1. What are the words you do not have yet? [Or, “for what do you not have words, yet?”]I don't have words for my fears
for my ptsd
for how i feel a certain friend is treating me
it is as if these questions are shutting me down making me sad
i feel i am losing my ability to articulate
2. What do you need to say? [List as many things as necessary]I need to say I am feeling better physically. My sugars are more controlled and in the safer range. I need to say I am doing this. I am going to keep doing this . I need to say I went to the gym three times last week and will do the same this week. I need to say that I believe in myself. I believe in myself.
but really i do not believe in myself
3. What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? [List as many as necessary today. Then write a new list tomorrow. And the day after. ]I swallow guilt and shame every day. It is a tyranny to my everyday abilty to thrive.I am my own tyrant
4. If we have been socialized to respect fear more than our own need for language, ask yourself: “What’s the worst that could happen to me if I tell this truth?” [So, answer this today. And everyday.]People will stop loving me.
I will die lonely
I will die without the respect of others
I will lose connection to the people who love me