advertisement
Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Lourdes22
New Member
Lourdes22 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jun 2019
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4
3 yr Member
1 hugs
given
Confused Jun 20, 2019 at 11:50 AM
  #1
During last week's session, we revisited some traumatic stuff I've worked on before. I felt like I handled it well and didn't get upset. Out of nowhere, my T said: "Lourdes, where are you right now, are you O.K.?" I responded with yes I'm fine and my T started making small talk about the weather and other trivial things. What happened here? It was near the end of the session, but I've worked with her for two years, and she never asked me this or ended this way.
Lourdes22 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote

advertisement
Eliza Jane
Grand Member
Eliza Jane has no updates.
 
Member Since: Feb 2010
Posts: 761
10 yr Member
10 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 07:44 PM
  #2
My therapist asked me something similar when she was concerned I was dissociating. Maybe that’s why she asked?
Eliza Jane is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
feralkittymom, Lourdes22
nottrustin
Grand Magnate
 
nottrustin's Avatar
nottrustin has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: n/a
Posts: 4,819
10 yr Member
375 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 08:02 PM
  #3
I wonder if she suspected you were either disasociated or at least on the verge. Maybe she wanted to keep you grounded and make sure you were really okay? Did the small talk include her asking you questions?

Once Emdr did this and started talking about chocolate cake.we ended up with a strange conversation about snack foods.

__________________

nottrustin is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
feralkittymom, Lourdes22
SalingerEsme
Grand Poohbah
 
SalingerEsme's Avatar
SalingerEsme has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jul 2017
Location: Neverland
Posts: 1,805
5 yr Member
4,957 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 08:04 PM
  #4
Yes, I feel fairly sure she was concerned you were dissociating. I never though I could learn not to do that, but over the years my T taught me techniques to stay present. She sounds like a well trained T.

__________________
Living things don’t all require/ light in the same degree. Louise Gluck
SalingerEsme is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
feralkittymom, Lourdes22
SheHulk07
Magnate
 
SheHulk07's Avatar
SheHulk07 Soft kitty, warm kitty, little ball of fur
 
Member Since: Oct 2013
Location: CO
Posts: 2,305
10 yr Member
871 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 08:53 PM
  #5
My T asks me this almost every session when I go blank. He knows I tend to shut down and zone out, and asks where I went and what is going on for me.
SheHulk07 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
feralkittymom, Lourdes22
stopdog
underdog is here
stopdog has no updates.
 
Member Since: Sep 2011
Location: blank
Posts: 34,704 (SuperPoster!)
10 yr Member
1 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 08:55 PM
  #6
I also vote for dissociating.

__________________
Please NO @

Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live.
Oscar Wilde
Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
stopdog is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
feralkittymom, Lourdes22
amandalouise
Wise Elder
 
amandalouise's Avatar
amandalouise has no updates.
 
Member Since: Mar 2009
Location: 8CS / NYS / USA
Posts: 9,133
15 yr Member
884 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 10:49 PM
  #7
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lourdes22 View Post
During last week's session, we revisited some traumatic stuff I've worked on before. I felt like I handled it well and didn't get upset. Out of nowhere, my T said: "Lourdes, where are you right now, are you O.K.?" I responded with yes I'm fine and my T started making small talk about the weather and other trivial things. What happened here? It was near the end of the session, but I've worked with her for two years, and she never asked me this or ended this way.
I cant speak for your therapist but mine asks me this when I am not showing emotions other wise called lack of affect. I may think Im doing just fine but in reality Im not showing the appropriate or typical responses, body language,

example one time my treatment provider and I were talking about something traumatic and instead of looking and responding with sadness or anger that most people would have responded with, my reaction was to look past her at her book shelf, read the titles and continue talking as if I was ok. to me I was ok. as a survivor of trauma I had lack of affect. (in other words a PTSD reaction when discussing the trauma.) just like one who was in a domestic violence situation or a recent sexual abuse can talk about their trauma as if it was talking about a favorite book or last nights dinner over coffee with a friend. I wasnt dissociating (feeling numb, spaced out or disconnected) I was aware of the conversation and the topic being discussed. I was fully connected to what we were talking about, I just wasnt showing the typical appropriate reactions (lack of affect)

since we are not able to tell you what is what inside your body or your therapy sessions or what your therapist was asking that for, my suggestion is to ask your therapist the next time you see her why she asked that.
amandalouise is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
FearLess47, Lourdes22
autonoe
Member
 
autonoe's Avatar
autonoe has no updates.
 
