What to talk about with my therapist?

[SweetSpot086]

I have nothing to talk about..I am silent most of the meetings.

But, I have to open up, if I want to recover..open up about what?

 

[teotme]

If you're lost, perhaps begin by talking about anything. Random stuff. After some time when you become comfortable talking about yourself you'll open up naturally. Good luck!

 

[BPD_LE]

Takes time to build up a relationship. Why don't you try asking them questions instead?

 

[SweetSpot086]

Takes time to build up a relationship. Why don't you try asking them questions instead?

I am new to therapy..questions about my illness or anything in general?

 

[WhiteDespair]

Brutal honesty.

 

[woxihuanni]

I'd say it's up to them to guide you into opening up, as well. Somehow I have a very bad feeling about dredging up things that are not naturally coming out.

 

[BPD_LE]

I am new to therapy..questions about my illness or anything in general?

Whatever you feel comfortable with. Ask them about themselves. Find some common ground, build up a therapeutic relationship. I know it's horrible being in a room with someone you don't know firing questions. I've got a great relationship with my CPN but it took time. You've got to get to know each other in order to build trust.

 

[sleepy dog]

Talk about the reason you are in therapy. Talk about what you should expect from them. I don't recommend just letting them allow you to just talk about whatever. If you do that, you will talk about whatever. It will be unorganized. It won't be focused. Force them to do their job. Also, YOU are supposed to be guiding your therapy, counseling, mental illness recovery, whatever you want to call it. YOU have to decide what is going to happen. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR, etc. Take control of it so you don't have regrets and have a new problem..

 

[WhiteDespair]

When I started seeing my current therapist, on the first visit, I spelled put everything and gave him the complete picture at the outset. That includes being brutally honest about your past, your actions, the actions of others, your thoughts, etc. It meant saying depressing, embarassing or otherwise uncomfortable things.

Spend some time putting together the story of your life. At the very least you can get the basic information down and move on from there.

You can also talk about how you have nothing to talk about. I've had quite a few sessions that started along the lines of "I don't know why I'm here today..."

Sometimes, the revelations don't come until after the session. There have been a few times where a realization kicked me in the teeth an hour or so after.

In general, brutal honesty with your therapist and yourself helps.

 

[Sweet emotion]

I have nothing to talk about..I am silent most of the meetings.

But, I have to open up, if I want to recover..open up about what?

Well what are you depressed about? Why are you on this site? What is making you so upset that you resorted to joining this site? I would think you'd have a lot to talk to her about. Tell her about what depressed you, what angers you, what makes you happy. Talk about the issues that got you here today.

I am new to therapy..questions about my illness or anything in general?

Tell them about your illness. Your goal is to get better right? Well you have to attack the problem. And with therapists.....some just suck. You have to shop around. I give them three visits and if it doesn't seem that they understand what I'm going through, I find another one. I can't tell you when I was 15-17 how much my therapist helped me. You should also go see a shrink.

 

[kappa]

If they aren't helping you talk or asking you questions you need to find a different therapist.

I had one like that, our 1 hour sessions were usually 20 min because I would let him now I wasn't sure what to talk about so he ended the sessions.

 

[falconeyes]

I have nothing to talk about..I am silent most of the meetings.

But, I have to open up, if I want to recover..open up about what?

When you're alone with nobody around or when you get into bed, what's the 1st thing pop up and keep your mind busy in sad/happy way? discuses the answer of this question with your shrink as starting point.