon. In fact, what you are likely experiencing is a phenomenon known as “erotic transference,” which is when a person experiences feelings of love or fantasies of a sexual or sensual nature about his or her therapist. Transference [3] is when the client becomes fixated on the therapist. More often than not, this fixation is sexual. It involves more than just acknowledging the client’s attractiveness to the therapist and can lead to inappropriate behaviour on the client’s part that violates therapeutic boundaries.
Do therapists ever become friends with their clients?
Client-therapist friendships can be unethical, according to codes of ethics from many bodies that govern therapists, including the American Psychological Association [APA]. By becoming friends with a client, a therapist can risk disciplinary action from governing bodies or losing licensure. While it’s not considered unethical to see friends of friends, some therapists would prefer not to do that given the sanctity of each relationship. In some cases, a therapist will choose not to work with two people who are close with each other if they truly feel they cannot remain impartial. There are a few situations that may require a therapist to break confidentiality: If the client may be an immediate danger to themself or another. If the client is endangering another who cannot protect themself, as in the case of a child, a person with a disability, or elder abuse. Although therapists are not obligated to show concern, care, or love to their clients, you should look for one that does. Find someone who wants to truly understand you, takes consideration of your whole context, and can empathize. Therapists are human beings with emotions just like everyone else, and there are times when showing emotion in session can really help the client. One of the most important jobs a therapist has is to model a healthy interpersonal relationship, and there are no healthy interpersonal human relationships without emotion.
Do therapists develop feelings for their patients?
It’s not uncommon for therapists to have feelings for clients, and vice versa—call it transference, countertransference, or something else. But we have to remember that it’s the therapist’s job to meet the client’s therapeutic needs and goals, not the therapist’s own personal or professional wants and needs. In almost every instance, therapy is absolutely confidential. You therapist is required to maintain confidentiality about everything said in sessions between the two of you, just like a doctor is required to keep your records private. Findings revealed that therapists have strong emotional and behavioral responses to a patient’s dissociation in session, which include anxiety, feelings of aloneness, retreat into one’s own subjectivity and alternating patterns of hyperarousal and mutual dissociation. Your therapist’s relationship with you exists between sessions, even if you don’t communicate with each other. She thinks of your conversations, as well, continuing to reflect on key moments as the week unfolds. She may even reconsider an opinion she had or an intervention she made during a session. Looking ahead. Sharing something you think is too sensitive or personal can be uncomfortable. But know you’re not alone in thinking you’ve disclosed too much in therapy. When this happens, it can help to explore why you think you’ve overshared and talk it over with your therapist. 2.0. Privilege belongs to patient. The therapist-patient privilege belongs to the patient. In legal terms, it is like a piece of property.
What do therapists think of you?
And don’t worry: the biggest, most central thing on your therapist’s mind is going to be YOU. Most of her attention will be focused on simply listening to you, and really wanting to get a good sense of who you are, and how you experience your life. After you unpack your feelings, your therapist might provide you with some insight in response or help you deconstruct and synthesize what you just shared. They also might give you a task or something to think about if they think it’s important for your process. Your first session will probably involve your therapist asking you a lot of questions about you, how you cope, and your symptoms (it’s basically an interview). You may also chat about goals for therapy, expectations, and more. Can I ask My Therapist What He/She Thinks of Me? Yes, you can, and yes you should. This is a reasonable question to ask a therapist, and any good therapist will be happy to answer. Knowing that you can say anything to your therapist and it will remain in the room helps you feel safe and builds trust between you and the therapist. For this reason, all therapists are legally and ethically bound to keep their sessions confidential and not share with anyone else what was talked about. Psychotherapy is, for the most part, confidential. Patients of mental health providers like psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers reasonably expect that their in-therapy disclosures will remain private.
Are therapists allowed to tell their therapists about patients?
Psychologists may disclose confidential information with the client’s permission or as mandated by law. When talking with colleagues, psychologists should not disclose confidential information that reasonably could lead to the identification of a client, unless they have obtained the prior consent of the person. Generally, the motion may state that the psychologist is ethically obligated not to produce the confidential records or test data or to testify, unless compelled by the court or with the consent of the client. The following situations typically legally obligate therapists to break confidentiality and seek outside assistance: Detailed planning of future suicide attempts. Other concrete signs of suicidal intent. Planned violence towards others. The following situations typically legally obligate therapists to break confidentiality and seek outside assistance: Detailed planning of future suicide attempts. Other concrete signs of suicidal intent. Planned violence towards others. Therapists often jot down the significant dates, names of important people, and descriptions of symptoms. This becomes even more important when documenting information that could be written up in an abuse report or other legal proceedings.