Therapy Appt Recap - I broke my shoelaces in 2019 Amazing Stories!

Guys I try to keep an open mind and try not to form too strong opinions based off of first impressions because I don’t give great first impressions myself.

This therapist offers a different type of therapy than my last therapist. This therapist offers short-term therapy in which my symptoms will either get better or they will not after a few months which is when she will send me on my way. Right now I’m scheduled biweekly for 3 months.

I have a really hard time forming trust connections in general, and I’m not even sure if 3 months will be long enough for me to form that connection with her. She does take my insurance though so seeing her two times a month will be affordable. Right now the main focus is my anxiety (because how “deep” can you really get in 3 months when you have trust issues?). My anxiety was so high yesterday, and when my anxiety is high, I fiddle around with my shoe strings (or whatever is available). I don’t mean to, but I have to have something in my hands and shoe strings are always an available choice (unless wearing sandals). Well, eventually my anxiety got so high that I pulled too hard on my shoe strings and they snapped. SO that was the first impression I set.

She thinks I may have Sensory Processing Disorder and MAYBE High-Functioning Autism (the mildest form of Autism) because I’m unable to make and hold eye contact among other reasons. I only made eye contact with my last therapist a few time and I wasn’t unable to hold it for longer than a few seconds. I have to take a test for the Sensory Processing Disorder and then we’ll go from there.

She does sound knowledgeable, however, there was one red flag. She thinks a family environment would be best for me and she thinks that because I’m now divorced it wouldn’t make any sense to continue to live in WA and that I should move back to WI. This was AFTER I told her I intentionally stayed here because I love WA and the PNW in general, I only make 1 trip home per year and I have a 3 night max stay per trip because that’s all I can handle. How am I supposed to open up about family ish if after even that littlest of tidbit, she still assumes I a move back would be in my best interest?

It feels like I’m starting all over because I basically am. She DOES pick up on my non-verbal communication cues though, so maybe that’s more of her specialty. I am committing to at least one more appointment with her to get a more firm vibe of her and I want to know more about the Sensory Processing thing.

After I got the last e-mail from my therapist with the apology about the way things were handled and her stating that she was glad I found someone to talk things over for the time being, I e-mailed her back and said I would let her know how my first appointment went and that I was still interested in her new job/telehealth services as she got details. She had previously said she’d send me updates about it as they were made available to her, so I assume the communication line with her is still open. I kept my summary very short since she isn’t getting paid to read my e-mails, but I did let her know that this person only works short-term with clients and that I broke my shoe laces. I hope that part at least makes her smile.