Several years ago, I wrote a brief narrative of what happened to me. From there, I had to find different statements that were "stuck points" and attempt to refute them. That was back when Dr. C. and I were attempting to use Cognitive Processing Therapy. It was kind of a crash-and-burn experience for me. Everything … Continue reading Dear Becks (Part 4)
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Burning the Boat of Secrecy
Sitting with thoughts and feelings is often harder than I'd like it to be, and I don't think I am unique in my experience. But spending years ignoring those thoughts and feelings hasn't served me well. In fact, it has left me lying in bed countless nights, willing myself to fall asleep but feeling a … Continue reading Burning the Boat of Secrecy
2 Truths About Trauma Therapy
I want to share two things with my readers. The first is something I learned about myself that is likely true of you, whether you realize it or not. The second is something that I experienced in my therapy session that will maybe make us both feel a little more normal by my sharing it. … Continue reading 2 Truths About Trauma Therapy
Ugly, Sticky, and Tangled
My therapist asked me how I wanted to focus my time. I chose to revisit the narrative I wrote, and I wanted my therapist to start at the beginning again. Something about the first two pages feels unresolved. Each time she read the pages out loud, I experienced the seemingly unbearable but expected feelings of … Continue reading Ugly, Sticky, and Tangled
Getting Comfortable with Discomfort
Willow. Tit Willow. Tit Willow. It's a bit of an inside joke that every time I think of dipping my toe into a difficult situation or feeling a difficult emotion, this Muppets song comes to mind. The willow tit is a European bird that looks like an American chickadee. The bird that originally illustrated the … Continue reading Getting Comfortable with Discomfort
Mindfulness and Feedback Loops
I adopted the practice of mindfulness meditation several years ago when I needed a way to transform the battle of pain, stress, and turmoil into a simple awareness that comes and goes (I’m still a work in progress). The key to mindfulness meditation is “simply” allowing the experiences we encounter without judgment, which is also … Continue reading Mindfulness and Feedback Loops
Burn the Boat! 