Thanks to everyone for replying. I hope that y'all don't mind a "group reply."

Posting this was very difficult for me...I've got it so deeply ingrained in me that I *shouldn't* feel angry about anything, my hands shook as I hit the "Post" button. It means so much to me that even people who might not agree or understand my feelings could recognize that this was something I needed to do so I could reach a place of healing.

For those that asked if this helped me release some of the anger, it really did. I was really stuck in a place where I couldn't see past these feelings. Sky said that she wasn't sure if all of these things was true, and I think that hit the mark...my feelings weren't really about what's true and what's not true, but about my anger. I tried so hard to just push it out of the way...but it just formed that knot in my stomach that I described above. I sure am going to try to let it out as it comes up from now on, instead of letting it build and build.

In addition to the chapter on anger avoidance, my T also gave me one on healthy anger. It gave a formula for expressing feelings, "When _________ happens, I feel ________, and I want __________." I took a baby step today by being able to say how I feel, and now I feel like I can think about the second half of that statement in a positive, healing way.

So thanks again to everyone, and even though I'm replying only once, I will give you each individual hugs, since each and every reply has meant something special to me.

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{Dolfin}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}
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{{{{{{{{{Angie and the girls}}}}}}}}

Love to y'all,
Jo