Some people find pleasure in the pain, but others just find that it takes them to a different space -- maybe it lets them disassociate from their bodies, or maybe it takes them to an emotional place. Taking you to the "frightened injured child space" and then bringing you back could be considered by some to be a very successful session and can be very cathartic.

I think that in some ways, having this be a painful ordeal will actually increase the tattoo's value to you -- a coming-of-age kind of thing.