Repressed needs & feelings
Friday August 18, 2006
Alice Miller, I recently read a newly revised copy of your book “Drama of the Gifted Child.” All I can say is it totally change my life. I had spent the last 20yrs of my life on & off in therapy looking for answers to explain & solve my difficulties in relationships, especially the one with myself. I was always aware of something, but I just couldn’t get my hands on it. I now know this to be repression which was explained so well to me in your book. I related w/two of the women described in it w/pinpoint accuracy. It is like you say, I idenfied the repressed needs & feelings & now I can hardly contain myself for the joy I feel in this knowledge & what I am able to experience & trace the root cause to by myself. I want you to know the way you write is so soothing. I feel blessed to have found you & thank you for publishing. Both therapist that I have worked w/intently had not been aware of you. The last therapist I was seeing through my employment plans on reading. I love when you say “follow the feeling” for that always proves very fruitful to me now. The part about mourning is so powerful that I even bought a book on grieving so that I can continue to do this for my “inner child” as I heal from the past. Thank you for defining true self esteem as “ones authentic feelings.” Although my therapist were very good, it was my relentless search to find “my true self” that led to my being able to put it all together with the aid of your book.
Sincerely, T. U.
AM: Thank you so much for your letter. I think that once you understand the causes of your suffering and don’t try to obscure them, everything can be done to liberate yourself. Maybe my recent articles on this site can help you too. At least, The Drama was written 27 years ago.