It isn't memory work though. My reference to memories was that what you have is enough for her to work with, she isn't looking for memories: that was in reference to your suggestion/warning about false repressed memories and that she does not look for memories: what a person brings to her is enough as long as they are the person's own thoughts/memories and have not been suggested by someone else. For example, if someone has some symptoms but no history of abuse, and another person suggests that the symptoms sound like a history of abuse--she would not accept that.

She isn't looking for a quick fix either. She does like to help produce quick results in some areas to promote and encourage further work. The guided imagery has helped me already and encourages me to continue. When I began with her I could barely make eye contact, couldn't talk about issues directly, would have never stated my needs, etc. It's helped with the therapy process as well as my life outside of therapy. Hypnosis is an extension of that and is nothing more than a deeply relaxed state where I can think and talk about things that are so upsetting to talk about that I defensively shut down. Being deeply relaxed will allow me to talk about experiences without the intense panic those experiences evoke. It will help me realize that we are talking about 'then', not now. It just relaxes a person to free up the mind; much like when sleeping relaxes the mind and we dream, or like when you have a time of relaxation after a particularly hectic time and thoughts come to you that haven't presented themselves for a while. (think of lying on a beach on vacation and realizing that you forgot how beautiful the sky is, the sky's blue color, the clouds floating by, the sounds of the seagulls squawking...)

It is a tool, like many tools used in therapy and elsewhere. We will not do all our talking while I am in that state. It is a vehicle to get to where we want to go; once there and I can get these issues out into the open, then I will be able to talk more freely about them.

I think whatever works... works. There are therapies I don't think would work for me and I have had therapies that didn't help (CBT and REBT) although I did learn some from them, even if that learning was that I didn't care for those treatments. ha! So, I look forward to this even though I get antsy about everything new . I will learn something from the experience and if that leads to a desire to learn more or to learn in a different way than hypnotherapy, then that is where I'll go from there.

I appreciate a good discussion and I really do appreciate your posts and link and concerns. I too like to do a lot of research and my post was part of my researching. I may use your link yet.. when I am feeling more objective maybe. Right now, for reassurance and support of how I have already decided to proceed with my therapist, I guess I am not ready to be totally objective; I just want support and reassurance. That's just me, at this point.

I hope that makes sense!

ECHOES