ABSTRACT
Therapy is where people go to discuss their feelings and to gain support. But therapy can also be a dangerous place for someone who was humiliated by others for their emotions or where the client believes that emotions—once activated—can never be contained. In this chapter the client’s experience of distrust and fear of being betrayed, humiliated or defeated is described. We can recognize that the individual who has been told that there is something wrong about them for having their feelings will find trusting a total stranger to be problematic. In addition, the possibility of exploring memories or current experiences with strong emotional content will activate negative beliefs about emotion. In addition, exposure techniques can trigger the client’s beliefs that their intense experiences will go out of control and last indefinitely.
