Dear Doubt,
First, I want to thank you for all you’ve done for me. You’ve given me a critical eye and an intolerance for nonsense. You’ve made me a thoughtful consumer of data and statistics. You save me from gullibility and from falling prey to the telemarketers who call at dinner time and want to know my computer password so they can “fix” my internet access.
As a thank you for all you have done, I want to send you off on a little vacation through the end of July. Not on all issues–you are welcome to stick around when I listen to the presidential candidates sing their own praises on the radio or when I receive emails from someone I don’t know in Nigeria who wants to transfer millions into my bank account. But on the issue of what happened to the little girl I’m charged with taking care of, I would appreciate it if you’d go do a little sunbathing at the beach and leave us alone. That little girl is a fragile child and can’t stand up well to your harsh judgment right now. So grab your sunscreen and flip flops, go have your summer fun, and let me stay here take listen to her with an open, gentle heart.
With appreciation,
Q.
P.S. Don’t forget the sunscreen.

Let’s start our own campaign for the month of July and call it “Believe the Girl”. I love it yet deep down I’m not certain I can truly find compassion for mine. This is such an awesome post. And I really appreciate you more than you know.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m not certain I can do it either… but i decided I would try! It would be wonderful to have you join me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
It’s a deal. Believe the Girl begins
LikeLiked by 2 people
Like, like, like! It will be excellent to have someone doing it with me; it will help me stick to it. And hope it will be useful to you, too.
LikeLiked by 2 people
[…] really working on believing you. I am actively blocking Doubt when she tries to come in the room (go back to the beach, I tell her); I have also cut off Random Negative Rants, who has felt the need to speak up […]
LikeLike
[…] I think it’s doing me good, and I don’t think I’m finished learning from it. So Doubt gets a longer stretch at the beach (hope she has fun, while I sit here and work all the […]
LikeLike
[…] my own experience. Doubt still calls me up from her vacation, but I don’t let her talk for very […]
LikeLike
[…] in my session with E. was planning for the return of Doubt on September 1, after her two months at the beach. What role will she play, now that she’s no longer allowed to dominate? How can I keep her from […]
LikeLike
[…] believe the memories of childhood sexual abuse, is due back home from vacation tomorrow. I sent her off to the beach in June and later extended her stay through the end of […]
LikeLike
[…] was thinking back to this past summer and my “believe the girl” campaign. I banished Doubt for a little over two months, so she couldn’t dismiss the […]
LikeLike
[…] was such a dominant character in the internal house where all my parts live that four years ago, I sent her off on a vacation to the coast for a month. And then I even extended her vacation. That was the only way I was able to hear anything that […]
LikeLike