IATE If they are people you already know, would that not make it easier to relate to them (as opposed to total strangers with whom you have to be more on guard because they're an unknown quantity?)

I take it you're not a fan of therapy then? Up until my latest T I'd have agreed with you - especially on the didn't understand front. What has helped I think, is the fact that I'm now seeing an experienced clinical psychologist whereas all the Ts before that were just bog standard not terribly widely experienced or deep counsellor-style therapists (though they liked to call themselves psychotherapists.)

I have read that CBT and other behaviourally based approaches are quite useful for AvPD - personally CBT is anathema to me with its emphasis on 'challenging'. What's helping me is the fact that my T is focusing on the relationship between us, trying to establish trust first (a very tall order that one!), and though she is trained in CBT modalities, she's adapting her approach to suit what I need and not vice versa. Really it's a question of shopping around until you find the right 'fit'. It's also a question of being committed to healing - being avoidant makes it a bit too easy to quit therapy (or any relationship) the moment it gets difficult or painful or uncomfortable, and being able to stick it out with a decent T is the key factor in its working. Actually that applies across the board, not just in AvPD

Sorry for the lecture, it's just that I've only really just started with this T (20 sessions so far at twice a week) and am really over the moon at how positively it's going, so I'm a bit of an advocate for therapy at the moment.

On that note though, as my check in for the day, I'm really pissed off that I got a flat tyre today which meant I couldn't make my therapy session. While I'm not exactly attached, I still really wanted to see my T. Got to wait till Thursday now . Lol maybe I should be posting in the therapy forum. I never seem to have time at the moment to get to all the forums in which I'd like to post.