I started emailing her my thoughts around October. She would read and respond to them online. She may also bring something from them to our next session. She never read anything from them, but may make a reference to something I wrote.

When I wanted to just 'let it all out', I decided to write it down. I told her in an email that I was going to do that and I wanted to read it to her. I asked her if I got too emotional would she finish it for me.

I never even started! I was a nervous wreck, so I asked her to read. I had a copy to follow along with. When I could see that she was fixing to get to a 'touchy' part, I would clutch my pillow and literally face the wall and try to climb in it! My anxiety was through the roof! I thought I was going to pass out.

Yes, she does read my exact words. This is how I wanted it to be.

That was a very, very difficult thing for me to do that day. It was also the best thing I had ever done. We do this every session now, but I normally read. She has a copy and I have one so that we can go back and forth if needed.

I do have parts that I mark for her to read silently so I don't have to hear it. She will usually make a comment about it and we discuss it. We stop and go alot while reading. She or I will pause to talk about something that was brought up in the notes.

Bringing these journal notes help me to stay focused. I am somewhat ADHD and I tend to wander from one topic to another without really getting anything accomplished in our session. I needed a way to help me stay more in the moment. This has worked great for me!

I tend to be the kind that needs to change things up when they get stagnant. We have gone from sitting on the couch, to sitting in the floor, and now we are back on the couch. I brought music for awhile, pillow/blankets, family pictures of my current marriage, as well as some from my previous marriage, pictures of my home, my classroom at school, etc... I feel like this helps us connect better. She has a visual of the things I talk about a lot.