I agree with your T - getting comfortable with the tough stuff doesn't happen overnight. I have only really been able to go there in the past few months.
What helped me feel safe going there was setting up a clear idea of how R would respond if I expressed emotion in session (read: cried)
Once we had that in place, it gave me a sense of security, even though it took me a while to actually get there.
I can't deny that issues with previous providers have absolutely hampered me this time around. In fact, I intend to spit some of that stuff out tomorrow.
I treat therapy as my space for emotional vulnerability, so that I can be as open as necessary, without laying myself bare to others.
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'Somewhere up above the great divide
Where the sky is wide, and the clouds are few
A man can see his way clear to the light
'You have all the grace you need for today, and today is all that matters.' - Steve Austin