Ellison,
Thanks for posting. I am working some of the "kinks" out. Its a combination of a few different factors. I do have an awesome T who has worked really hard to create a safe place for me and a relationship that I really believe I can trust. Neither of which come easily or naturally to me.

Having that place has allowed me to process some deeply buried memories and feelings and I think I have finally rooted out the belief that there is something fundamentally wrong with me or that I'm intriniscally evil. So a lot of condemnation is gone. Also, as the "not so pretty" parts have been coming to life, having my T maintain a steady accepting connection has let me see that having faults or doing some things wrong isn't the end of the world, so I'm learning to accept my humaness better and to try and extend to myself the same kind of grace I give to other people. Don't get me wrong, I don't think I'll ever completely get rid of my "horrible" messages (as I think of them) but I'm learning to recognize them and cut them off quicker. I described it to my T as having been in one of those boxes in which you can't sit, lie down, or straigten up, then the box is opened and you can stand and stretch and even run. More space, more choices. So when I do recognize something I don't like it feels like there are more options as to what to do about it all. All that said, I still don't think I take criticism all that well, or that I'm always quick to own up to my faults, but I'm getting better. I should be perfect around 150 years after I die.

Last but not least, watching other people on this website and another group I belong too has been an eye opener. People that are clearly, to me, incredibly strong, brave, resilient, compassionate and giving are saying the same things about themselves and struggling with the same feelings. I can SO clearly see its not true about them, which is helping me to let it go about me. Sorry, I tend to write novels!
AG