I've been in counselling for a long time dealing with depression, sexual abuse, and PTSD. My therapist is starting EMDR and we started looking at distressing events in my timeline. After the first session, I got an image of a little girl in my mind - she was in a corner of a basement and terrified. I talked with the therapist about her and the image calmed down to where the girl was just really afraid and then to where I have to visualize my therapist sitting with the little girl to keep me from being overwhelmed. It's like I can see the little girl, know what she's feeling, but I can't get to her. I've had to go "check" on her to see if she's okay and think about her often. It's like she's somehow real and I have to look out for her - even though I know it's all in my imagination. I'm wondering where she came from and what she's doing in my brain!
- Thread starter dgsh22
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Do you mind if I ask, are you male or female? Not sure if it has any bearing on this image your mind produces for you (I'm just a lay person, not a psychologist/psychiatrist/therapist)...
What are you and your therapist talking about when she comes into your mind?
What feelings are you experiencing when this image comes up?
What are you and your therapist talking about when she comes into your mind?
What feelings are you experiencing when this image comes up?
I'm a 45-year old female.
I had drawn up a timeline of significant things that have happened in my life. The plan as I understand it is to go back and look at that timeline and find the distressing events and process them. So the first thing that we were looking at that I remembered was being in grade school and being made fun of / basically being bullied by others and picked on a lot by my brothers and their friends. I was also raped and sexually abused by my brother sometime around the age of 10-12 (I don't remember exactly), but we weren't even focusing on that yet.
The little girl comes to my mind all the time. She "showed up" after that first session that I just described and has "hung around" ever since. Sometimes I see her as scared about what will come next and if "they" (whoever that is) are coming back to hurt her. Other times she's leaning against my therapist who (as per my therapist's direction) I was able to have come and sit with her in my mind. When I see that image, I'm more at ease.
I sound crazy
I had drawn up a timeline of significant things that have happened in my life. The plan as I understand it is to go back and look at that timeline and find the distressing events and process them. So the first thing that we were looking at that I remembered was being in grade school and being made fun of / basically being bullied by others and picked on a lot by my brothers and their friends. I was also raped and sexually abused by my brother sometime around the age of 10-12 (I don't remember exactly), but we weren't even focusing on that yet.
The little girl comes to my mind all the time. She "showed up" after that first session that I just described and has "hung around" ever since. Sometimes I see her as scared about what will come next and if "they" (whoever that is) are coming back to hurt her. Other times she's leaning against my therapist who (as per my therapist's direction) I was able to have come and sit with her in my mind. When I see that image, I'm more at ease.
I sound crazy
No, you don't sound crazy.
When I was trying to process things that went on in my life, to help myself deal with different aspects of myself, I would draw pictures or images would appear in my mind. Not saying that is who she is (you or some aspect of yourself). But it could be something you are processing, and that is a symbol of what it is you are processing.
In my case part of me is an observer who watches what goes on around me with a sort of detached amusement or removed cynicism (probably that is what protected me a lot in my life - my detachment from situations). I have a negative side of myself that I try to be assertive to and stand up to (to prevent myself from giving myself negative self-talk). I have a protective side who tries to jump in between perceived threats and someone else (I have to calm that aspect of myself down because sometimes I am more likely to interfere than be helpful, or put myself into trouble instead of staying clear of things)... There is a part of me that knows very strongly about Truth and what is Right and Wrong. There's a little girl who feels neglected and sad, and needs some cheering up (I sometimes give her a mental hug, or tell her everything will be alright because no one can hurt her anymore, etc).
They're all me, but if I break them down like that, it's easier to communicate with those parts of me and focus on them. We're very complicated beings, and sometimes there are so many aspects of ourselves that we need to deal with that it can be helpful to sort of divide them up so you can communicate things to these different parts more effectively.
Have you asked your therapist about it? Probably the best person to ask.
When I was trying to process things that went on in my life, to help myself deal with different aspects of myself, I would draw pictures or images would appear in my mind. Not saying that is who she is (you or some aspect of yourself). But it could be something you are processing, and that is a symbol of what it is you are processing.
In my case part of me is an observer who watches what goes on around me with a sort of detached amusement or removed cynicism (probably that is what protected me a lot in my life - my detachment from situations). I have a negative side of myself that I try to be assertive to and stand up to (to prevent myself from giving myself negative self-talk). I have a protective side who tries to jump in between perceived threats and someone else (I have to calm that aspect of myself down because sometimes I am more likely to interfere than be helpful, or put myself into trouble instead of staying clear of things)... There is a part of me that knows very strongly about Truth and what is Right and Wrong. There's a little girl who feels neglected and sad, and needs some cheering up (I sometimes give her a mental hug, or tell her everything will be alright because no one can hurt her anymore, etc).
They're all me, but if I break them down like that, it's easier to communicate with those parts of me and focus on them. We're very complicated beings, and sometimes there are so many aspects of ourselves that we need to deal with that it can be helpful to sort of divide them up so you can communicate things to these different parts more effectively.
Have you asked your therapist about it? Probably the best person to ask.
I did talk to my therapist and she said not to worry about the "Little girl". She says it's just a way for my brain to process and helps me in "connecting up" with what's going on in the process. It has helped to talk to the therapist about the little girl and how she (girl) is feeling and what her perceptions are. I can say that she's frightened or in a dark room or stuff like that. I guess it helps me to say what I'm feeling at some level but to stay a little detached and at a safer distance from myself, if that makes any sense.
Makes sense to me! 8)
chooseLife
Member
Have you done any reading about DID? I experience the same diagnoses and actually had the same experience. It's now a consideration that I may have DID since this "image" person has since introduced herself with a name. The clothes she is wearing makes sense per my abuse etc.
I don't think you are crazy. you dissociate and sometimes EMDR can make dissociation really bad. If this girl stays in your mind, you might want to ask her if she has a name. See if you can have a conversation with her then do some reading or asking questions on here about very first signs of did. I am also a lay person but I understand how confusing this all can be. It's happening to me right now.
I don't think you are crazy. you dissociate and sometimes EMDR can make dissociation really bad. If this girl stays in your mind, you might want to ask her if she has a name. See if you can have a conversation with her then do some reading or asking questions on here about very first signs of did. I am also a lay person but I understand how confusing this all can be. It's happening to me right now.
Re: Just started EMDR and having a "little girl" invading my mind
That is a really powerful image and, as you have probably realized, provides a way for healing. You may not be able to make everything okay for that little girl, but that you see her opens up an entirely new way for you to help yourself.
---------- Post Merged at 10:08 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:06 AM ----------
Not to me you don't. It is a beautiful image and shows that you have opened up to some healing. What I want to say is congratulations on your breakthrough.
That is a really powerful image and, as you have probably realized, provides a way for healing. You may not be able to make everything okay for that little girl, but that you see her opens up an entirely new way for you to help yourself.
---------- Post Merged at 10:08 AM ---------- Previous Post was at 10:06 AM ----------
Not to me you don't. It is a beautiful image and shows that you have opened up to some healing. What I want to say is congratulations on your breakthrough.
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