Finally Seeing The Light At The End Of The Tunnle

[Tigergirl1217]

'hello everyone,
i think i am tackling ptsd on my own. i have been fighting flashbacks on my own with some relapses,
but honestly ive been much better these past months. it happend when i accepted jesus as my savior.
what i would do is when i get bad flashbacks i would imagine him rescuing me from "demons" (who were the
people that caused the trauma). i kept doing it as a habit eventually it happens in my dreams. is there a therapy like this? i would have some relapses but i immediately thought of him. has this happend to anyone else? like imagining a someone rescuing you

 

[EveHarrington]

My faith has been important in my recovery, too. I'm glad your faith is helping you to heal. I'm unaware of any type of therapy like this, but I've never had a pastoral counselor. :hug:

 

[Deleted member 34328]

I can relate to what you're saying @Tigergirl1217 I don't know if you're familiar with "The Tales of Narnia" by CS Lewis or not. I have them all and love the fantasy world it creates. The main "God" character is Aslan... a lion. Without planning it, I started developing my own form of art therapy for PTSD. Started re-creating on paper the areas where some of my traumas took place. Began to come alive for me. Very scary! Could only add one item at a time - always opened a huge box of mess to then sort through. Still working on it.

All that to say, in a couple of my pics, I started drawing in a lion image that fought on my behalf. All symbolic of course since at the time, there was no one there to help me. Still, I often associate things to the lion when I'm scared or can't face something. It helps to create a stronger image in my mind than the trigger or what the trigger has brought up.

So yes, I do have an image that is strong - based on my faith, that I use regularly now. Wasn't planned or even suggested. Just happened. But I like it since the Lion in Narnia is described as both terrible and good at the same time. I picture him tearing into my attacker defending His own. When I draw him, He looks pretty awful. But that is how I feel about it. Don't know if this makes any sense or not.

 

[Tigergirl1217]

, I started developing my own form of art therapy for PTSD. Started re-creating on paper the areas where some of my traumas took place. Began to come alive for me. Very scary! Could only add one item at a time - always opened a huge box of mess to then sort through. Still working on it.

@stp2012 this exactly what I did!:woot: It's amazing what fictional protagonist can do in your mind. Using their battles as a symbol of fighting against the enemies as in anxiety. Btw I love Narnia, especially aslan;)