Outside With My Therapist!

[FindingMyself88]

I went running outside and throwing rocks into a huge pile of leaves with my therapist today.. it was rather different, but good!

We had another EMDR session and it was VERY difficult. I was caught up in physical flashbacks or the rape, so we decided to go outside at the end of an almost 2 hour session. The cold air really helped. She then had me throwing the rocks into a pile of leaves as hard as I could. After that we started walking and she asked me if I could be any animal, what would I be? I said a horse- so I could run away from my problems. So we ended up running for a block or so. It was fun, and felt good... We normally do "container" exercises to lock up the bad junk, but this was a new way to put it "behind me."

I really like my T. She has a way of making me laugh at myself and take myself a little less serious. Before I could have NOT done that with anyone. As is I was feeling very weird, but she helped me through it.

Has anyone else done this with their T? She is always telling me we hold trauma in our bodies and so sometimes its good just to move in ways that feel good.

 

[KwanYingirl]

Well, my therapist suggested I not break all my dishes which was what I really wanted to do. He recommended going to the beach and hurling rocks into the ocean. I don't see him as a guy that would go outside with a female client. He is very careful to attune to my men triggers.
Your therapist sounds super. I'm so glad to hear you're making progress and it is important to laugh! My therapist is really witty which I like. Keep on keeping on!!!

 

[Angelwings]

This is awesome! My T has me walk when I'm doing EMDR! I'm glad you found someone who is so good. Moving and physical exercise can be VERY therapeutic.

 

[FindingMyself88]

@KwanYingirl yeah you might regret the breaking dishes, but hurling rocks into the ocean would be good! I felt silly at first, but it really helped. Thank you, I am blessed to have her. I could not do therapy work with a male, so I think you are brave. I can understand why he would be hesitant. Is his office on a busy street? If so, maybe it would be okay because it would be in the open? Mine is on a little side street downtown so it's got some traffic.

@Secret my therapist tries to get me to, but I won't walk in her room. Plus I freeze and tend to curl up when doing EMDR because of the physical flashbacks. Thank you, she believes very much in movement, yoga, exercise, etc!

 

[silver2014]

I've never done anything like this with my T but she is witty and kind of gets my sense of humor. She's the only T I've ever had but I feel like I'm lucky because I do really trust her and her judgment. I would kind of like to try more physical types of therapy like you describe above becuase for me it all comes back to how I fel physically. That seems to be the way I process things and it was when I became more aware of my body and how I felt physically all the problems kind of surfaced. Glad it helped you :-)

 

[KwanYingirl]

My therapists office is downtown. Too many fumes for me to walk around there. He jumps out of airplanes!!! Never, ever could I do that. He says it's exhilarating.

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

She sounds way awesome! :D
I only sat and talked with my therapist. Very boring. I'm glad yours is using her creativity!

 

[FindingMyself88]

Thank you @silver2014

Eck! @KwanYingirl I could not either! I am use to the atmosphere around my T's office. It is downtown which is where my university is and when I have classes on campus, I am use to walking around. Horses are about as high as I fall off of, and thats not intentional!! lol

@Radise thank you, she is pretty awesome! :) She has definitely helped me come out of myself some. Like I never would've thought of art journaling instead of written. I cannot write down my feelings to save my life, but I can do art collages, painting, and such.

 

[seedling]

When I woke up last night with the EMDR "buzz" going through me, I thought of this thread and I got up, went in the living room, and did stretches. Just moved around and stretched every part of me. Felt like it was getting it out of me. Was able to lie down again and sleep some before I had to get up.

And this afternoon when I got home from work I was feeling good and went out for a walk. Found myself skipping along and swinging my arms and laughing (no observers but the dog lol). In the memory I worked on this week I was 4 yrs old. I think that's how old I felt skipping along. Felt so good.

@FindingMyself88 Your run with your therapist put another piece in the puzzle for me :)

 

[FindingMyself88]

Yay @seedling that is so awesome!!! Glad it helped you .

 

[shell]

I am doing bottom up somatic processing at the moment as my trauma is very evident physically in my body, it involves kicking, punching, pushing and completing all those moves I didn't get to do at the time of my trauma, like running away, or whatever I feel I need. My head can be very rational, but my body tells me I am not safe, and I am being threatened all the time, it seems to be an easier way for me to access what I struggle to put into words.

It's early days yet but it feels like what I need, to express physically in some way, to release what feels trapped in me.