Therapy Session

I'm doing a course in Pschology at the mo. Just wanted to try something to see how I would be in a therapy session. I was just watching my therapist this week and I wanted to write from his perspective (so to speak).

I sit across from you

And just listen to you talk.

I am intrigued

By the patterns your stories hold.

I can tell by your expressions,

Your nervous twitches,

That you still feel the pain

Of which you speak.

I ask you to explain to me

What these emotions feel like.

I want to understand how you feel.

Express them to me

In a way that only you can describe.

I need to feel what you feel;

Need to see what you see;

Need to hear what you hear.

Put me there.

I want to know

What goes on in your mind;

Want to cure

What ails your heart.

I am here to listen

To what you want me to hear.

No prejudice.

No bias.

I will offer my advice

As far as I can.

I cannot force you

To take it though.

But in order to do that

I need to know,

I need to feel,

I need to understand.

So for now I will sit across from you

And listen intensely

As you paint me

Your life-story.

 

Copyright©JosieWentzel09April2008

 

Author's Note

Let me know. How would you want someone who is there to help you, to do it? Listen or give advice, or both?

Reviews

[An owl on the moon]

Just an amazing, heartfelt expression that I hope a therapist (and all really good friends) would communicate through their lives for us. Your work flows so perfectly and you so keenly paint the life of one who deeply listens and observes before offering advice. No judgement. We need more people like this in the world!

[Deborah Leah Krempa]

A therapist should listen and give advise, you can learn much from each other. Thank you for sharing, Debileah

[lorrainelobotomy]

this is such an amazing poem!
kudos!

[Kees Kapteyn]

Every therapist has the pureness of heart that one needs to be empathetic to one's clients. This is what happens in their heads, most definitely. I work with special needs kids and one of the best things about the job is making a difference in the life of a kid that needs help. You become proud of yourself and you know that you've affected a positive change in someone's life.

It's interesting that you see things from the therapist's viewpoint and I'm glad you don't feel that he/she is just doing it because its the job he/she chose. That makes it very positive to you. Great poem.

[Sharon Miller Bolander]

I would want both. Either by itself is inadequate. A vital part of a therapist's "job" is listening to understand and a therapist who does not listen is no therapist worth his/her fee. You did a fine job of changing seats in this poem. Nice work. :-) Sharon

[Courtney]

i think both.. lisitng is really good too
this is good

[a Messenger]

Definitely both, from a therapist especially, since that is what you pay him for. Advise from friends needs to be weighed more carefully but shouldn't be disregarded simply because it disagrees with what you want to hear. Sometimes just a willing ear is enough, but I generally don't talk about things if I'm not interested in input.
Another beautifully written piece. I like the way you have written it from the counselor's perspective. You show great insight into his need to know so much about the client.