Therapy Thursday – I admit it, I have a therapist

Yes, I have a Therapist. Once you put it out there, you can’t take it back, right? I have been wanting to post this for awhile but have been reluctant. Sure, I have tons of pictures of my daughter and me, exposing other parts of my life but a therapist expose, the horror.

I think once you admit you have a therapist, you are all but acknowleding something is amiss in your life.

So how did I end up with a therapist. First, let me say, Dr. R. is my family therapist not my “therapist” (I am sure that I need that too, but one problem at time.) I am pretty sure she is a therapist for all that ails you which is why I chose her, I figured maybe once I get over this particular need, I would move on to working my own self improvement.

My family, that’s how I ended with a family therapist. Since they don’t read my blog, they will never know what is being said about them. Of course, this when they will choose to visit and well, hilarity will not ensue.

This summer, we were supposed go on a beach vacation with my extended family (explaining my family will take another post).

Last year, we drove down with my “parents, Nana and Pop Pop” (these are people who have been there since my both my parents died and my daughter’s grandparents) from Virginia to South Carolina which is an 8 hour drive. Needless to say, my daughter was not a happy camper on the trip and was somewhat I am not going to say out of control but not wonderful. She does what any 5 year old does, I think. She vies for your attention all the time, interrupts your conversations, whines, pretends she is car sick to get out of the car so she can stretch her legs (okay maybe that’s not normal.) Well, we did only stopped twice in eight hours. And the way back, I can only describe as angry and belligerant talking back in a way that was soooo unusual.

While at the beach, she was pretty much a nuisance, running after the big kids who pretty much thought she was gnat. Was she a good listener, no? Was she out of control? I don’t think so. Was this Nanny 911 territory? NO.

Since the vacation, my mom has been asking me if there was an improvement in her behaviour and am doing anything to correct it. Needless, to say yes but sort of not. Let’s face it, dealing with a 6 year old is an ongoing process and is she perfect no and am I perfect. She is what I have taken in my informal poll of other parents, a typical six year old, sassy, talks back and not so great listener.

This year, I was expecting to go to the beach but not really looking forward to it. Frankly, I just didn’t want to deal with driving down with them again and sent an email saying I was going to rent a car so we could stop when we wanted…

Well the response I was expecting was sure, no problem. What I got (via email) was they did not think it was a good idea that we come, given my daughter’s behaviour last year and that they did not see any improvement when we were there in January. To say that I was taken aback was an understatment so I sent back an email, rather snippy one at at that (why??? Note to self, nver send emails in anger.)

The next email was even more blistering about how I was disrespectful and more to the point ungrateful for all they had done for me. I, of course, apologized profusely which was sincere knowing they in their own way are trying to help me and am now trying repair the relationship. This is difficult since they don’t live here.

Somewhere in all the emails was the suggestion that I need to see a therapist.

Is that a good reason to see a therapist? Appeasing your family, maybe not but the alternative is to have to deal with why I am not seeing a therapist.

So there you have it.

How’s it going? It is going well but is my daughter perfect. Hell, no. Anyone with kids will tell you, life is fluid, somedays are better than others. Actually, some minutes are better than others.

Next week. I will tell you about my first meeting with Dr. R.

Stay tuned.

P.S. She knows that I am going to write about my seeing a therapist.