Hiya,

My therapist does guided imagery with me as therapy. I like it and am always surprised at the results. The good feeling doesn't last but a day or so, but that is a long time to feel good for me, at this point.

The guided imagery takes up most of the hour and sometimes I feel 'cheated' out of talk time. I like talking to her, although it is still very hard. I just like being there.

Have any of you done guided imagery and if so did you like it, was it helpful, and did you also have sessions where you just talked?

About the talking... I concluded recently that one reason I may have trouble talking is because I hear replies as criticism and I don't want to hear criticism. I want support and to feel cared about. But I also know I hear criticism when it isn't criticism; I turn it into criticism. But therapy is about challenging the old and learning the new so I have to find a way to deal with it. I also know that I am afraid I will say THE ONE THING that will make her abandon me; that I will show a part of me that is so awful she won't want to work with me or that I am too ill to be treated by her.

Do you know what I mean?

I often go in with things I want to talk about but am afraid to bring up. Or it is something we've discussed before and I think I shouldn't bring it up. I have one very recurring issue and I am afraid if I keep trying to talk about it she will think I am not paying attention when we talk or that I'm not 'getting it'.




ECHOES

[Christina86]

Hi ((((((((ECHOES)))))))))

I've done guided imagery, actually a friend taught me and he was really good at it. The next week my T wanted me to try it but I said I'm good thanks. lol

If the imagery is taking such a substantial amount of time and you want to talk, what about telling her? I think you probably should know the process by now and can do it by yourself - and you could still do it in therapy, just not regularily.

My thoughts anyway. Good luck.

[okiedokie]

How about asking her for a tape or CD? That way you could listen to it whenever you wanted to and yet still have your hour to talk.
Okie

Hi and thanks Canders and Okie, but the guided imagery is specific and therapeutic. I do have tapes I listen to as well for general relaxation and destressing.

I was looking for others who may have done the guided imagery as a form of therapy. She is a psychologist and practices psychodynamic therapy, using guided imagery as her preferred method. It is really amazing what it can do by reaching the unconscious. And she did say it would help me down the road to talk about some things.... so I guess maybe I am down the road.. if I'm wanting to talk more!

Thanks for replying!

ECHOES

[froggie2]

Hi Echos I did a few times. I found that what came up for me was useful in ways that weren't clear for me otherwise. I loved it and although I couldn't always stay focused it was a way to take the time to relax also. Its almost like a form of meditation somehow and when we are relaxed things surface that we can look at in a safe environment. Thats my take on it anyway. An example was one where I was walking along a path and we had to leave a container behind on the path. When we had to come back along the path we had to leave something in the container. I couldn't keep the lid on. My old BF's head kept popping out the sides with this big toothy smile. I kept shoving him back in and he kept popping out. I was doing in my subconscious what I hadn't been able to do in real life. Get rid of him. Had a lot of laughter with others in the class over that one.