Intellectualizing your feelings is part of the problem

One of the most important thing I learned in therapy is that feelings don’t happen in my brain.

Got stunlocked by that question when I started crying during a therapy session. Therapist noticed that I choke up so badly while crying that I can't speak and just wanted me to notice it too. "Does it feel like you can't share what's going on inside you because nobody's going to listen?"

Fuck all the way off. That was so helpful but so so so painful to recognize.

Literally me 4 weeks ago. Finished my explanation and therapist said "yes, that's interesting and possibly true, you didn't talk about your emotions at all"

Wait, I have a body? What nonsense is that? And I should have refilled water regularly? Why isn't there a manual?

Yeah been doing it for a few years and still struggle with this question or even being able to answer how I feel to be honest. It has still been really helpful though

Having been in therapy, this describes precisely none of my therapy. I'm feeling pretty lucky

I have never been able to answer that well. I don't have locational feelings as far as I know. I don't get it.

I highly recommend "The Autistic Survival Guide to Therapy" by Steph Jones, cleared up a lot of things for me

Yes. It's pretty useful. My therapist is also autistic and it's really helpful to be able to communicate in my natural way and not be misunderstood.

I want to be but, well, Japan isn't great for that (particularly in English where I can speak about things with a lot more nuance and comfort). Add to that NHI doesn't cover therapy, just psychiatry.

In my brain

Oof. I'm in this picture and I don't like it.

I had one session dedicated to how investigating root causes for trauma, all the way back to the very moment it started, wasn't necessarily all that helpful. My therapist was right, of course - the present-day triggers and mindfulness are where to focus - but for a heated moment, I had a very hard time agreeing. Inside the same session I was also beside myself in disbelief that I actually argued with my own therapist without a second thought.

Describes recent traumatic event that’s taking over my ability to focus or think clearly about anything.

“Have you eaten today”

You don't wanna know where I feel it, doc. Doesn't matter which end it comes out, it ain't pretty.

Do you want to know the source of the arrow or do you want to pull it out? Because you can do the first part after.