I think it is more a gradual thing than you are imagining. When we have a glaring something trying to claim our attention, it is easy to ignore all the day-to-day stuff happening that is equally as important. Even when the bad stuff was happening there was other stuff happening and hopefully gradually talking about something that happened today that reminded you of some event that happened earlier you will "fill in" a lot of your life and make connections to the really bad things but will have the rest of your life to support yourself with so the really bad things can be worked on without destroying the fabric of your whole life.

There will be some hinting and telling to your T and some T asking questions when she doesn't understand some of your broad hints, etc. It will be back and forth, a conversation that goes on for awhile.