Hi Mandala

Yes !!!!! ....LOL

Trust and oh ick did you really say connection !? .... Isn't there some rule in these forums against the use of profanity !?

Ok..more seriously (Swimmer puts on her very contemplative face) I completely agree...what I initially labeled as trust with my therapist...after quite a number of years....was the fact that I trusted her not to, at any given point, jump out of her chair at something/!?anything that I said and hit me. Now at the time, I thought that this was a huge amount of trust to "bestow" to her. But it seems (as in a lot of issues surrounding recovery) you peel off one layer and instead of the work being done you find another whole layer underneath. And even at that...dependent on other part's frequency of "presence", communication and reassurance to less trusting parts can take a significant time period.

And then there's one of the many Catch 22's with the therapy setting...learning to trust yourself and your own judgement. It is an amazingly difficult balance to stay with a therapist (especially if any "issues" arise within the therapeutic setting) when every instinct in your body may be telling you that this is a very dangerous undertaking and to RUN !!!!! The msg seems to be trust your instincts and judgement...but opps not in this particular area .

Actually, I think one of the most helpful things my therapist constantly re-inforces with my is the fact that she doesn't want "blind" trust from me. She tells all parts to watch her and let her know if there is anything that seems dangerous or changes in her that might indicate something less than trustworthy. And she actually praises protective parts for keeping me safe.

Ok contemplative face off ....lol yes I think I'd get along real well with a 3 1/2 y.o. I bet he's very cute

S