That's interesting you experienced that as a defense, Melba. You're right--I don't think I'm completely done with the trauma. But some of the big demons are out of the way. Still, echoes and ripples come up from time to time. And there is one area with some trauma that I have still not tackled. Right now I am making a different sort of progress in therapy (the small stuff). I guess I don't feel pressured to finish all the healing immediately, because my real life crises have calmed down. That feels good to me--maybe some would say I'm being lazy? But the small stuff is so worthwhile. Yes, the length of trauma work can indeed vary. It depends on many things--the trauma experienced, the client's resources and motivation, the T's approach and techniques, the T relationship, etc. I think Ts with different approaches could end up taking quite different amounts of time with the same client.

What you wrote about my therapist being pleased--I think he would be pleased to help me with more trauma. Or not. But he's not invested in either--that's for me to decide. He's a trauma specialist so he would not shy away from doing more trauma work with me. Or make me feel less "likable" for needing this. He usually lets me choose what we do, according to my needs.

I do think my T identifies more strongly with being a healer than some Ts do. He makes a distinction between being a therapist and a healer. There is overlap. My first therapist did not seem like a healer at all. She was more of a band-aid applier.