I saw a woman last week that has stumped me somewhat so I need you're help:

Woman is late 50s, retired Solicitor. Suffers from ''extreme'' claustrophobia (her words.

Manifests mostly in situations where she is confined and not able to be in control: In Tunnels when on trains, when being a passenger in a car, on an aircraft. But not in places like lifts, or wardrobes - because they ''ways out''.

Suffered as long as she can remember, but now is beginning to restrict her life too much (won't fly, and won't go to Italy with her husband and child as it means driving through the tunnels at the alps)

Until recently she would drive to Italy rather than fly or take the train but now her fear of the tunnel is too great.

I was planning to use the Fast Phobia Cure and EFT and a bit of Neuro Hypnotic Repatterning and some direct suggestion in trance.

Problem 1: she (seems) to have to ability to associate into the feeling.
She can access the memory of being terrified, but it holds no emotion for her.
She can't imagine being in that situation, because ''it's not real''

Tried a few ways to get her to associate into the memory without success.

Without being able to associate into the feeling - It wasn't worth doing any EFT, nor the fast phobia cure.

I did manage to get her remember where the feeling starts from and how it moves, but she was unable to change/alter it in any way, because she wasn't in a real situation where she could feel it - she could just remember it.

Tried to induce hypnosis 3 different ways, without success - even tried the trusted Progressive relaxation method, but that didn't work either.

We agreed to see each other again, and she left feeling bitterly disappointed and I felt confused and a failure (if I'm honest).
She's a very forthright, analytical, intelligent and perceptive woman and I'm just a bit lost as to what to do next.

Help/suggestions would be appreciated?