Quote:
Originally Posted by hopealwayz
This is what I wonder if I struggle with:
BEWARE THE DANGERS OF THE “GOOD CLIENT” MASK Let’s start with the paradox right at the heart of psychotherapy: working too hard to be a “good” client will limit what you get out of it. If working hard means being compliant and taking in what your therapist says without question, you’re in for a long, dry, and not very productive process. Working hard could mean different things to different people. But whatever it is that you think you’re supposed to be doing in therapy, if you restrict yourself to it, your progress will certainly be limited. In fact, to make progress you may need to work harder at being a “bad” client. Trying hard in therapy by doing only what you think you’re supposed to be doing would be like wearing a mask in your session.
Maybe I should share this with T?
|
The first time I read this I went yep, this is me (which it is) and I thought T would challenge it because he challenges resistance... but I got to thinking more on it... I think it would be a relief to him for me to push back against him so he knew I was strong enough to challenge him if he is wrong/something doesn’t fit especially since I tend to be very submissive to men...
BUT... IRL... I try too hard to be the good wife, the good friend, the good mother, the good pet owner, the good employee..... so is it really untherapeutic that I carry that perfectionism and lack of inmate self worth into therapy as well? Maybe if I figure out that I can be the good enough client and T won’t fire me (I have been fired by three T’s and a Pdoc... so insecurity is high)... that might carry over into being a good enough employee, a good enough parent, a good enough....
So, maybe trying to be the good client isn’t SO bad?