“Say More About That” Show Notes: Episode #2 – Jolyn, doing the hard work in long-term therapy. Twice!
Jeff Guenther, MS, LPC on Mar 10, 2019 in Say More About That
Joyln, a woman in her 40's, had a unique, and unusual, introduction to the mental health world as a child when she visited her grandmother, who was given a lobotomy. As strange as that experience was, she was open to exploring her own mental health options as an adult. One day, in the middle of receiving acupuncture, she realized she needed a therapist. Luckily, the first therapist she saw turned out to be the perfect fit. There were many ups and downs during their ten year relationship. Her therapist challenged her to grow in ways that felt uncomfortable and challenging while at the same time expressing her care and compassion. Not only did she see her therapist individually for years, she also attended her group therapy sessions which introduced her to other areas where she was able to grow. And after ten years, she did it all over again with another therapist for eight years. Listen to hear all the twists and turns on Joyln’s emotional therapeutic journey.
Jeff, a licensed therapist and the host of Say More About That, talks with Jolyn about her experience of searching for a therapist and going to counseling.
This episode covers:
- Jolyn’s unique childhood experiences with mental health – including exposure to a grandmother who had a lobotomy.
- How even though Jolyn wasn’t quite sure that her first therapist was a good fit, she powered through and kept moving forward.
- All the strange feelings and behaviors that popped up when Jolyn started to go to group therapy.
- Why Jolyn sometimes lied to her therapist…and how her therapist called her out on it.
- What Jolyn would do when she was really mad at her therapist.
Memorable quotes in the podcast
Oh her childhood experience visiting her grandmother who had a lobotomy:
“Me and my siblings thought, ‘Let’s not have that happen to us. The healthcare system is not trustworthy.’”
On the moment she realized she needed therapy:
“I was on the acupuncturist table balling. And I was like, ‘I think I need to see a therapist.’”
On first meeting her therapist:
“I trusted her. I quickly went on to fight her on a lot of things. She was very similar to my mother. I was doing a lot of projecting. I wasn’t as self-aware as I am now. She came across to me as reserved and quiet and compassionate. I was desperate and I thought, ‘We are going to do this.’”
On what it was like to go to group therapy with her individual therapist:
“I immediately felt like maybe she liked other people in the group more than me. It brought up a lot of chatter in my mind about not being first and not getting that individual attention. I watched myself do or say weird things in the group to get her to pay more attention to me. And I was like, ‘am I 30 or 3 years old.’”
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