[quote=sunrise;1198479]Listen to her, and give her attention. Let her know she is heard and wanted. Give her a hug.
Thanks, Sunny. I woke up this morning and felt my little one close - I picked up a childhood doll that I had dug out from storage and just held her for a few moments - it felt very soothing.

Sounds like you have found a great way to access what she needs to say. When you read what she has written, does it surprise you, come out of the blue? Or do you feel it is very familiar and you recognize those feelings and words? How does it help your T to read those letters? And how does it help LD to have him read them? Does she communicate with him in any other way?

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Sunny, I like all the questions - thanks for your interest!

This morning as I journaled, I felt this anger within me, so I tried turning the pen over, and out came Little Dreamer age 6! After I wrote the letter, I took a little break and then came back to read my letter from LD9 yesterday and the one from LD6 today. The letters are an odd assortment of what you described above, Sunny - some feelings are very familiar, and some words and feelings I don't remember thinking or feeling at all as a child.

Last week, when I read my letters to T for the first time, I think it was me reading them, not LD. But I was floored by how emotional I became, as soon as I started reading them - barely able to get the words out at some points. But then after I read them, and T said that they were beautiful, it was LD9 who came out, gave T a bashful smile, and told T that she was happy that T liked the letters. I don't even identify at the time that it's a little one coming out, but I see it so clearly after a session - like pouting and asking for the hug at the end of the session.

As far as how it helps T to read those letters - T said she was very moved and touched by the letters, so I think that helped our relationship grow stronger. T is understanding more what I went through as a child, and so am I! So many feelings, I stuffed down, so this is really eye-opening for me. It's also quite painful, but there's some joy there as well - joy from the child selves, finally being heard, and joy at T's positive reaction to the letters. T told me that these letters seem to be a really great tool for me to get in touch with those feelings, and she's right. T also said that therapy encourages regression - well, T, it's working then!

I do want to ask T tomorrow more about this. T has been encouraging me to get more emotional and not so intellectual, but I still want to understand exactly what these child selves are. I don't think I've dissociated into a child state where I don't remember what has happened, but it's a bit scary to feel these child states getting stronger and wanting to be heard more and more. It's not happening at work, thank goodness, usually just when I'm journaling or with T. But I want to talk it over with T, see how best to proceed. I think it is important that we all be heard, I just don't quite understand how to best deal with all these different parts that I feel coming up now. Even me using the word "we" freaks me out a bit, but it feels right.