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A little more than one year ago, I was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I remember a late night chat with my therapist, as I sat in bed and cried, thinking that this disorder had been with me, undiagnosed, for twenty years, and fearing that I would lose a part of myself as I worked...

You're probably reading into it, that's common. Additionally though, she's opening the door for you to express any *possible* ambivilence, as abuse survivors often have some measure of guilt about complying or even enjoying aspects of the experience, and it's critical to understand that doesn't...

No worries, I just meant, can you tell me about the last time this happened to you? Also, if by "difficult things" you happen to be talking about your trauma, remember, not being able to verbalize it is actually so common it's one of the criteria for being diagnosed with PTSD, so, that's normal...

Ah, yes, it might help if you could be more specific then, give an example of a situation you're struggling with since it was hard to tell what you meant initially.

Sometimes writing it out first helps. Other times, running it by a trusted, objective, neutral third-party helps. I also often think about my therapist's model of assertive communication: 1. Tell the person how you feel 2. Empathize with your audience 3. Ask for what you want, without any...

I have just ended therapy sessions when I got triggered or things felt too intense. My therapist patiently waited a bit to see if I would return, then went on to her other obligations for the day. She welcomed me back warmly next time and sometimes I'd add a session earlier if I needed it. I'd...

Well... to me it doesn't sound like there's anything going on with you, unless there's something more you're distressed about that you haven't mentioned. Needing alone time is just a natural part of being human. How much and how often varies a little from person to person I suppose, but I don't...

Embracing the transference has been some of the best, most healing of experiences I've had in therapy. My therapist's ability and desire to consistently respond to me in a supportive, knowledgeable, motherly, caring way has opened up a wealth of opportunity for me to really process my trauma...

What do you mean by sexual anorexia, do you mean depriving yourself of sex? At any rate, phobias about intimacy are extremely common with PTSD in my experience and reading. Much trauma is related to sexual assault and sexual withdrawl is an understandable response. And if you mean emotional...

Oh Anthony, what a wonderful thread idea. Here's one of mine taken perhaps two or three weeks ago:

Wow, can't believe it's been three months since I posed here and feels even longer. March was rough, but I'm doing much better now. I have finished another course with an A so I believe that's nine or 10 now. I was also given the honor of being editor in chief for my college newspaper as of June...

Oh yes, I can relate to the struggle to be happy. Happiness can (though doesn't always) trigger catastrophizing and bring up unpleasant memories for me: I'm just too good at being anxious. I counteract that by talking about it in therapy and doing small things to balance out that tendancy...

Fun thread. I have a few fall-back foods, and carbs feature prominently, but probably the most satisfying comfort food is home made lentil soup. The aroma of sauteing onion, garlic, celery, carrots, and the sprinkling of herbs; oregano, basil, bay leaf, with the earthy lentils and slightly...

I started this thread nearly a year ago, haven't been on site much and just saw the two replies from May. Looking back... it is a relief to feel that her caring for me and the strength of our relationship have only deepened. It's been a truly transformative year. I still have work I want to do...

Memories are not factual in the same way that a math formula is. Memories distort over time, can blur together, mesh with second-hand accounts or other narratives, and so I want you to know to trust yourself, not to think you are crazy at all, but do keep in mind that memory is really only a...

I just received my grade for the course I completed March 1. I earned an A, it was a struggle, I had a near breakdown this month due to a barrage of stressors from which I'm still trying to recover. Today I also received a surprise award at work. I am sad to be feeling very reactive and...

I was frustrated when I received grammar and post structure notifications. I did write a respectful but challenging reply to one of the first notifications, before I realized how structured this site is. I have a great deal of respect for all the moderators and Anthony for creating and...

We have different goals and different chosen methods of achieving them. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all therapy or therapeutic relationships.

Well, I just spoke with her for an hour. Sigh, pricey, but... not without benefit! I saw how my initial message to her was unfocused as I'd just woken up from the dream, so I did not ask a clear enough question. For her part, she misinterpreted a key word and replied on auto-pilot with a...

That made me laugh!!! Reality is, I had to delete a reply here after I posted it, because my anger was getting the better of me, so.... nope, not something I've got a perfect handle on, haha. I definitely go stupid too, that's why I'm here, instead of writing ANOTHER reply to my T! ;)

Oh, I didn't need help fostering independence, just the opposite. We are in touch regularly, so this was part of a written session. It was more difficult to communicate via email initially, but as our relationship has deepened and we know each other's style better, and relevant issues, I think...

Please feel free- I did read some of your most recent long post, and I wanted to be there for you, but the only thing I could think of offhand was that I wanted to give you a big hug.

Thanks so much for that atthree. I do believe sharing dreams is sharing very sensitive material which requires delicacy, knowledge, and insight to do well, but it is a special study of hers, work she enjoys. I try to share mine with her and usually emerge pleased with the results of...

It was her "I want you to feel better" instinct kicking in, I should clarify that. My therapist, I think, had good intentions, upon hearing I felt scared, to try and defuse the fear, but the way she did it was invalidating. It's something we've dealt with before on occasion. Sometimes, fear...

I can see how that would be relevant in some cases, indeed, I have had another experience with her several months ago where what you described was a bit closer to my experience, but in this case, she was filling in the blanks, haha, not me. In this case, she didn't give me any new truths either...