Telephone Therapy...

I'm not a huge fan of speaking on the telephone. Sure, I can chat away for ages to family and good friends, and I make all the professional calls that I need to competently enough, but I've always felt a bit awkward on the telephone. I don't think it's actually speaking on the phone that's the problem, but more a fear that I won't communicate what I'm trying to say effectively and will embarrass myself and confuse the listener. A few years ago I did a lot of telephone canvassing and fundraising calls at election times, but this didn't bother me at all, and I think this was because I was anonymous (we would just introduce ourselves as representatives of our party). I still find it strange though, as in person I'm outwardly confident about speaking with all sorts of people, and even addressing large groups doesn't phase me, and of course that's not anonymous at all. I think it's because I'm more comfortable with face-to-face contact. I can see how the other person is responding, and small silences are not awkward. I'm also comfortable with writing, which is why I often choose e-mail, rather than telephone, when I want to communicate something important or difficult. Again, I'm sure it's because I feel more in control of something that's in writing, something which is less likely to be misunderstood.

And so, it will be no surprise to hear that I was more than a little concerned when my therapist suggested that we have a telephone session. It was incredibly nice of her to offer, as I've had to cancel my last couple of appointments because I haven't felt well enough to travel to OUE City, but I wasn't sure how it would work out. I was oddly nervous even though I'd be sitting on my sofa with a cup of coffee, and about 20 minutes before my therapist was due to call I sat down (just as I do in her waiting room) to collect my thoughts together. She called and it was really helpful to talk a few things out with her. It wasn't awkward at all, perhaps because she is good at reading a person's reactions even without being able to see them. It made me resolve to try a bit harder with telephone calls in future...