The Etiquette of Sharing a Shrink

If you take the plunge and decide to share your shrink with family and friends, therapists recommend you keep the following in mind:

* Don’t fish for information about the other person. The therapist is not allowed to tell you, and you’ll waste valuable time--and money--on a wild goose chase.

* Resist the temptation to discuss the content of your therapy sessions with your friend or family member. You two may become bogged down in a quagmire of misunderstandings as you both put your own spin on the therapist’s words. This can harm your relationship as well as complicate the therapy.

* If you feel like the therapist is taking sides with the other patient, talk about your feelings so that you can be reassured of his or her neutrality.