Psychoanalysis this was not

comedy attempts, finding myself

After a year of threatening, after a month of really trying…today I began therapy.

What a let down.

First of all, no couch. NO COUCH! In the movies, there’s ALWAYS a couch. And after last night’s sleep, I could have used one.

He didn’t once ask me about my mother. Not once did he ask if I had an Oedipal urge to kill my father. He didn’t uncover a single repressed memory, didn’t get me in touch with my inner child, didn’t give me any baby steps to focus on.

Not a single stereotype. What a let down.

(Ok, seriously? It was helpful and I think it will continue to be. But I’ve been writing this post in my head for days and had to post it.)

7 thoughts on “Psychoanalysis this was not”

  1. don’t delete it. I’ve heard that every therapist needs their own therapist, just to help them cope with themselves on top of listening to everyone else. Pastors are probbly in the same boat. A parenting expert I heard once said that she hopes one day we will see mental health in the same way we look at dental health – including the regular requirement to see a professional.

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  2. Gregg, I am not sure what an “oedipal” urge to kill your father is but I may have had “one” in 1978! He was late getting to a church!

    Ed Wall

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  3. You continue to impress me with your transparency. A few comments on some of your recent posts…

    On “No Unity”: I wish I could have been there for the meeting. You/The Elders were (excuse my French) “damned” either way. If you think optimisitically and add an administrative pastor position without cutting anywhere else – where’s the $$ going to come from? Shouldn’t we be more prudent? Fiscally responsible? etc etc. Then again with the prudent route that was recommended…decrease but add back in a very much needed 1/2 time role…well by gosh now were getting rid of a real person, and someone who met some real needs and with no performance issues to boot.

    I’ve been on both sides of the desk of letting people go and being let go myself…neither is fun…but in every case it was the right move – yes even my layoff was the right move. Gregg I have confidence that You/The Elders have made the appropriate decision.

    On “Mind/Heart, Slo Mo, No Unity”: All of these posts followed by “I’m in therapy” – I can’t help but find the comedy in that Gregg. This is coming from a guy who both majored in Psych in college AND drumroll please…needed Psych services and took Psych Meds for a period of time 5 years ago due to extreme anxiety. I’m qualified to comment.

    ScottW

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  4. Robin, I will leave it up. I just didn’t want people to think I didn’t value therapy by being flippant.

    ED! Great to get a comment from you. You only wanted to kill my dad once? 🙂

    And Scott, thanks a ton for your words. They’re really helpful, and I think you’re right about the sense of being stuck either way. I’m glad you found the comedy, too, because after all, I DID categorize it as a comedy attempt. 🙂

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  5. It certainly would be a lot easier if it just fit our stereotypes… so we could dismiss it! I’ve done “therapy” two differnt times in my life, and found it very refreshing (and fun) to have someone simply listen well and ask great questions. Enjoy!

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  6. Have you worked the costs as a line item in the budget? I think you should after this year: HA!

    At least you’re not doing what Judah does: he whacks his head against a wall. But he does it for laughs. Maybe you could try that on the pulpit. 🙂

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  7. Oh, therapy! I’ve been on both sides of the room (sitting as therapist, sitting as client) on and off throughout my life. I only had one psychiatrist who had a couch in her office. But, there was also a chair for folks to sit on, which is what she preferred her patients to do. In fact, the couch was more for her between sessions to take a break! Her theoretical orientation was cognitive/behaviorist so, even if a client laid on the couch, she/he did so in order to learn relaxation techniques for problems with anxiety as opposed to saying things that spontaneously came to mind.

    With a little “additional” help from God, family and friends, and a clarity on your part of what you want and need from it – it can work wonders. Seriously!

    PS: I like Aj’s idea of making payments for the sessions a line-item in the budget. Ha! If only! 🙂

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