Everyone's brain is unique, and what works for one may be a waste of time for another. I do talk therapy, and each time I go I think about what's been bubbling near the surface this week that I want to chip away at, and I bring it up, and my counselor asks questions, and I realize things then or later, and I express emotions that I don't feel I can anywhere else, and I get support for what I do right and perspective on the things I feel bad about. She recommended A/D's for a while, and exercise the rest of the time, and looking for other ways to take good care of myself. She suggested reading to help with things I could benefit from, and talking about what I learned with her led to more solid understanding and progress. So for me, the visualization exercise you're talking about might have been one part of an overall desire to work on stress management. It's not an end-all or be-all. There are other ways to manage stress and different people use different methods. My counselor is an LCSW. I also see a psychiatrist with my S13 and see a lot more action and medication and a lot less talking, and I think once we get his medications on an even keel I'll switch him to someone who will listen to him more.
I believe the process of change is done through talking, first to get to a realization that change is possible and necessary, then to understand what being changed would look like, then time to practice it and get feedback, and over time you don't remember being the way you were before. At least that's how it's working in me.
I'm not familiar with EMDR but I've heard it has useful application.
Adinva 51, S20, S18 M24 total 6/15/11-12/1/12 From IDLY to H moving out 9/15/15-3/7/17 From negotiating SA to final D at age 50 5/8/17-now: New relationship with an old friend __ Happiness is a warm puppy.
