Showing posts with label Therapy discussions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Therapy discussions. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 11, 2022

Therapy discussions - "Even if things get better they don't last."


Therapy discussions are composites and not a transcription of an actual conversation.

The 55 year old female client said, "My life has been just terrible. Bad things always happen to me. I'm on my third marriage and so many people in my life have died. I think my life is at an end. I can't take much more. It seems things are always terrible."

I said, "Golly, that sounds awful. It is amazing you've made it this far."

She said, "Yeah, I don't want to get up in the morning. Nothing ever goes right for me."

I said, "Never? Nothing has ever happened that's good in your life?"

"No," she said, "and even if things do go better they don't last."

I said, "I know what you mean. My brother told me one time, 'There's no such thing as gravity, the whole world sucks.'"

She looked at me as if she didn't believe I'd said this and laughed.

I laughed too. We laughed together at how bad things can be, and if you can laugh with someone, how bad can it be?


Monday, January 10, 2022

Therapy discussions, "I like villains better than heroes."


I met with a client (23) who told me when I asked him who his heroes are "I don't have heroes. I like the villains better."

I said, "That's interesting. Who are your favorite villains."

He thought a moment and said, "The Green Goblin." 

He then told me he didn't want to meet any  heroes because he is afraid he would be disappointed. Then he said to me "Never meet your heroes, Dave. They're never what you think they are."

I said, "That's very wise. I'm getting more out of this session than you are." 

And so, life is full of disappointment and disillusionment. It's not healthy to get your hopes up with unrealistic expectations. It seems that my client already has learned this and it is an important lesson that he reminded me of..