Therapy in lockdown

[akerman]

How are others finding this? I am having sessions by phone, as internet access only works reliably in family rooms. It's been mixed - there are some things I found easier to say, which I'd have found hard in person. But also feeling very upset about things atm, and think that that will be hard to manage on the phone. I know therapists are trained to wait for you to stop crying and just wait. But that's OK if you're in the same room and there's body language, but what happens on the phone? Is there just a long, awkward silence?

I'm a therapist, hopefully it will be fine. Most people have actually had emotional calls with eg friends and family in the past. I personally find listening on the phone quite easy. There's less distraction than a face to face appointment.
We are just out of the habit of phone calls as a generation. You'll be fine but I suggest a pack of tissues and a paper/pen for any notes

I think it depends on your relationship with the therapist to be honest - I do video sessions with my therapist which is a halfway house. It makes it a bit easier to see body language etc but I am still aware there are things I'm hiding from him which he would pick up in person. He knows I hate it though and find it very hard to talk about some of the deeper issues so we also do a bit via email too which I find easier. Is that an option? We're quite open and honest with each other and he's always given me the green light to say pass if I don't want to talk about something or it's too hard which reduces the awkward silences. I think it would be very difficult to start a new therapeutic relationship just via phone/video though.

That's a good point about focussing better on the phone, club sandwich, thank you. I'm not sure if she'd like e-mail, calypso, but it's a good idea! And yes, I'd hate to start therapy under lockdown.

I am also viewing this period of therapy as maintenance rather than working on anything particularly challenging; it's expensive maintenance but I just hope it will be enough to keep me ticking over until we get back to face to face sessions. Part of that is a result of where I am mentally right now as it's a matter of firefighting and keeping myself safe and I don't really have the headspace to do the hard work that I need to do. I think reframing it like that has been helpful for me but I have the luxury of knowing that it will continue for as long as I need it.

That sounds very sensible.