Question:
Hi Belleruth, I'm interested in your suggestions for CD's and other approaches that will help shore me up internally when I am in contact with my Mom and sisters. I do all the right 'things' to support my mental health when it comes to them, but when I speak to them, some of the tension and worry they create inside me just seems to happen and makes me feel bad, regardless of my best intentions and all the tools I've tried... and there have been a lot!

Recently, I've had less and less contact with them. This helps quite a bit, but isn't always a good option; and with my Mom aging, and knowing my sisters and I will be responsible for her care , I feel fear of being overwhelmed by them, as often a simple phone call with them is unsettling.

Thanks for your help, Belleruth!
Janie

Question:  

I am sponsoring a woman in AA who has PTSD-like symptoms from childhood sexual abuse. She is very functional in work and has a well kept apartment. Her finances are in order, and she is sober about 1 1/2 years.

She is suffering from frequent flashbacks of the abuse that are causing great suffering. I referred her to your website for the recordings/books. She is against using psych meds, which I support.

We live in a semi-rural area and the local community services board counselors are very psych med oriented. She went to a counselor for a few sessions who suggested meds., which my sponsee doesn't want and then the counselor was pretty vague about a treatment plan. She isn't going there now.

Question:  

My father has suffered from dementia since 1999.  He no longer has clarity in his mind and does not recognize me or my brother.   He lives in a special care facility where he gets good care.

The staff recently told me that he was becoming more agitated and sleepless during the night.  As a result, he is extremely tired and confused during the day.

Any suggestions as to what kind of tools might help him, or will nothing reach him at this point?

Thanks.  Arnold 

Question:

Hi, Belleruth.  I'm a psychotherapist, and I have quite a few of your guided imagery CD's that I use with my patients.  But this question is personal... my 7 year old daughter has had stomach aches for years.  We've had tests run from time to time, but all is well physically.

I would like to buy her a CD from your website to help her with her stomach aches. Most of the ones for kids seem to focus on relaxation. Perhaps that would be enough.  I'm wondering which CD you would recommend for her.

Rosalynne

Dear Belleruth,

I have a question about your affirmations.  I have been listening to the Anger & Forgiveness affirmations. This CD (and others) includes the affirmation that "I can avoid re-injuring by myself with repeated visits to past wounds."

Yet, doesn't it sometimes make sense, to examine the past in order to overcome it? What is the difference between "repeated visits to past wounds" and confronting past pain in a therapeutic context?  Please clarify this issue for me as I find it somewhat confusing.

Thank you.
Mike

Question:
Actually not a question but a personal observation. I have several of your guided imagery/affirmation cds which I use often. They've been very helpful but for me, there's too much suggestion. I guess it's the way my brain works.  When you suggest going to a place where I feel safe, etc., I can usually do that, but then I'm distracted by your various suggested alternatives and find myself mentally flitting from place to place. Similarly when I'm in that place, your suggestions about seeing, smelling, hearing and feeling it, while helpful, get undermined by the varied scenarios you present. I have encountered similar "obstacles" when involved in other guided imagery situations and figure it's my personal idiosyncrasy. I suppose I could be in the place and tune out the alternatives, but then I lose my guide.

Question:
Someone told me that you recently mentioned using guided imagery and Reiki together. I am very much interested in this as I am a Reiki Practitioner/Master. I would love to hear your thoughts on this and any suggestions. Is there anything available I can use as a guide?
Tonya

Question:

Dear Belleruth,

I am a professional counselor (LMFT) who has been involved with Trauma and Critical Incidents of all types since 1987.  Early on I was trained in the Mitchell model of CISD [Ed. Note: This is Critical Incident Stress Debriefing].  I currently respond to these types of incidents on behalf of EAP providers who continue to value the CISD model.  

My observation of this model is that it has some effectiveness in the short-term.  Many people have commented on the improvement they have felt after completing the debriefing process.

However, I am now faced with evidence--most recently re-discovered on your Not Alone page - that talking about the incident, particularly immediately following the event may not only not be helpful but could re-traumatize the participants.

Dear Belleruth,
I use several of your tapes. I have difficulty when reading to concentrate on what I'm reading.  My mind continues to wonder and cannot remember what I have read. This has been going on for years. So, if I would ever have to take a test, I would panic. Is there a tape that you could recommend? At the moment I have been using your tape of self confidence.
Thanks,
Cathy

Dear Cathy,
The Self-Confidence imagery is a good choice, as would be the imagery for Panic Attacks, which teaches basic self-regulation and relaxation skills, as well as offers imagery that reframes panic to a physiologically similar but far pleasanter condition: exhilaration, as the result of mastery (your heart pounds either way).

Question:

Hello, I wanted to know about the Allergy Guided Imagery.

I suffer from several food allergies, including wheat, and I wanted to know if this CD would help in reducing or eliminating food allergies, or is it just for the air borne types?

Thank you,
Leanne