Aftershock From Therapy Sessions?

[digger]

I'm not totally sure where I'm going with this so please bear with me.

My counselling sessions recently feel like they've been turned up a notch. Which is a good thing ultimately, but it's kind of leaving me reeling for some time after. We're still only barely scratching the surface really but a lot of the bigger things are now 'out there' and even though we haven't fully discussed them yet, obviously the potential for that is now there and also it is more in my head.

After last week's session I spent several days feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, plus my anxiety levels are all over the place and I'm shutting down/shutting out more than I probably should be. I've woken up feeling similar again this morning after yesterday's session. A bit like I've gone into shock.

I'm not sure I'm explaining this very well :unsure:

I'm not really sure what I'm asking except that I'm feeling pretty lost. I guess maybe just looking for how other people deal with the after effects of their therapy sessions?

 

[becvan]

This is completely normal. As you start to dig deeper in therapy, it will affect you after. It's actually a good thing. A good idea is to discuss coping techniques with your therapist. Just a quick list of ideas are: meditation, exercise, breathing exercises... I'm not sure if they still exist, but there used to be some great articles on different coping techniques for anxiety, flashbacks etc... I believe they should be on the wiki now.

As for my personal, it's been many years since I was in therapy. However I do remember being extra nice to myself. I gave myself extra time to accomplish anything. I worked harder on my coping techniques. I also leaned on my support system. I also had worked on different techniques for coping with my therapist before getting to this point and she was available for extra support during it.

I'm rather sure this is too general to be of any help, but keep at it! Your on the right track when it starts affecting you!

 

[Jane.l]

I feel for you and I am having this problem too. My coping strategies are not good and I have a problem with self compassion. I can even get triggered by the word compassion !

But that's not very helpful to you is it !!

Will have a little think about what has sometimes helped and get back to you .

 

[reallydown]

What Bec said! It is perfectly normal to feel like that after sessions. I, however, have not mastered coping techniques...not sufficiently, anyway so my ability to give advice here is limited. Having said that, doing self-care etc. seems like the thing to do.

 

[Jane.l]

Ok this is just what helps me and just hoping something may be of use to you.

Firstly I can email my T whenever I like and I find that very helpful. I like to stay connected and I need the reassurance that he is there and I go over how I feel about the session and he fills in what I missed when I had zoned out but I know not everyone's T will do that. He has recorded a guided relaxation exercise on the voice memo of my mobile phone which can be very helpful.

I love music so playing my
Guitar helps if I can get myself to pick it up - it uses a different part of your brain.

Walking can be good in fact any exercise is great for getting the brain to move forwards but sometimes it's hard to get those trainers out !

My understanding is that we are in threat mode - so we are trying to get out of it which is why we feel rubbish - my way of doing that had been cutting and drinking which may help short term but not good long term.

What does help is some kind of socialising - which I guess is what we are doing here ! But even though you may really not feel like it sometimes meeting up for a quick drink, chat , walk may really help to lift these feelings - you don't have to talk about whats going on at all but just connecting in some small way can help .

It's tough I know !

 

[Jane.l]

Just another quick thought !

It's actually good sometimes to talk to someone who doesn't know what's going on. A break from the trauma and all that goes with it. Sometimes a little shot of normality is refreshing !

 

[macca]

Hi Digger. I hear you, I'm going through a similar thing right now, though I'm still new to therapy. As you already know from reading and answering my posts recently, I've been struggling with going to therapy and even admitting things happened. Regarding self-soothing, my T suggested to me that I imagine a child on a swing, very upset. How would I comfort her? Not by punching her in the head, like I do to myself. Not by verbally abusing her, like I also do to myself. A hug, or comforting words. She said that I need to learn to comfort myself as I would a child, and suggested I have a bath or shower, or ask my husband for a hug. I've decided to listen to music too, that's helping a little. Going on this forum, like Jane said, is a form of socialising with people who understand, and that's helping me too. So far I haven't lost the plot tonight, though I suspect it wouldn't take much. But I'm hoping some of this helps you. You deserve to feel comforted, and safe.

 

[digger]

Thanks guys.

What does help is some kind of socialising

It's actually good sometimes to talk to someone who doesn't know what's going on

That would be most people I know pretty much. The friends that I have left, ie. the ones that haven't just buggered off because they either couldn't handle, or couldn't be arsed with, how broken I was, I think mostly assume that I'm over it now. None of them have any idea of the full extent of things really or how bad things still are. They don't ask and I don't offer, so that's how it is. I'm not a very social person anyway and find it really hard to just suggest meeting up and stuff and because I've kind of put myself out of the loop with people, they don't tend to bother any more either.

Walking can be good in fact any exercise is great for getting the brain to move forwards but sometimes it's hard to get those trainers out

Unfortunately I have a chronic pain condition which means I have to be careful with physical stuff or it get aggravated and I end up not being able to do pretty much anything, but I do like to walk a lot and being outdoors and that does help, but the weather is bloody awful at the moment - I don't mind a bit of weather but the sky seems to have decided it's going for an alltheweather approach the last few days!

I also had worked on different techniques for coping with my therapist before getting to this point

We have done a lot of that, just being able to call on it in the moment is proving more difficult sometimes. But thanks for the reassurance that it's normal.

 

[digger]

Not by punching her in the head

cutting and drinking

Yeah I am trying to avoid these approaches to self care too ;)

 

[Abstract]

I often don't feel anything in the moment at all and in fact sometimes don't have access to the information either. It is then as if a time delay is set off and randomly all the emotions hit me after - a little like being hit by a truck.

I see this as slightly different to the other thing I experience which is where there is the continuation of processing what was discussed and an intensifying of feelings as my mind computes what has happened. The full brunt always seems to hit afterwards.

I don't like the first as it is difficult to monitor what is too much if that makes sense. I don't seem to have a sense of how big the aftershock will be. The second example I seem to be much better able to judge.

If you speak to your t about this then I am sure you will come up with a plan for after. One thing that has helped me is I have a Coping Box. Inside I put a wide range of possible things that could help. It is a matter of working through those options until something works.

 

[Hashi]

I think you describe it really well, digger.

It's still a big issue for me, although at least I expect it now and I know what to expect. When I first started having trauma therapy I had no idea I'd feel like this afterwards.

I like what @Jane.l suggests. I think for me it's a balance of distraction and trying to normalise, and allowing the shock feelings. For a long time I used to have the morning off work the day after therapy (I arranged to work longer hours on other days to make up the time) so I could either stay in bed feeling fragile, or journal and try to process the session a bit. It was probably good that I had to go to work in the afternoon because that was grounding and distracting, although difficult.

Having something ready to do at home after therapy helps me. Immediately after, I don't naturally think of all the good, self-soothing things I could do. It helps to set that up in advance - like having a DVD ready to watch, an audiobook downloaded or some non-challenging art stuff out on the table, I've also got into a routine of looking round an art/stationery shop on the way home. Art is a big thing for me, but it would be anything that's positive for you.

Like Abstract, I have a coping kit ready in one place. In my case, a drawer next to the bed. It has stuff like aromatherapy oils, a poem that I memorise to calm my mind, a book of funny cartoons, a relaxation CD, pencil crayons and grown-up colouring book, lotion to massage into my hands, lists of things I can think about or do. I find it hard to think of those sorts of things and rouse myself to organise them when reeling from a therapy session, but I often manage to go to the drawer and pull something out.

 

[Abstract]

Does anyone else see this as a bit different to "normal" emotional numbing? A bit confused at present. It seems very different to me.