I'm so glad your last session helped you with this issue. I'm kind of late to this discussion but I've really been thinking about your question.

Sometimes I think of therapy as a course I'm taking or a project I'm doing. It feels that way because I'm so engaged with it and it takes up such a huge part of my life even though I only actually go in for an hour a week.

My T is more psychodynamic in her orientation and doesn't give "homework" as such. She does ask me to notice what I'm feeling in session a lot and I have tried outside of session to just notice how I'm feeling. Sometimes I just focus on basic things like whether I'm hungry and other times I try to notice feelings like resentment or annoyance or anger jut to know they're there without doing anything about them (or because of them.)

Also writing about things that come up, writing emails to her that I sometimes send but usually don't and posting here all help me clarify my thoughts. Sometimes PC feels like a therapy extension in that I realize that I'm processing and forming opinions and getting insights as I read what others are saying. Also noticing what it is that moves me to comment gives me some insight as to what is going on for me. It's often easier to react to other people's questions and concerns than to my own. And I often feel more generous and compassionate toward others than toward myself. This forum gives me a reason to reflect on that.

Usually, what the work is only becomes apparent to me in retrospect.