[celtic.starlite]

I had to learn not to feel anything at a very young age, and now, my therapist wants me to check in with myself and assess my feelings. I have no idea what I am doing.
How do you figure out what you are feeling when you don't feel anything?

[Thunder Bow]

Try meditation to slow your mind down. Medications can cover feelings. Pay attention to your dreams, you feelings will surface there first.

[tinyrabbit]

Originally Posted by celtic.starlite

I had to learn not to feel anything at a very young age, and now, my therapist wants me to check in with myself and assess my feelings. I have no idea what I am doing.
How do you figure out what you are feeling when you don't feel anything?

I have the same problem. My T's all: "How does that feel?" and he may as well be asking me to do quantum physics. I don't get it. I don't speak the language.

Can you ask your T to describe how s/he is feeling to give you examples and model it for you?

[Frankbtl]

Hi celtic, if you're really not feeling anything, just write down what not feeling anything feels like for you, if that makes sense??!!!.
For example a sense of detachment, a sense of emptiness, a sense of numbness, a sense of "I don't get how I should react", a sense of "Standing apart from things"................whatever's there.
I don't know if it will help returning to memories though, and trying to write down how you were feeling (even if that can only include physical feelings e.g. shaking??) as sometimes feelings can be buried real deep but still be effecting us/flicking that "I don't feel anything" switch". Watch for going "too deep" there though!! One step at a time.....
And of course, maybe "happy" memories might surface on reflection, reminding you to a point of what happiness actually feels like. Step towards recognizing/maybe feeling that again???? Possibly??????
But your feelings right now, are what they are, and I'd say that it will be really important to acknowledge however they are for you. Even if that's a "vacancy" there. That way your T is going to have a better understanding, and way to work forward with those feelings, what's gone on for you, what's going on for you.
Just a thought though, may not work, but.............maybe you could just "let yourself go" in some sort of art which may help with your expression of what you're feeling/not feeling???? Or maybe there's a song, any song, that resonates with you or explains it????
Alison

One possible way to proceed might be to look into the practice of "insight meditation". Then, if you can establish an insight meditation practice, see if you can bring forth one feeling or emotional response to something in your past or in your present day-to-day life. Use this feeling as the object of your practice. Perhaps this practice will lead you to other feelings that you aren't even aware of at the present time. Then you can begin to use this new feeling or feelings in your practice as well. Clearly, it would be best if you could find an insight meditation teacher to work with you on this. But if not there are lots of books available on the subject. And I'm sure there are resources on the internet too.

I'm not familiar with such things as DBT or CBT. But perhaps these types of training programs may also be of help with this type of concern. Good luck!

[celtic.starlite]

Thank you everyone.
For the suggestions.