Working With A Personal Trainer Having Ptsd

[Morphius]

I have recently hired a personal trainer. This trainer helps me workout, exercise, etc. However I have come to realize that the more I am with this trainer the act of doing these physical exercises triggers me immensely. On the other hand I love the trainer themselves. Do I tell this trainer about my PTSD briefly and how it relates to the physical act of working out in the hopes we can come up with a plan together or just hide it and avoid telling this trainer? I trust this trainer of course but there are mixed debates. For me, telling her opens up yet another person I end up trusting with my past but then not telling her may feel safer but prevent me from fully working out. I know in movies personal trainers are portrayed as people some boxers spill their hearts out too. "It's why I never want to feel powerless again." But... those are just movies. I'm not sure what to do. I haven't really told anyone about my PTSD other than obviously my T.

 

[watundah]

I work with a trainer and am curious how you are triggered?

We move at such a constant pace, I barely talk and am always busy counting reps!! I also find it helps me be in my body because he is pushing me all of the time.

 

[Alibongo]

I have recently hired a personal trainer. This trainer helps me workout, exercise, etc. However I have...

Hiya morphius
As a fitness instructor who also has a pt, it's really important that u tell them-u don't need to disclose any other information. If u dobt feel comfortable telling them about the ptsd just say u have panic attacks. This is something I struggle with too-when my heart races it sends me into a panic attack but my pt knows and gives me the time I need to calm down. They can adjust ur program if they need to sort if u r having a bad day it's best to tell them.

 

[Alibongo]

I work with a trainer and am curious how you are triggered?

We move at such a constant pace, I barely...

For me it's because I go into flight or fight when my heart races so exercising can bring on a panic attack

 

[Morphius]

I work with a trainer and am curious how you are triggered?

We move at such a constant pace, I barely...

I had a trainer around the time of my trauma. Everything from the act of socializing in between reps or just the act of being around one is sometimes hell.

 

[Morphius]

For me it's because I go into flight or fight when my heart races so exercising can bring on a panic a...

That's also an additional thing that happens to me, too. In addition to flashbacks when my heart races.

 

[watundah]

Ok, I get that. Thank you for explaining.

 

[BlueOrange]

I had this problem, and it's been in the 'too hard' basket for 8 years now. If I could go back and do things differently, I'd talk to my psych about the problems with the trainer. My trainer didn't have the expertise needed to solve the problem of the triggers.

 

[EveHarrington]

Maybe you could explain it as anxiety?

Anxiety is more universal.

Anxiety doesn't leave people wondering "what happened to you"

I say "anxiety" because people accept it and don't ask intrusive questions.