How do you cope with anxiety that turns into dissociation?
The dissociative state is a way of coping, and may feel a lot better than the anxiety. Some people keep dissociating but learn to do it in a way that’s hardly noticeable.
What’s your most memorable “ah-ha” moment with a client?
Sally seemed obsessed with her older sister Sue, who was critical, controlling, and occasionally cruel. They’d talk on the phone every Friday at 6 PM for about half an hour. Sally always felt bad for an hour or two afterward and had a cocktail and a TV show to settle down. Next morning she’d still be emotionally hung over.
How to Accept Your Emotions When You Can’t?
I wouldn’t start there. That’s a tall order, and all that comes much later. We begin gradually. Start with noticing the sensations, just attending and describing, nothing more (though it’s a lot already).