I haven't seen new t for a long while. I hadn't missed her because of how things were going with me and regular t, all of the making up and breaking up! I was considering cancelling appointment with new t but I am glad I didn't.
Today was really interesting, she said she had a dream about me last night, it was a dream about me and the gestalt people we trained with. Anyway the dream led to a really bizarre session. I can't really say exactly the dream involved because I know t is very computer literate and this detail would identify me and her.
We brought characters from TV shows, movies and books to go after my abuser. We role played the how they would get revenge and teach him a lesson. Lisbeth salander was one character so you could imagine the kind of revenge we got. T thinks my abuser stole something from me so we used an empty box and this was a prop for the box my abuser kept my confidence, innocence etc... It was the most work I had done on this topic and have avoided working on it with regular t. Now I feel as though I have cheated on regular t. It was a great session and I always wondered why I was the way I was I never thought of it like something was stolen from me. I am sorry if this has triggered anyone.

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[Out There]

I did something similar when I worked with an EMDR T. Is this like a protective , nurturing and wise characters? And safe place. Sounds powerful.

Originally Posted by Out There

I did something similar when I worked with an EMDR T. Is this like a protective , nurturing and wise characters? And safe place. Sounds powerful.

How did you find your experience Out There? Yes, I felt safe with these characters and t came too and she had my back and so did these characters. I found it very healing because this was a chance to figuratively rake back what had been stolen from me. It felt safe to do this with new t even though we have only done ten sessions together.
Did you find some healing in your experience?

[Out There]

I did find it good and healing and still use them. One of my characters is an Alsatian dog so I picture him knocking people down or over , things like that. Another technique I learned and like was placing feelings on a leaf , setting it on a stream and watching it drift away. I always thought that was a bit like " Pooh sticks " !

[cinnamon_roll]

Current T and I work a lot with imaginations. This starts with "simple" stuff like imagining my personal safe place. And goes on to ways of dealing with difficult emotions, or visiting difficult/traumatic situations and kind of "re-writing" the script. This also involves bringing in different characters (from books/movies), animals, and/or chracters that represent some part of me but don't really show in "real life".

So what you describe sounds familiar to me.
I find this approach tremendously helpful. Normaly I'm a very rational and analytical person. So I have no problem to verbally analyse situations, find out what's my motivational force behind it, etc. But very often I also found this frustrating, because I stayed "stuck" on this rational level, emotionally hardly anything changed for me.

Things started to change when former T (who also works a lot with athletes who compete on very high levels) started to use positive triggers in our work together. A technique that she was using in her work with those athletes. Asking me to visualize a certain positive experience and/or feeling. And where I'm feeling it in my body. And to visualize an anchor so those positive things would be connected. Over time and with exercise this really worked. Amazingly enough. Because of manipulative experiences earlier on in my life I was very sceptical at first. Seemed too much of a risk to take. But T said we could try it once and just leave it if I don't like it...

I'm with a different T now (due to insurance issues), and I specifically looked for someone who works with those imaginative ressources. And I find it tremendously helpful and also effective.

For me those imaginations *can* actually change how I feel about some situation, or event in the past, or even myself. They help me to find a capacity to act in situations when I normally would feel helpless and just freeze. They give me a "safe space" to try out different things and to look into how I feel about those different options, and somehow this sense of agency transfers into "real life" really easily for me.

We work into all directions (at different times): past, present, future. Sometimes it's just me, sometimes those helpful entities might turn up, sometimes it's just some sort of "soothing presence" not otherwise embodied in any way.

I'm glad that you find this approach helpful, Mona. And I hope that this t will continue to help you find your inner ressources that are nuturing and strengthening and helpful to you.

Much love, c_r

Originally Posted by Out There

I did find it good and healing and still use them. One of my characters is an Alsatian dog so I picture him knocking people down or over , things like that. Another technique I learned and like was placing feelings on a leaf , setting it on a stream and watching it drift away. I always thought that was a bit like " Pooh sticks " !

Oh yes, I have heard if this leaf technique I think it's a part of this ACT therapy, hey, if it works I am all for it
I am loving this approach, I felt so good today usually after a heavy session of talking and crying I would be emotional today. New t text me yesterday to tell me the name of a song she listens to and head bangs to and that image made me laugh. She makes me laugh instead of cry.
I like the idea of a big Alsatian knocking people over

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Originally Posted by cinnamon_roll

Current T and I work a lot with imaginations. This starts with "simple" stuff like imagining my personal safe place. And goes on to ways of dealing with difficult emotions, or visiting difficult/traumatic situations and kind of "re-writing" the script. This also involves bringing in different characters (from books/movies), animals, and/or chracters that represent some part of me but don't really show in "real life".

So what you describe sounds familiar to me.
I find this approach tremendously helpful. Normaly I'm a very rational and analytical person. So I have no problem to verbally analyse situations, find out what's my motivational force behind it, etc. But very often I also found this frustrating, because I stayed "stuck" on this rational level, emotionally hardly anything changed for me.

Things started to change when former T (who also works a lot with athletes who compete on very high levels) started to use positive triggers in our work together. A technique that she was using in her work with those athletes. Asking me to visualize a certain positive experience and/or feeling. And where I'm feeling it in my body. And to visualize an anchor so those positive things would be connected. Over time and with exercise this really worked. Amazingly enough. Because of manipulative experiences earlier on in my life I was very sceptical at first. Seemed too much of a risk to take. But T said we could try it once and just leave it if I don't like it...

I'm with a different T now (due to insurance issues), and I specifically looked for someone who works with those imaginative ressources. And I find it tremendously helpful and also effective.

For me those imaginations *can* actually change how I feel about some situation, or event in the past, or even myself. They help me to find a capacity to act in situations when I normally would feel helpless and just freeze. They give me a "safe space" to try out different things and to look into how I feel about those different options, and somehow this sense of agency transfers into "real life" really easily for me.

We work into all directions (at different times): past, present, future. Sometimes it's just me, sometimes those helpful entities might turn up, sometimes it's just some sort of "soothing presence" not otherwise embodied in any way.

I'm glad that you find this approach helpful, Mona. And I hope that this t will continue to help you find your inner ressources that are nuturing and strengthening and helpful to you.

Much love, c_r

Thank you for your beautifully articulate post Cinnamon roll
I relate to how you said that by using our imaginations and rewriting our stories can actually change our feelings.
This work I did with t enabled me to gain some power and control over what he did and took from me. T was with me all the way and really held me in that safe space. She gave me the props, the sword, knife and gun and told me to do what I needed to! I still couldn't hurt him but just having her there with me when I confronted him helped. So I learned how to create a 'safe space' in my head.
I am glad that you found another t who works like this and can help you find your 'safe space' .

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[Out There]

Originally Posted by monalisasmile

Oh yes, I have heard if this leaf technique I think it's a part of this ACT therapy, hey, if it works I am all for it
I am loving this approach, I felt so good today usually after a heavy session of talking and crying I would be emotional today. New t text me yesterday to tell me the name of a song she listens to and head bangs to and that image made me laugh. She makes me laugh instead of cry.
I like the idea of a big Alsatian knocking people over

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I feel humour is important. It allows to process difficult things. There's quite some imagery here - people getting knocked over and head banging therapists !