Trauma work...ARG. There are many different schools of thought on trauma therapy, it makes my head spin. I haven't done the typical "trauma work" most people speak of. Telling "my story" would injure me further, a general overview is fine. Changing my thought patterns and actions was necessary. Getting control over my very bad coping instincts was MOST important. When I started T, a long time ago, everyone wanted to do trauma work and this just kept getting me stuck back in hospitals. I had to get stable. I had to get control over my acts before I could do any kind of T. It was several years of T's just telling me over and over again what I could do when in crisis. Over the years I have found that FOR ME, trauma work would be detrimental. I certainly didn't "get over it" by any means, but I have come to accept that as a part of who I am. As a survivor I do have a choice of whether to jump into self damaging behavior or to call for help. I choose my coping mechanism. So choice is huge...but it takes a heck of a long time to get to that place...I am still working on it. I can tell you that I am better at making those decisions, but I still fail at times.

Maybe your T just wants you to make 1 good choice for every 19 bad ones...then 6 mos later 2 for every 18...etc. I'm glad you wrote the email, it's really important that your T clarifies this with you. I hope she replies quickly, and I hope she writes what you need to hear.