Quote Originally Posted by MonkeyBusiness View Post
Cyric,

I'm really impressed at how you are approaching therapy. As Castaras points out, it's hard to say how long it will take to see meaningful changes in your life: but being proactive is one way to make sure you see those changes sooner, and that they are important ones.

I think it might help if you think about what exactly the problem is, and what a life free of that problem might look like. For example, you refer to yourself as "antisocial". Describe what that means in your life. For one person, it might mean being deliberately rude to make people go away; to another, it might mean longing to make contact, but being too shy; to a third person, it might mean a phobia. You should list the things you do, the things you avoid doing, the things you think, and the way you feel when you are engaing in what you call antisocial behavior.

Then, think about what your ideal life would be like if you did not have these behaviors, thoughts, and feelings challenging you at every turn. What would you be like if you were not antisocial? How would you act, think, and feel instead?

With these two lists, you have a sort of "point A to point B" itinerary. The role of the therapist is to help you map out the way between those two points, with guidance for alternate routes if you get lost or stuck along the way.

Hope that helps. Best of luck with your first appointment!

-Monkey



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I like those two lists! Today she just let me talk about myself the entire hour, but I'll think about this for next Tuesday. Also it looks like they only do 5 sessions of counseling (because it's provided free through the school, I suppose?) although I can be recommended to elsewhere afterwards if I want.