<b id="quote">quote:</b id="quote"><table border="0" id="quote"><tr id="quote"><td class="quote" id="quote">Hi AllofMe
I would think your therapist is trying to encourage you to start to challenge your fears of having people in your life and the fear of being hurt.
I have social phobia and before joining this site I had just one long term friend that I rarely see because she is very busy, but apart from that fear of people and of speaking had meant I had isolated myself completely.
I still am very isolated when it comes to having friends who are in my local area, however I have made many friends here and have learnt that people are not so scary after all (well most of them anyway!).
Going into the chat room for the first time was a big step for me but I got past that and was a regular for a while. I now have people here I can chat to, either online or on the phone and I've been to a number of meet ups too.
At the moment I am attending a day clinic and the regular exposure of being with other people is helping me further tackle my social phobia. I have even spoken in groups a few times which I would never have done a while ago.
I realise your issues might be different, but I just wanted to point out that your therapist is not making these suggestions to scare you or to get at you. She is suggesting ways to start very gently to push at the edge of your comfort zone. It is very hard but in the end it is the only way to start to challenge fears and make changes.
Perhaps you could give this some thought for the next time you meet with her and consider what would be the very first step you could take. What would be the least intimidating for you?
Karen
Happiness is not a state to arrive at but a manner of travelling.
You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough ~ Christine Cagney, Cagney & Lacey
<div align="right">Originally posted by Karen - 19 April 2006 : 13:13:49</div id="right">
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