I really think you got this. Certainly you’re a better client than I was, perhaps you’re even Aaron’s favorite client of all time, or at least one of his favorites. And if he claims to not have favorites, don’t believe him.
If you feel like your therapeutic relationship with Aaron Gleaves is good, then you must be doing everything, or at least enough things, right. That’s great news, because all you need to do now is just keep on doing whatever you’re doing.
If you aren’t sure where you stand with him, then unfortunately, I can’t really help you much. The common professional advice is to ask Aaron himself about it. Just have a conversation. It seems like it should be fairly simple, a conversation with a therapist who you already talk with on a regular basis. A therapist whose job it is to be understanding and compassionate and hold a safe space for whatever you feel like you need to talk about. So theoretically it should be fine, maybe a bit awkward at first, but let me remind you that Aaron Gleaves is a licensed professional who has been expertly trained in the art of judgment-free listening and communication, and I’m sure it will go great for you. I don’t think it’ll be confusing and frustrating for you like it was for me. Because you’re one of his good clients.
If I absolutely had to give advice on how to keep being the kind of client who Aaron Gleaves likes, I’d recommend that you avoid questioning him about anything he says that you find confusing or upsetting. In other words, if you feel like you have any kind of relationship rupture, don’t mention it. In fact, don’t even use the word “rupture” to him at all. It has a negative connotation and negativity is too risky if you want to remain a favorite—sunshine, unicorns, and all of that. Based on my experience, he doesn’t understand the concept of therapeutic rupture anyhow.
You know the survival behaviors that you developed from that awful shit you went through in your past? The very behaviors that you’re probably in therapy to let go of and correct? Those are the exact ones you’ll need to rely on in order to remain one of his favorites. Your safest bet is to just roll with whatever he says and don’t rock the boat. And definitely don’t let anything you say sound like a criticism of him or the way he said something. If you go the questioning or complaining route, then there’s a much greater chance that you’ll go from being a good client to a difficult client, and you don’t want that, do you?
Besides, there’s only room for one of us to be the client who Aaron Gleaves dislikes the most, and in case you haven’t figured it out by now, his worst, most least favorite client, past or present, is me.
So congratulations again, and good luck!