Got a Headache?

Just dipped into Therapy Today, in particular a view from the couch. This lady expressed her frustration at being told she’s angry when she wasn’t feeling angry. I surmise the therapist had spotted that she was and wanted to offer her enlightenment of the fact. And of course when she refuted his suggestion it somehow constituted proof he was right. There’s a sort of temptation to state the outside obvious as a therapist, rather like someone with a hatpin stuck in her head complaining of a headache. “Ah I see your problem, you have a hatpin stuck in your head, here let me take it out.” When he does she reaches in her bag and sticks in another one. Therapy’s not that easy. But when the therapist became alongside the lady she felt some benefit. At the risk of taking this metaphor too far, if he’d stuck a hatpin in his own head and said, “God this really hurts! You’re good at this, what should I do?” she might respond with, “I know, let’s stop doing it.” I know that for me remembering my own perceptions count for nothing on someone else’s internal map would be virtually impossible. I’d be a rat up a drainpipe offering advice and guidance, and generally giving vent to my amazing powers of insight and awareness that I’m so proud of possessing. So don’t come to me with your hatpin problems, I’ve got a headache.