Dr Visit

Our third trip to see the psychologist. Rosie didn't want to go - first because it was Wednesday, when Monday was 'supposed to be' her day. Then changing clothes was problematic. Her socks wouldn't go on perfectly straight which nearly caused another meltdown. Shoes - I didn't have the ends of the velcro match up perfectly (because matching them up makes the shoes too tight!) and that was terrible. Then her favorite jacket was still in the dryer and she had to wear a different one. At last all these things were overcome, though she had to bring a stuffed animal to make the ride OK.

During the visit Rosie enumerated things that she hated, #9 being "Being taken against my will to places I don't want to go." We established the ways in which she tries to avoid talking about uncomfortable things like school and whether she has friends, or confusing interactions with people. She explained that she really disliked being interviewed in this way. The dr gently kept bringing the topics back around - and Rosie became more and more agitated until she was in constant motion, flinging herself around the room and on the floor and holding her hands over her ears. After she'd approached the doctor a couple of times, going up to her to grimace and express herself or make noises at her and then retreating and returning, I suddenly recognized that this was threat behavior - she was working herself up to being aggressive with the doctor. I sort of flashed back to a couple of months ago when she spat lemonade in her aunt's face after having been pursued for hairbrushing, and we ended the session.