Wow that IS a big risk. I know that I would not even be able to ATTEND a group like that much less offer up anything into a discussion and definately not something that real and close to myself. You are much stronger than you give yourself credit for!

My T calls that anxiety and depression that I feel when trying a new skill or learning a new concept "cognitive dissonance". He likens it to learning any new thing...for example driving a car...remember when you did it the first time how unfamiliar and frightening it was? and then as you got more experience at it you gradually got so that probably now you can get in a car and drive and not even think about what you are doing most of the time. He says we have to push ourselves through that period of learning that FEELS scary and strange... Dunno if I explained that well enough..but maybe?