This was a phrase Anne used in another thread - hope you don't mind me picking up on it. I am in one big flashback at the moment, my therapy is triggering it. I feel as vulnerable and full of shame and rejection as I did as a child. I'm a bit stuck. How do people move on from it? What do T's do to help? And before you ask, yes I have told my T, but I haven't really had anything from her.

[shezbut]

Any idea what in therapy triggered these emotions? Specifically? Was it a memory, a thought of the future,...?

I think it is when there is conflict, like when we have talked about my dog, she challenged me on something.

[brokenwarrior]

I'm sorry you're feeling so horrible I had a certain thing happen in therapy that has triggered the same emotions. So for what T's do to help, I'm not sure because I haven't told my T this. I think you have to acknowledge what brought on these emotions and why you are holding on to these emotions in order to move on.

Can you think of what you would need from your T to help you? Can you ask her?

[shezbut]

Well, since you mentioned that your T knows that you were triggered and you talked about it...I wonder...had your T talked about the passing of your pet? Did she challenge you on how long you expected your dog to live?

If so, perhaps she is trying to calm you with rationalizing.

Emotions aren't very rational a lot of the time. They simply are how we feel. It isn't healthy to stuff our emotions away and pretend that they don't exist. In my experience, our emotions are simply emotions. You can allow yourself to feel ____ for 20 minutes, and then try writing (or typing) about it in a journal. Draw a picture. Make a painting. Work with clay. Dance to the opposite emotional music. (Happy music) Color or cook.

The important parts are allowing yourself to feel sad because ____, write it out as clearly as you can, and then let it go.

[ThisWayOut]

I have lots of them. but not sure how to get out of them. I just have to ride it through. They are generally triggered by certain phrases or conversations... I'm learning it helps to identify them as past emotions, and try to breathe through them.

Originally Posted by brokenwarrior

I'm sorry you're feeling so horrible I had a certain thing happen in therapy that has triggered the same emotions. So for what T's do to help, I'm not sure because I haven't told my T this. I think you have to acknowledge what brought on these emotions and why you are holding on to these emotions in order to move on.

Can you think of what you would need from your T to help you? Can you ask her?

Thanks that is helpful to consider what I need from her. I'm surprised you haven't told your T about your experience - though I know it is very difficult to talk about and now I wonder if I would have been better not talking about it, it hasn't helped so far, I feel worse for talking about it. I had considered I was wasting my time and money if I didn't talk about how I felt, but the outcome has not been as I had hoped.

Originally Posted by ThisWayOut

I have lots of them. but not sure how to get out of them. I just have to ride it through. They are generally triggered by certain phrases or conversations... I'm learning it helps to identify them as past emotions, and try to breathe through them.

Thanks for this, riding through seems a good strategy, perhaps better than quitting, I guess emotions settle and pass with time.

Originally Posted by shezbut

Well, since you mentioned that your T knows that you were triggered and you talked about it...I wonder...had your T talked about the passing of your pet? Did she challenge you on how long you expected your dog to live?

If so, perhaps she is trying to calm you with rationalizing.

Emotions aren't very rational a lot of the time. They simply are how we feel. It isn't healthy to stuff our emotions away and pretend that they don't exist. In my experience, our emotions are simply emotions. You can allow yourself to feel ____ for 20 minutes, and then try writing (or typing) about it in a journal. Draw a picture. Make a painting. Work with clay. Dance to the opposite emotional music. (Happy music) Color or cook.

The important parts are allowing yourself to feel sad because ____, write it out as clearly as you can, and then let it go.

Thanks but my dog is alive and well, the conflict is not about my precious dog passing.

You have to put words to the experiences...

[StressedMess]

Originally Posted by _Mouse

You have to put words to the experiences...

I've been trying to figure out what words go with them. Anger and shame are the only two I'm able to verbalize at the moment. Most times those have been my go-to's but surely I've felt something other than that in my life. It sounds weak and cry-babyish to me to say scared, lonely, etc.

Why I have to be John Wayne is a thing I'm exploring with T right now. I'm as human as everyone else and deserve a full range of feelings but my little voice in my head won't let me!

Day whatever comes to mind... That's the art of therapy..

Originally Posted by _Mouse

You have to put words to the experiences...

I feel like I have said to her what I'm feeling, but she hasn't really taken it in. I'm going to try again with her. I don't usually send texts but I have sent a text with my thoughts, I hope we can discuss this on Tuesday when I see her.