Laura, that empty place can feel very scary. Sitting with one's feelings is one of my biggest challenges lately. I want to rush to fill it with something so I don't feel anxious, or lonely, or more depressed, or angry, or whatever is the feeling. Sometimes, even happiness is scary~after all, it is a feeling, and sometimes a foreign one. I usually try to avoid feeling any feelings. And that's when the trouble can start. Are you as afraid of being happy as I am? I know that sounds weird. But really..how many times has that happiness been taken away physically or emotionally? Are you afraid to do good things for yourself? Do you feel you don't deserve them? I know I often don't. You know, sometimes I don't even trust that I am responding with the right feeling or emotion to a given situation. I don't know if that makes sense or not. I second guess myself. Good luck, Laura. Just know that a lot of us here understand exactly what you are saying. Joanna's book is so good. And don't worry if you have to read the chapters more than once to let them sink in. I have had the book for a couple of months and I am not even half way through. tracy