I’ve been in therapy the past two weeks for anxiety and OCD. I feel so stupid every time I leave! He’s asking me questions like, where do I feel it in my body when I feel the OCD/anxiety coming on (head, chest, etc). I get what he’s asking, but I keep telling him I don’t feel anything.. but he just stares at me until I give an answer or I say, I’m not sure what he means. So today, I lied and said my head because he would not move on from it after I repeatedly told him I don’t feel anything. The issue we were speaking of doesn’t even bother me anymore, I used it as an example and he kept wanting me to elaborate on it.. It’s so awkward! Anywho, I really don’t feel anything within my body on a day to day basis. Maybe a headache every now and then if I think about something too long. I just feel like a lot of his questions go over my head, and I’m not sure what he’s asking or getting at. I almost don’t want to go back because I feel so stupid when I’m there!
Therapy: I’ve been in therapy the past two... - My OCD Community
Therapy
Hmmm do you feel a connection with your therapist?
Yes, and no. He’s very nice, and I understand what he’s trying to do, but I honestly don’t feel anything. 🥴 Like, am I supposed to??? And, when I tell him I don’t understand what he’s asking me, he does explain it, but I have no idea how to answer him sometimes and when I tell him that, he just stares at me for a minute and I feel anxious because I feel stupid. I just don’t feel that I’m getting the most out of it.
Is your therapist someone who specializes in OCD and exposure response prevention therapy?
I feel like you need someone to focus on ERP instead of the anxiety. I am not doctor but it takes a specialized skill to treat ocd successfully.
Hi Bean13, sometimes we don’t click w/ our therapist & that’s alright. It’s important to find someone you understand & who understands you. The first therapist I had was nice & well intentioned but it was obvious from the first visit we were not a good fit. I decided to look around for someone else. The very next therapist I went to was absolutely wonderful. If you are not comfortable don’t be afraid to make a change. I hope this helps.
Thank you! The only thing is, I have to go there because of my insurance. 😕
If your post is anything to go by, maybe your therapist is trying to do EFT tapping (you can read more on this), EFT is also a technique for treating anxiety disorders backed by science. I have OCD and SAD but I used EFT tapping primarily for my SAD it proved quite useful, not sure how it fares OCD-wise. Maybe your therapist means well and is just trying out different methods to help you but if you feel like i doesn't sit right with you then please do switch to another professional, better yet, talk it out with your current therapist first to clear it up for him and hopefully he learns from this so that he could tweak his approach in the future. Hope this helps you in some way.
Maybe! It was just odd that he seems to really want me to feel some sort of sensation, after I repeatedly told him I feel nothing. Like, do I not have OCD because I don’t feel anything? Years ago, I could probably have gave him an answer when it was really bad. But now, I just don’t feel anything when it comes on.
Then tell him how you're really feeling. Don't hold back on the truth, honesty is top-priority when it comes to therapy. Sit him down and just give it to him straight, don't hesitate, he's there to help you, everything's up to you your therapist is just a guide. Hope your therapy goes well.
Perhaps he wants to inquire if you have a "groinal" sensation, particularly if your OCD is related to obsessions of a sexual nature. It took me years to finally learn about/admit to unwanted groinal sensations. I felt such a relief when others in the OCD community spoke of this phenomenon because I really felt terrified by it. Just a suggestion from one who wishes someone had asked me that question decades ago.
I definitely understand what’s he’s trying to get at! If he would have asked me in the past, I could probably tell him. But now, I just don’t feel any sort of sensation when my OCD comes on.
I can sorta sympathize with you on this. I recently got a therapist to help me work through my relationship, boundary problems. She also specializes in OCD. And I'm so much better from OCD that I'm pretty well ok with where I'm at. I mean it still bothers me some but not really enough that I feel super motivated to work on it. 🤷♀️🤷♀️ But she wants me to work on it, so i am. I'm sure it's good for me, but it's super uncomfortable talking about it cause I have sexual themes. I thot therapy would be great. But sometimes it's so hard to know how to answer, because I'm so used to these OCD blips that I don't pay very close attention to what's happening in my brain and body and so it's hard to always know how to answer her questions. But I also have a hard time speaking up about what I'd rather work on or how bad something actually is or isn't, it's so much easier to just sit and agree and do whatever... not a good thing to do when in therapy. 🤦♂️🤦♂️ I'm trying. Anyway sorry your having a hard time in therapy!!
I hear what you are saying. I had a therapist like that…very well intentions but just not for me. Is there another provider in the practice you can see that would be covered by insurance?
So, it’s really odd the way the do appointments. For one, it takes months to even get a new patient appointment and weeks for a follow up sometimes. I got seen a little sooner, because I work for the health care company. But, they put you with whoever is available because it takes so long. 😕 I don’t think you really get to pick who you see.
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