I have felt that my process has been similar to exposure therapy, in the sense that I've had to push myself to talk about our relationship (t and mine). Talking to someone directly about something that is bothering me, something I don't like, or making a request of them is panic inducing to the point that I don't build relationships. The first time I did this, I tried to melt into the furniture and totally disassociated. It has gotten easier through the exposures. Each exposure has been my doing and by my pushing - regardless if I was really ready for it.

I can't imagine being pushed like you described and not getting angry at her and being somewhat belligerent towards her. I echo many of the previous suggestions. It is your journey and if she has good reasons that exposure therapy might work for you, it should still be at your pace and I believe that part of the process is learning how to give yourself the needed self-care and compassion to get through it. I have heard the "let your self just experience the feeling" concept before - at some point I've got to self-sooth or else my anxiety leads to a plummeted level in depression.

Like Pfrog said.. "It is okay to put the breaks on before it breaks you". As far as I know, there is nothing that says how frequent the exposure has to be to work.

- E