I am wondering how many of you who post here have had to actually feel some repressed emotions in order to recover. I know Sarno quotes one woman in his book who was sexually abused and had to feel the terrible sadness in order for the pain to stop. I am wondering if this might apply to me. I have been working on this TMS stuff for a year and a half. When I went to see one of Sarno's therapists for 5 months, she always focused on getting me to cry/ express anger. She discouraged me from analyzing things. She would make faces that encouraged me to break down. She would praise me when I broke down and wept. She told me that my childhood had trained me to repress and numb myself. I thought that just knowledge of the Diagnosis was enough. Maybe the 10% who need therapy to heal, are the ones who need to feel the repressed emotions in order to get better. This must take a lot longer.
Suz- As you probably already know I am a member of the lucky 10%. I've been in individual therapy now for about 3 months and all i've been doing is giving myself a safe environment to feel. It is working-slowly but surely. I'm feeling every single time and it feels great to connect with deeply repressed feelings of mostly rage hurt and sadness. I can feel my symptoms changing even over this short period of time. Little of the work I am doing is analytical. It's all just having the feelings and not so much trying to judge them or even figuring them out.
I've found visualizations in therapy to be a very valuable tool to feel. For some reason the same visualizations done by myself was not able to bring up the intense fear of the rage quite like when there is a supportive witness there. The mysteries of the unconscious.
I was wondering from your last few posts if your upcoming visit back home is triggering your latest flareup.
yes. I think the upcoming visit may have something to do with it. I am going on the 21st and seem to have a sense of doom about it. I have rented a couple of sad movies and am going to watch them and as soon as I feel sad, switch to my own life. It has worked in the past. I think alot of the feelings I had in therapy were sadness and anger. Have you found that you are more emotional than normal? Also, are you still doing the reading and journalling? I stopped doing that. In fact, I totally stopped my TMS work - I guess, too early. I probably made a breakthrough but didn't stick with it. I think I may have to go back. I just can't face the expense of it all. I am going to try on my own for a bit. The pain I am in right now is very bad - I remember what it used to be like for me.
Feeling emotions to recover?
Posted - 12/02/2005 : 15:01:55
