Is my ptsd making me overreact?

I am upset w/My T who I've been seeing for PTSD for the past year. She has been so wonderful in helping me find this hidden person that was inside for so long. For the past 3 weeks I have been struggling with learning to accept this newly found person and just need a little pep talk hate to text my T only because she's pretty bad at texting back. As wonderful as she is, sometimes it takes her 6 days to reply, and by then it's time for my next session. She has 2 phones and is horrible about checking her work phone. When she does this it makes me angry and hurt but I just stay quiet. She has also answered her phone 3 times in session ( all non emergency) it throws my thought off is it me? Am I being too nice? Am I just realizing she not all that great? Am I being ungrateful? I'm so confused and it's adding to my anxiety and flashbacks

[jkl5500]

I think you'll have to accept that your therapist is very busy, and maybe not that well organized. I wouldn't take it personally when these interruptions and delays take place. If it really bothers you, you might consider trying someone else, but that's your decision.

[Starlight_ftm]

I’m a qualified therapist, firstly fact she answers who phone in the session is very unethical in my opinion! That session is yours and about you.

Secondly, there are boundaries put in place regarding contact outside of session. All therapists vary on their view of this, perhaps you could ask her for her take on contact between sessions.

Always be as open as you can be, you could say you find it difficult when she answers phone in session / doesn’t reply between sessions. Do as you feel comfortable with though, at your pace with what you say and how open you are.

[Starlight_ftm in reply to Starlight_ftm]

*her not who, sorry I’m tired haha

[gogogirl]

A therapist should NEVER answer telephones while in session- I cannot tell you what to do , but I would find someone else and report this to the board. This is unethical and not professional in any way. This is your session and yours alone, and this person is getting PAID for your time. The rest is up to you. Think of it this way. What if your doctor was treating you for a medical condition and got distracted when he or she answered the telephone. Not acceptable!

[Hidden in reply to gogogirl]

both my therapist and gp have answered the phone in session - i think it depends on the relationship you have and how urgent it is. I personally dont mind most of the time if its someone i know but when it happened in my first session with a therapist i thought it was a bit off

[gogogirl in reply to Hidden]

A gp should not be answering the telephone in session also. That is why they have office staff and answering machines.

[Xolos]

Perhaps your time with this therapist has run it's course. You may have gotten what you've needed most from her which are the beginnings of an a new, healthier you. This therapist is no longer meeting all of your mental health needs. If it were me, I would start looking for a new therapist, but then one of my issues to work through is that i am non-confrontational when it comes to anyone outside my home (in my home everyone gets to hear my opinions & thoughts. Lol). One thing I've learned from my experiences is that not all therapists are the same & sometimes you may have to try a few before you find the right fit FOR YOU. Therapists are human too. They each come with their own baggage that they are working through and have their own motives for helping others. This one may have trouble with her own boundaries. If she does not set them and be clear with her patients about what those boundaries are, then that may be something she needs to work on. The other issue that I see popping up is her organizational skills may need some improvement. The question is to you stay & ask her to clarify those boundaries for you or do you set boundaries of your own? In my opinion I do not think that she should be taking non-emergency calls during her sessions. She should have scheduled time set aside to handle those either at the beginning, middle, or end of the day, or between sessions. What she should do is establish a clear policy stating her boundaries and expectations such as "while I understand the need may arise for you to speak to me in between sessions, I am unable to answer calls or texts during the day due to being in sessions with other clients. If you feel that you cannot wait in between sessions, please call and schedule an emergency appt." Good luck and congratulations on your progress and break-throughs! It's a continual learning process but so worth it even on the days that it seems the hardest. You've got this and will be stronger for all the challenges you've been through. My little sister is a survivor of child abuse. She has had a very challenging life and a lot of uphill battles including the loss of both of our parents by 18 & 3 kids by the age of 22. She is now 39 & 3 months from becoming an LPN after battling crippling social anxiety & PTSD. The one thing that she has said many times is, "I would never wish on my worst enimy what happened to me, but had I not gone through what I did I would not be the person I am today. I like who I am." My little sister is my hero and I am so proud of her. Don't get me wrong, she still has days she struggles, but she is one of the bravest people I know and she is a fighter.

[Gardengazer in reply to Xolos]

Very well said. I agree. Most of my family struggles one way or the other. My grandchildren are on the Spectrum. My MDD has now led me to Disability. But the thing is, family is everything and we all work very hard at being there for each other. It's NOT a perfect world, but when you can stay level headed and compassionate, as you seem to be, it helps