Managing Our Own Shit When It's Activated in Session

6 snips

Mar 13, 2024

Therapists discuss managing personal triggers and self-disclosure in therapy sessions. They reflect on handling personal challenges while staying professional and supporting clients. The chapter explores self-disclosure, projection, personal bias, and activating moments in therapy sessions. They emphasize the importance of self-awareness and peer supervision in managing emotions during client sessions.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

Navigating Personal Issues in Client Sessions

01:53 • 8min

Navigating Personal Challenges in Therapy Sessions

09:51 • 11min

Navigating Self-Disclosure and Projection in Therapy Sessions

20:51 • 8min

Navigating Personal Bias and Activations in Therapy Sessions

29:19 • 2min

Exploring How Clients' Stories Impact Therapists Personally

31:37 • 3min

Exploring Therapists' Personal Reactions in Client Sessions

34:15 • 4min

Our penultimate episode this season explores what can happen when the content of the session tugs at all of our own shit! Maybe we’re experiencing something similar to our clients in our own lives or the client says something that reminds us of ourselves. Maybe the client experience is pulling forward memories of something we’ve said or done before. This episode is all about what to do in the moment when we are flooded with our own stuff AND we still need to be present for the client.

We share examples of topics that tend to poke at our personal stuff, times when we were more susceptible to being activated, and how we have managed these moments with as little disruption to the client as possible. We spend a great deal of time weighing the pros and cons of sharing with a client when our own shit is coming up and we land on our personal opinions about whether therapists should share that or not!

Because we believe in being fully present and allowing energy to flow bi-directionally, it is inevitable that work with clients will sometimes stir up our own big feelings. It’s not about ensuring it never happens but instead it’s about how to manage and respond effectively when it does.

How do you respond/act/manage when your shit comes up? Any particular topics that you know poke at your personal stuff? What, if anything, do you share with clients about that?

Join us on Patreon for bonus content at www.patreon.com/edgeofthecouch or share your thoughts and questions via DM on Instagram @edgeofthecouchpod, email at connect@edgeofthecouch.com, or voice note at speakpipe.com/edgeofthecouch.

We have partnered with Janeapp, an all-in-one practice management software. You can learn more at Jane.app/mentalhealth. Or, if you are ready to get started, mention Edge of the Couch in the note during sign up.

Alison McCleary
www.alpenglowcounselling.com
@alpenglow_counselling on Instagram

Jordan Pickell
www.jordanpickellcounselling.ca
@jordanpickellcounselling on Instagram

Edge of the Couch
www.edgeofthecouch.com
@edgeofthecouchpod on Instagram