Member Since: Apr 2018
Location: US
Posts: 118
5 yr Member
28 hugs
given
Default Jun 20, 2019 at 11:33 PM
  #8
My therapist has asked me this a couple times. As others have said, it happens when I stop talking, zone out, or go blank.
autonoe is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
 
Thanks for this!
Lourdes22
Lourdes22
New Member
Lourdes22 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jun 2019
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4
3 yr Member
1 hugs
given
Default Jun 21, 2019 at 08:52 AM
  #9
Thank you, everyone. I don't know anything about disassociation. Is this something that can happen when dealing with trauma? Is it possible I wouldn't realize it was happening but my T would?
Lourdes22 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
WishfulThinker66
Magnate
 
WishfulThinker66's Avatar
WishfulThinker66 has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jun 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,285
5 yr Member
117 hugs
given
Default Jun 21, 2019 at 11:36 AM
  #10
I wouldn't be really upset about this as it is an indication your therapist is genuinely concerned about you. I would be more upset with a therapist who did NOT do this as I would think they didn't care about me at all. You are more than just a number to this therapist. They are more than just showing up for the pay cheque so to speak. You are a person to be responsible for and care about your welfare.
WishfulThinker66 is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
nottrustin
Grand Magnate
 
nottrustin's Avatar
nottrustin has no updates.
 
Member Since: Jan 2014
Location: n/a
Posts: 4,819
10 yr Member
375 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 21, 2019 at 02:09 PM
  #11
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lourdes22 View Post
Thank you, everyone. I don't know anything about disassociation. Is this something that can happen when dealing with trauma? Is it possible I wouldn't realize it was happening but my T would?
It is VERY common during trauma work. There were times with T that I went numb but talked. Neither of us had a clue it was happening until I went outside and "came to".

It has happened a few times with EMDR T that I have completely shut down, so it is obvious.

__________________

nottrustin is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
amandalouise
Wise Elder
 
amandalouise's Avatar
amandalouise has no updates.
 
Member Since: Mar 2009
Location: 8CS / NYS / USA
Posts: 9,133
15 yr Member
884 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 21, 2019 at 03:03 PM
  #12
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lourdes22 View Post
Thank you, everyone. I don't know anything about disassociation. Is this something that can happen when dealing with trauma? Is it possible I wouldn't realize it was happening but my T would?
depends on your location...

here in america we have two different terms....

Disassociation (the word in your post) means to purposely stop doing something...example I disassociated from participating in an event. which means I purposely stopped watching the event and I went to do something different. I disassociated from doing the dishes last night means I on purpose stopped doing the dishes last night.

where as ...

Dissociation (no a between the two S's) means a normal reaction to a positive or negative trigger. symptoms feeling mentally numb, feeling mentally disconnected, feeling mentally spaced out , mentally feeling like one is floating or sinking, mentally feeling like one is watching not participating, mentally feeling like the people places and things outside ourselves is not connected to ourselves, mentally feeling like everything outside my body is moving at a different speed, all the while knowing everything is actually normal and not because of any other medical mental disorders or drugs (prescription or other wise) or alcohol use.

your own treatment providers can explain more in detail the differences between the two terms.
amandalouise is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
feralkittymom
Grand Magnate
 
feralkittymom's Avatar
feralkittymom has no updates.
 
Member Since: Aug 2012
Location: yada
Posts: 4,415
10 yr Member
1,974 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 24, 2019 at 01:40 AM
  #13
Disassociation is an alternate form of the word dissociation. Maybe this article can help you:The Gift of Disassociation | Psychology Today
feralkittymom is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
Amyjay
Magnate
Amyjay has no updates.
 
Member Since: Mar 2017
Location: Underground
Posts: 2,439
5 yr Member
692 hugs
given
PC PoohBah!
Default Jun 24, 2019 at 01:48 AM
  #14
Because you talked about some heavier trauma topics I think the therapist was just checking you were grounded and present before leaving the office. It's important they do that when trauma has been "activated". It's part of doing trauma therapy safely.
Amyjay is offline   Reply With QuoteReply With Quote
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:36 PM.
Powered by vBulletin® — Copyright © 2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.



 

My Support Forums

My Support Forums is the online community that was originally begun as the Psych Central Forums in 2001. It now runs as an independent self-help support group community for mental health, personality, and psychological issues and is overseen by a group of dedicated, caring volunteers from around the world.

 

Helplines and Lifelines

The material on this site is for informational purposes only, and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment provided by a qualified health care provider.

Always consult your doctor or mental health professional before trying anything you read here.