Every weekday, a CNNHealth expert doctor answers a viewer question. On Tuesdays, it’s Dr. Charles Raison, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and an expert in the mind-body connection for health.
Question asked by Thomas of Birmingham, Alabama
I have been seeing a therapist for several weeks, and I am having trouble disclosing several issues. These issues are extremely personal and embarrassing. Do you have any suggestions to help me talk about these extremely personal, painful things?
Expert answer:
I bet there isn’t one of us who can’t relate to your situation. Imagine coming to someone to get help for emotional pain, and knowing that to do this, you had to reveal several very private, very embarrassing things about yourself that you’d probably never told anyone. True, the therapist is there to help you, but on the other hand, he or she is a complete stranger. Because the therapist has no idea what you need to disclose, he or she has no way to really make it easier for you by gently bringing up the general subject. So it’s all on your shoulders.
Read More at http://thechart.blogs.cnn.com/2011/04/05/how-can-i-reveal-painful-things-in-therapy/
