Hi Helle, Sorry I didn't get to you sooner. I don't know if any of my waffle will help but I'll try my best to make suggestions, I feel it is up to you and your T to find the proper answers. I think it's perfectly natural to go numb. Were you talking about something particularly difficult at the time? Trying to make yourself feel something that you don't feel is quite impossible in my opinion. It seems like you were overwhelmed or didn't want to feel a particular emotion, however...Read More...

I know what you mean about being triggered but not being sure why or what about. I am the same with rainy weather, it really depresses me. I wish I could offer some suggestions to help you but I am anxious at the moment too and not finding much that helps me. Talking about it helps, here and with friends/family. That feeling of dread is the worst hey?Read More...

Dear AG and HB! Thank you, thank you, thank you for pushing me to continue with my T! Limbic resonance is what he does best without reading the book. My T really knows how to smooth things out with me even though I couldn't share with him all that was going on (because I didn't know). Most of the miscommunication was because I had to change my appointment and he was not getting back to me. He apologized, and explained how to best get this done. Sometimes he does not set clear boundries, and...Read More...

Hi SD, I'm start backwards (as usual!)- I don't think you need to fret about helping people on here, if you can it's fine and if you don't feel like it then don't push yourself. IF all you want to do is just vent and let it all out I think that's fine. Just my opinion. As for your T, I'm sure it's hard for both of ye, not just her. She's just as eager as you to help you through all of this and there's no (fortunately or unfortunately) set time limit. We're all different, we all have...Read More...

I am a bit afraid that my transference can turn erotic at some stage. I didn't really get a chance to discuss it yet since I am still a bit afraid of talking to him openly about how I feel about him. I don't really feel desire, I do know that I feel love and some sort of admiration. However sometimes I am trying to imagine him and me in some erotic action. This fantasy doesn't quite work out. It is like I am trying to find out if there is a posibility of me having this kind of fantasies...Read More...

Thank you all SO much, how extraordinary to be met with so much affirmation! I so appreciate you taking the time to read and respond with so much care. SG, I really appreciate your generosity knowing what you're struggling with right now. Summer, thank you for talking about how it feels for you as a teacher letting go of your students. I definitely felt like my T was expressing it and you're viewpoint is very confirming of that. HB, As always you are able to say things I just can't express.Read More...

(((((((((Robin et al))))))))) Thanks for checking in, I've been wondering how you were all doing, I miss all of you! I'm sorry to hear about your dad, I know how stressful it can be. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your dad. AGRead More...

I saw my P today and was very satisfied and really felt he answered all my questions and concerns very well. I had kept a notebook of different questions and feelings that I had this week and the session was very productive because I knew what I had to discuss. (sometimes I go in and completely forget everything that I wanted to talk about and the session seems wasted). He made me feel secure and safe and that no topic was off limits to talk to him about. I have an appt next week again which...Read More...

Hi Lonely ... I'm sorry you are suffering so much but if you take a few steps at a time you can really be helped. I have a very good friend who also had crippling social anxiety. She suffered for years with it and then finally found a doctor who put her on Paxil anti-depressant and she is doing so much better she can't believe it. Now I'm not saying this will solve everything for you and you would need to talk to a qualified doctor but there is help and hope out there. I do think therapy...Read More...

Thanks for the response TN...as for the tears, I'm not really sure. I just know that I can't cry even though I want to. The only place I get close is with my T. The whole day has been one black cloud. Though lots of cooking and baking have helped take my mind off it. Just trying to use up the hours before I go to bed.Read More...

Thanks SG for sharing your music with me. I too have two daughters, and yes I agree with AG, and HB because on occasion my daughters have mentioned that they too are learning from my struggles and they applaud my successes. (Sometimes they roll their eyes though- but that is the teen thing)We are closer because of the process. My younger daughter is a source of strength, so I am copying and pasting one song for her. Thanks AllRead More...

Dear IHTS, Do not Give Up! Does your T believe in EMDR?? It went a long way in helping me to eliminate or at least it took the power away from intrusive thoughts that just made me miserable. LunaRead More...

Hi all! Thanks for the word of encouragement AG...they mean a lot. I still haven't made my decision which is terrible as I know it is my way of taking the easy route..not making the decision so that I run out of time. SG....well done on the work in your sessions. The boundary thing scares me so much I never feel like I can cross it at all. I once sent an email to him when I thought I was in danger of doing something really stupid and felt terrible when he rang me back straight away..I do NOT...Read More...

HB, Not possible since I want to be you when I grow up. The master should not sit at the feet of the student. AGRead More...

Hi I'm OK, Sorry I have taken so long to respond! Life keeps intruding. My T's office has a recliner which he sits in and across from it is a loveseat and chair. I sit on the left side of the loveseat both during my couples session and my individual sessions. (There are a couple of pillows on the loveseat which I love to clutch for comfort!). My husband sits in the chair. We tried switching once and got really uncomfortable. Like sleeping on the wrong side of the bed. There's a large round...Read More...

Thank you, Attachment Girl. That was very insightful. I've got a lot to think about.Read More...

Mlc, Not at all!!! Sorry you felt that way. I've been on vacation and my posting has been few and far between, I'm trying to find some time to catch up because I've got so much to write. Please don't feel that way at all, you didn't nothing at all wrong. I've struggled with all the same feelings so there was nothing shocking in what you said. Life just gets in the way of posting sometimes. AGRead More...

Hi LTF--I am very curious about your 15yo self--why is it that you do have so little compassion for her? What was she like? Was she scared? What was she afraid of? What did she do that was so wrong? Do your feelings for her prevent you from taking care of yourself now? (I too have parts of me that I hate and consequently, I have a real hard time comforting myself now...the very thought of it fills me with such anger--)....very curious, mlcRead More...

Hi, I didn't read the thread you're referring to but here's one thing I've learned about transference so far; I think you can have it and not even realise it. For example, there have been times where I was so furious with my therapist that I wanted to tell him to go F himself and never see him again because he said something that hurt me. It took a while to see that the hurt feelings - triggered by my T - were really kind of a referred pain from an original hurt from my father...or my...Read More...

I know there are alot of counseling places out there, but i just want to share with this community what has made all the difference for my family and that is inhome family counseling, plus life coaching. I ran into a company called Harmony Crisis Management Group. www.harmonycmg.com and they have counselors around the country. I'm sure if you mention my name they know who i am bc i have thanked them so much. They sent a counselor into my home as opposed to having to go to an office and it...Read More...

Well I worked so hard with my T yesterday. And it was one of the most wonderful sessions we've had. I refused to let my guard come up, so it left me very exposed, but I also got so much more out of it than i normally do. I told my T about last time, where the defensiveness came from, and she immediately apologised (which wasn't necessary - I know she didn't mean to hurt me). She didn't even realise it was so touchy for me and how could she when I didn't tell her and when I didn't react. I...Read More...

Thank you for posting this. I honestly thought I was the only one in the world that went through this agony waiting for mail. It is comforting to know I am not alone.Read More...

I read your post and you were thinking that I think you are my counselor who is pretending to be someone else??? wow, that's very dangerous assumption LTF no no no …Read More...

cera, It sounds like you are in pain and suffering from a good amount of anxiety and stress - trying to handle all of this alone is not a good idea. Calling your P would be a really, really good idea I think. I've been through lows like this and have been so tempted to drink or anything to feel different because feeling better seemed impossible and feeling anything different would have been better. I found though that trying to do it all by myself never worked because I would get too caught...Read More...