Posted by partlycloudy on July 2, 2004, at 6:56:02
In reply to Homework - A tough one., posted by DaisyM on July 1, 2004, at 21:35:18
My EMDR therapist and I talked about this, as the process I'm going through with her is all about looking at the past and the emotional reaction you have to it, and becoming able to process those feelings, incorporate them into yourself, and be able to go forward without being "haunted". I said I couldn't understand how some people can compartmentalize their minds; be really saddened or angry about one thing, but not have it affect the other areas of their life.
To my mind, when something is haunting me, it ripples throughout my whole being. It affects my sleep, my digestive process, causes excrutiating headaches. The T said that when she hears about people who say they can compartmentalize or "not think" about something, it sends up a red flag to her.
Your writing homework is a difficult but very helpful exercise. Don't try to make it flow or have a beginning or an end. The important thing is to get it out.
As other posters have said, I have stopped trying to enlist the support of my family. They did not have the same experiences as I did, and are frankly befuddled by what I'm going through. I was exasperated by trying to explain my memories, what I was going through then and now, and it made me feel worse that they weren't able to understand. So I just keep it to me, my T's, and Babble.
You know we're always here for you.
poster:partlycloudy
thread:362420
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040624/msgs/362491.html