Is cbt ineffective or do i just need a new therapist?

[moshpitmunkey]

I've been with the same therapist for about 2 going on 3 years now doing CBT work. However I often have periods during treatment where I feel like nothing is working anymore and I ditch/ignore her until things get bad again. So I feel that I'm never getting better. Although I have made some headway in many ways. Not sure if I need to try a new therapist or a new form of therapy period. Not sure what to do to move forward.

 

[Jeannetteptsd777]

A New therapist might shed new light on certain subjects. I'd say try a new therapist.

 

[Abigail7]

Can you give an example of the skills she's using with you? And perhaps exactly why it's not working for you? It's possible she's bad at using CBT (so the problem lies in her and another CBT therapist might be better), and it's also possible that she is effective at teaching CBT but CBT just doesn't work for you (so the problem lies in CBT itself). It's hard to advise without knowing the exact nature of the issue, and telling you to get away from CBT altogether could be a bad thing if it's just a matter of an inept therapist.

 

[moshpitmunkey]

A New therapist might shed new light on certain subjects. I'd say try a new therapist.

...[/QUOTE]
Yeah that's what I was thinking as well. I guess it's just dreading having to dig through pain and trauma and exercise self disclosure all over again with someone new.

 

[moshpitmunkey]

Can you give an example of the skills she's using with you? And perhaps exactly why it's not working for you? It's po...

She uses functional analysis, cognitive restructuring and unraveling cognitive distortions (among others I assume). But sometimes certain things are overlooked such as telling her about my nightmares/depression. Sometimes those things are written off. Or she'll resort to saying "well your actions and how you feel/what you desire are incongruent so idk what you want to do here" essentially( Not realizing that that's so because I'm in a constant state of survival) when I take two steps backwards. At times I feel like she feels defeated with me.

 

[Lucycat]

I am not sure if you 'ditch/ignore' her suggestions that you can be sure that she s at falt. A new therapist might offer the same suggestions and you would be floored again. Perhaps try following her advice and see if that makes a difference, before jumping to a new therapist.

 

[moshpitmunkey]

I am not sure if you 'ditch/ignore' her suggestions that you can be sure that she s at falt. A new thera...

Perhaps. And thanks for the fresh perspective. Sometimes though I feel like she pushes me to do things that are not realistic for me or that will be met with harsh consequences in my waking life. But idk maybe it's me. Maybe my expectations are out of wack.

 

[void]

@moshpitmunkey

CBT addresses thoughts and the behaviours that arise from those thoughts.....right?

Now, let me ask you a question or two that would have saved me decades and $$$$$.

1. Did the trauma ONLY impact/affect your mind?
2. Does the trauma ONLY affect your thoughts and behaviours?

Answers: No. The trauma happened to your BODY as well.......to your entire being!

The partial nature of CBT is the reason why the Somatic or Body Psychotherapies have emerged. CBT can only address certain aspects of trauma and neglects others. All therapies have a limited scope.

This video blew my mind...........Stress, Trauma and the Body

PTSD treatment can address the body and its responses to trauma as well.

T's do ONLY what they know. I have met CBT T's that have no exposure to the Somatic paradigm.

Be well.:happy:

 

[anthony]

CBT is a broad term. EMDR, PE, ACT, SIT, so forth, are all CBT therapies that have their tangents.

My advice, if you have been with a therapist for any duration and feel that process is lacking, you're with the wrong therapist. Change. You need to try many different therapies to find what works uniquely for you. Chances are it will be a combination of around 3 therapy types that will help you best.

The ANS information is not new to PTSD, even though some claim as such. I wrote about this back in 2009, which was already well established information on body symptoms and trauma: Autonomic Nervous System (ans) With Ptsd

 

[Suzetig]

I guess it's just dreading having to dig through pain and trauma and exercise self disclosure all over again with someone new.

It might be worth thinking about what you feel is missing in your current therapy. I.e. Are your symptoms reducing, can you talk about your trauma in a safe place without being flooded, do you understand yourself better, can you make better sense of your experience. Simply put what specifically do you think you need that you aren't getting?

If you don't know but have a vague notion that things aren't working, you need to look at where that's coming from - you may have outgrown your therapist or possibly be finished with therapy. Or you may need to do some body work, or try a different modality.

I think sometimes therapy is like sex, we all imagine something earth shattering is happening in someone else's therapy or that we're missing something when it in fact is all boringly similar to our own.

 

[James McGregor]

I've been with the same therapist for about 2 going on 3 years now doing CBT work. However I ofte...

I've never found CBT to be anything other than utterly pointless. I'm sure it works for some, but for me I always refuse to waste my time with it, I prefer proper psycotherapy carried out by a professional, CBT is often delivered by someone who's done a course for a few weeks and is then allowed to deliver it

 

[Deleted member 39814]

I've been with the same therapist for about 2 going on 3 years now doing CBT work. However I ofte...

i'm a hypnotherapist and i'll say to you what i say to all new clients. hypnotherapy will work for you but you must trust your therapist. if you feel we are getting nowhere, try a different therapist. i will NEVER be offended. in my time i have had 2 ( one abuse and the other smoking cessation ) that i told at the first consultation that they were not going to make massive steps forward as i could feel a barrier between us . they both thrived with another therapist. by the same token, i have had clients come to me feeling let down by their therapist and proceeded to flourish with me. that does NOT mean i was a better therapist than their previous ones, simply that they could relax and open up completely with me. when you try another therapist, remember, at the first consultation you need to decide if s/he can help you , it's not purely for them to decide if they can help you. i am also a big fan of cbt, done correctly it can bring remarkable results