I 100% agree with both you and Portia_RO - therapy is so much hard work! I can defintiely feel very drained after my sessions, but I do always try to make sure I've got time afterwards to do something nice for myself, or at least have time to go for a nap to recover. Would it be helpful to book in an hour for yourself after your appointments? It might help to give yourself permission to rest or do something you enjoy without feeling bad about it?
I think letting your psychologist know how you felt after your last session via the pre-appointment email is a fantastic idea. They will then be able to think about whether the type of therapy they are using might need to be different support what your brain needs, or make sure that they take some time before and after the session to ground and bring you back into the present. Do they do anything at the moment at the end of your appointments to check in on how you're feeling before they finish up?
Your paragraph about pushing through all that comes with a chronic illness to keep going, really resonates with me. I have CFS/M.E. and I totally feel what you're saying. I want to take some time here to acknowledge how incredible you are. You are coping with both your body and your brain making things difficult for you, yet, you have still been able to seek help to work through and find ways to feel more supported and more content. That is HUGE. I know it can feel like you're not 'good enough' when you have really hard standards for yourself, but I think you are doing amazingly. I hope you can find a way to feel proud of yourself, because you really deserve to be ❤️
