Hi Doogie,

Trauma work can be really difficult. There are times in my own trauma work when i tell my t that we need to slow down, or temporarily work on other things, until i can regain my sense of balance. Have you told your t that you feel too overwhelmed right now and need some extra help coping?

It does help to remember that the pain you feel now will not last forever. As you learn to deal with the pain, a little at a time, it will get easier. But it takes time. Kind of like having a bad boil. It hurts to lance it and drain it. But then it heals. Keep reminding yourself that you can get through this. But by all means, let your t know if the trauma work is feeling like "too much too soon."

I understand, oh so well, your fears about being needy. Many of us have worried about being too needy for our therapists or being abandoned by them. If you grew up feeling like your needs were "too much" for your parents, you may fear that they will also be too much for your t. But your t is there to help you, and she will understand your needy feelings. As you see her sticking with you through thick and thin, you'll learn to trust her presence and hopefully won't worry so much about being left by her.

Doogie, i too am really good about seeming all put together and fine on the outside. I'm an expert at masking the turmoil inside me. It's a two-edged sword, really, because on the one hand, i can pass for normal -- nobody would guess that i have mental health problems. But on the other hand, nobody really knows i'm hurting and need help, so i don't get offered any help!! So i often feel alone with it. But that's where having my t to talk to really helps. I use my sessions to open up about my problems and all those things i don't feel able to talk about with friends or coworkers. I also journal and pray about it, and that helps. Do you have any close friends you could share your feelings with? If you have a very empathetic, insightful, kind friend, the support could really be nice. In my case, i tried to share my problems with a couple of friends, but it turned out badly. They didn't understand what i was going through, or how to help, and they got critical. So i save the deep painful stuff for therapy, journaling, praying, and this PC community here online. It has been very supportive also. Hopefully, you can get some good support here also.