Therapist Seems Nervous

[deandro]

I didn't where to post this, but my therapist sometimes seems nervous or impatient when I'm speaking such as by pulling her bracelet eith her fingers or drumming some of her fingers.

What does this likely mean? Is such behavior typical of therapists?

Thanks for any helpful input.

 

[Daniel E.]

It may help to ask her. Talking about such things can help your therapeutic relationship with your therapist:

Say Anything | Psychology Today

Personally, I don't know what it means. Certainly, everyone has nervous habits, some of which are more obvious and frequent than others. But I don't remember any of my therapists having obvious nervous habits or any annoying habits except one did seem understandably tired at the end of the day. Regarding nervous/annoying habits, the well-known therapist Fritz Perls would smoke during the session since it was socially acceptable back then. And Freud had his pipe.

ADHD would be another, less common possibility:

when i first started seeing my t i noticed that he was constantly fidgetting with his ring, chapstick, or this little squishy football. I think after 4 or 5 sessions i felt comfortable enough to mention that he seems uncomfortable because he's always messing with something. Then he told me that he has adhd.