Massive relapse

[pulisa]

https://anxietycare.org.uk/phobias/driving-phobia/

More general information..You're certainly not alone with this fear and dealing with it now before it becomes an entrenched fear would be a really positive move.

[NoraB]

Now I was not expecting all hearts and roses and positive words of encouragement, come on you can do this, and all of that mushy stuff... but I just felt like it wasn’t a very positive phone call with him! 梁 he had an extremely, how do I put it, 'clinical' way of communicating? I have no idea if that is normal for a therapist or not?!

I've had a LOT of therapy and I've never known a CBT therapist to make with the 'there there's - even when I'm going through the Kleenex at an alarming rate! They sit there quietly and maybe offer some water - which is I presume is what they've been trained to do?

What you got from the therapist was honesty. Whether you succeed or fail with this is ultimately down to you, not him. He could be the best therapist in the world but that won't make any difference if you can't (or don't) engage with the therapy. This will be about exposure and desensitising your triggers. You cannot simply be 'talked' through a driving phobia. There will be lots of practical work so you need to be fully prepared and that's what the therapist is trying to do so that you understand what's what before you commit to the therapy.

If you want to drive confidently again you will have to give it everything you've got! (too mushy?)

One positive thing that has happened today is that my husband has booked in for a course of refresher driving lessons. He starts these next weekend, and I am very nervous about him being behind the wheel but he fully appreciates the need for him to drive at this point.

I imagine he will be nervous too but well played to him for stepping up to support you (and he will need your support too)

I will tackle this!!

Give your mind more of this ^^^^^

And less of this..

but now I feel even more helpless and hopeless about my situation with my driving.

Because fear & anxiety feed on dialogue like this ^^^^

I'd say 'good luck' but it's not luck you need. Visualise what you want and work hard to make it happen..