Cautious Hope

So, I don't want to get too excited. I don't want too get optimistic, but the session that DH took DD to was not at all what we expected.

My husband said it was like watching an exorcism and that he wholly expected DD's head to start spinning at any minute.

Apparently the therapist, we will call him TT (for The Therapist) played her like a harp, switching personas quicker than her, pulling out all her traits, pretty and ugly, and calling her on her BS. He went from empathetic, supportive, to harsh, confronting, to happy, distracted, to focused, unrelenting--all while never raising his voice or getting too emotionally involved. DH tried to correct an incorrect answer that DD gave to one question and TT said, "See, your father is trying to rescue and protect you. See how much he cares for you. Now - Dad - you need to just observe and not comment, OK."

DH said that DD looked to him desperately several times throughout the session and he just shook his head and nodded towards TT--letting her know that SHE needed to answer this. TT would not accept her usual "I don't know" answers and would really push her when she repeated it. DH said he exposed the different personas that DD likes to throw at people during different situations.

When it was over, TT took DH into the hall and literally said, "She is F'd up. Sorry." He said that he witnessed four different personalities - the 2-year old, the happy, friendly one, the sexually-flirtatious one, and the bitch. We recognize all those as different personas--not necessarily schizo personalities like Sybil--but there are many more that he has yet to see. Still, he saw a lot in a relatively short time.

One way or another, TT had a great impact on DH. Either this is the path we will go down to actually crack open this kid and maybe really get to see the little girl that must be buried in there somewhere, or this tactic was just his way to get us to buy into him and his practice, letting us know that HE KNOWS what we are going through and what we are dealing with--then turn the sessions into a poor DD treatment. [To read about him and his theories, I expected us to be required to bottle feed her and cradle her.] I don't know, and I don't care, but if this guy can really deliver all that he proudly boasts that he can do, then I will become his biggest cheerleader, praising his name, promoting his work, and pimping him out any way that I can. I will go back to all the naysayers who urged us to stay away from him and will do my best to re-educate them.

The other interesting development is that TT was angry that we were billed for our couples session. Said he had already worked out the billing with our insurance, Medicaid, and Lutheran and that he would get our money back. Said we would not pay a thing for it. So, this week he is a hero. I will proceed with cautious hope. I guess this is the "fun" part of the roller coaster.