Posted by wacky on November 1, 2006, at 15:40:14
In reply to Re: I can't stand that word. (**abuse triggers**), posted by ElaineM on October 31, 2006, at 13:35:45
Wow. This is truly tough stuff. And I admire everyone's strength to share. I really understand the T wanting to see expressions of emotions that don't exist. I've spent many years working on feeling a feeling. But I had to be taught HOW to feel a feeling. I was so terrified of feeling bad that I had NO feeling at all. I didn't know that I was unconsciously pushing it away. And by noticing my own reaction to - for instance - a word that's hard to say, little by little I've been able to notice my gut, my heart race, my mouth go dry, my eyes look to the floor, etc. And the first step is just to notice your body. And then check it out in your body - your gut, your heart rate, your breathing and just notice it without judging it, without stopping it. At least that's how I got started. During my first couple of years in therapy, no one explained that to me - so I was clueless how to go about feeling a feeling.
WE are all to be commended for having the courage to look at it in the first place.
The words are triggers for such intense feeling that we avoid the words. I still do but for the most part, I'm able to feel my gut (which is where I notice my feelings occur the most).
Hope any of this rambling post helps even a little.
n
poster:wacky
thread:699274
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20061026/msgs/699630.html