I'm with you on hating that cliche. Most of my hatred for that cliche is that it fits me entirely too well. The only thing worst than hearing a cliche too often is living a cliche continually.

Sigh. . .

I'm thrilled to hear the new counselor is working out. May it lead you healing places.

When I was a missionary kid in a war zone for 6 years from the age of 9 to 15, my family refused to be evacuated from combat in our neighborhood so we would fulfill our mission. That meant it was a sin to acknowledge reality. Spiritual blinders were put on when our own neighborhood became the central theater of war.

My little friends and I on the block collected spent bullets like kids in the US collect baseball cards. Yet to point out these spent bullets meant there was dangerous gunfire all around us was considering going against God.

That denial eventually destroyed my family. My parents got severe PTSD from living in a war zone so long without accepting help. The war came into our house as they began physical fights with each other every week for years that eventually spilled out onto their kids.

In the long term that destroyed the ability for my sister and I both to go on and establish families for ourselves in the next generation when we grew up. We both went on to be divorced.

Denial is a powerful addiction with long term toxic effects, Marah. Glad you have a good feeling about this new therapist to address it.

Takes a lot of bravery to face a new counselor.

(( or maybe I'm just a coward))

Big hugs, Patti

My denial is boundless. Totally with the others on how early it can begin, and then becomes our lifelong companion. Just part of the survival kit. Hugs.