Eyewitness to Therapy Episode 6: Intimacy and Vulnerability

Send me a text message to let me know how you feel about this
episode.


My guest presented for therapy with a self-reported struggle with
intimacy and vulnerability, particularly in therapeutic contexts,
which often leads to prematurely discontinuing therapy. She
expressed a disconnect between self-perception and others'
perception of her, with a negative self-view especially related
to her role as a mother. While cognitive-behavioral therapy has
been utilized in the past, she reports it was not effective due
to a perceived inability to alter her self-perception despite
evidence of successes. 


My guest engaged in reflection exercises during the session and
focused on increasing self-awareness. She began to recognize a
pattern of negative self-talk, particularly in labeling herself
as a "horrible mother". In contrast, she expressed a deep-seated
knowing that she is not a "horrible mother" and maintains a
healthy relationship with her child. 


By the end of the session, she appeared more open to exploration
of these patterns and potentially continuing therapy, describing
feeling safe and unjudged. She acknowledged the significance of
her self-criticism and the importance of self-awareness in making
more empowered choices in how she sees herself. She agreed to
review the session material and complete a post-session
questionnaire.