Letter to my younger self

[somanythingssolittletime]

Hi all, sensitive topic (I think).
I recently started talking therapy (with the NHS - waited a year to start). I am lucky that my therapist is wonderful. This week she asked me as an optional task to write a letter to my 6 year old self.

Oh my, the thread this pulled. The second I start to even think about myself at that age I immediately start to cry. I don't know why, I can't control it. I've had a relatively ok childhood, no major traumas. But I can't seem to be able to "talk" to my younger self.

Not sure what words of advice I am after really.. Anyone had to write a letter to themselves as a child? How did you approach it? The only thing I can think of without crying is to tell her "you'll be ok"

Btw sobbing as I am typing... <3

I had a similar reaction when my counsellor gave me “homework” to do. I had to think about my first memory, who I was close to as a child, stuff like that. I was an absolute wreck. It was extremely distressing.
It turned out that the counsellor wasn’t following any particular strategy. She had just decided to give me this homework to do and was not prepared to help me manage the fallout or clear on what it was supposed to achieve.
Honestly, if I was you I would find out what kind of therapy you’re having (if you don’t already know) and what is the point of the exercise ie what is it supposed to accomplish.

I’m not a counsellor but it sounds as if your therapist has jumped too far ahead. If it were me I wouldn’t write that letter but explain in my next appointment the reaction you had because your therapist probably needs to build more safety before you tackle that on your own