We did a different kind of therapy with our new in home therapist on Sunday. Yes, a therapist that comes to the house on a Sunday.
The therapy sounds very simple, but it was very enlightening. Experential therapy involves doing a “project” together while the therapist watches the interactions among the people involved.
Now, I was pretty skeptical of all this. We have done so many types of therapy and the only one that was even remotely successful was attachment therapy. We had an incredible therapist who saw right through Sammy and he hated it.
In this case, it was my husband, Sammy and myself. He gave us newspaper, masking tape and a 2 liter bottle of soda. We had to make something that would hold up the bottle of soda. It had to have at least 3 legs, and the legs had to be at least as high as the label on the bottle, and it had to have a base. Other than that, we were free to do as we pleased.
The observations that the counselor came up with were pretty accurate.
Sammy jumps right in without any forethought.
Sammy may have good ideas, but he does not convey them. He expects people to read his mind.
Sammy thinks he has to do everything right the first time, and isn’t willing to try if he thinks he might fail.
My husband can tend to take over and dismiss Sammy’s thoughts and ideas.
I tend to stand back and wait until I’m needed, then come up with the solution.
The one observation he made that I am still considering is that I feel left out. I don’t think I do, but that was the impression the therapist got. Since he was so on target with everything else, I have to put some consideration into this.
Now, who would have thought you could get all that out of watching three people work with newspaper, tape and a soda bottle.
There was significance in the things he gave us, which he explained later. Sammy picked up on it pretty quickly after the explanation, which was rather surprising.
The bottle of soda was the issues that we have as a family. (My husband asked if we could empty it so it would be lighter.)
The tape represented the solutions we come up with together, and the binding of our family.
The legs represented the three of us, and how we need to work together to “hold up” the problems.
I’ll keep you updated on how this therapy works, but so far I’m pleasantly surprised.
EMQ Children & Family Services
Photo credit – Parts of our project