chaotic, I believe that hypnosis is a tool commonly used in ego state therapy. After I sent my male/protector ego state away so forcefully, I felt really bad, and that I might never be able to contact him again. I tried to look for ways to contact ego states. Hypnosis was an oft-mentioned way. I did not do that, though. I felt if we were meant to talk again, it would happen.

One thing my male/protector ego state was really scared about was that my therapist was teaching me to cope better, take care of the little girl ego states, deal with dangerous situations on my own, and he felt very threatened by that, because it was HIS role to do all that. And what would happen if there was no need for him anymore? He was terrified he might cease to exist. It was a truly existential crisis for him. He and T were able to talk and he got some reassurement. I tried to offer him alternative roles and some of them he point blank rejected. "I don't want to do that." or "I am no good at that." He can be rather pouty. My T also offered the same suggestion to him, and he had an easier time hearing it from T. That's vexing to me, but hey, what's important, I guess, is that he was able to hear it from someone.

I agree. It's fascinating. I know I am not dealing with my ego states the same way as everyone in my T's practice either. I do it my own way. Once T asked me where I was talking to my ego states (when we were having one of those conversations between T and ego state that I was facilitating). Where? I asked, not understanding what he was talking about. Yes, he said, do you meet on a stage and talk to them there? A stage? No, I said. I remember thinking, huh? Why would we meet on a stage? But I wonder if this is something another client told T, that he meets and talks to his ego states on a stage? I told him I just talk to my ego states inside of me. We are just there together. There is no stage or background or environment. It is just in my brain. And I don't always "talk" to them; sometimes I can just "think" to them and they think back at me. Like we share a brain. Not always, but sometimes. Now that I am thinking of this, I am wondering if T talks to his own ego states on a stage, and that is where he got that idea. Fascinating. I wish I had asked him that.

I went to the member photo albums, looked under "C", but did not find your album there, chaotic. Can you give a direct link? Is it in some other area? I would like to see your drawings.