Preparing for an Early Sexual Memories Workshop
Recently our local RC Area held an Early Sexual Memories Workshop. I had finished teaching my fundamentals student for twenty-four weeks, and she was interested in attending. We had a session about it, and I welcomed her questions—how many might attend, the location of the venue, if she would like me to be her buddy for the weekend, and so on. We agreed to continue having sessions until she decided whether or not to attend.
I loved having my student to think about. I went to my resources and found two talks by Tim Jackins on CD: “Affection,” and “Sex and Relationships.” I listened to them a couple of times and took notes on key ideas. Then I used that in sessions with my student to work on my early feelings about closeness and loss of connection. I also read the RC pamphlet Early Sexual Memories by Joan Karp. I shared these resources with my student, who eagerly took them home to listen to and read.
I noticed that some of my current feelings of discouragement were directly linked to my loss of human connection. Having to carry my little self during difficult situations had left me afraid and lacking in confidence. It wasn’t hard to sustain discharge on these feelings once I had identified them.
I decided to have some time with the leader of the workshop and rang him [called him on the phone]. That was a great idea! I asked him about the best way to teach and counsel a new RCer on early sexual memories and got lots of information. He gave me a big session on being a young teenage girl and on the lack of information about real needs for human closeness.
My student and I had a good time working on these things for four weeks before the workshop. We got much closer and shared much more about ourselves.
So I was really connected before I came to the workshop, which was a big contradiction to my early hurts! A big thank you to my wonderful student and to the leader of the workshop.
Frankston, Victoria, Australia
I recently attended my first RC workshop with my fundamentals teacher. We started preparing four weeks prior and discharged on the feelings that were coming up about attending. I appreciated how many circumstances swapping time [exchanging listening] can help with! And I was amazed at how my feelings were not about what I had thought they were about. As such the preparation time was as valuable as the workshop itself.
At the workshop I discharged early fears about men and connection with women and recognized how my little self had wanted to isolate when feeling overwhelmed. My teacher’s support with regard to this was a direct contradiction to the early hurt.
I found the workshop to be challenging in terms of the feelings it restimulated, but it was a perfect opportunity to discharge some of the deep and early hurts in a supportive environment with people committed to their own and others’ re-emergence.
Thank you to my wonderful RC teacher for introducing me to this workshop and for the preparation prior that ensured that I was not confused about what I was feeling.
Thanks to Tony Smith for his leadership, and to everyone who attended.
Mount Martha, Victoria, Australia