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Hmmm, well, I can relate to feeling very protective of and sensitive about my breasts. I never seriously self-harmed, but I did scratch and pick at my skin, and most of that was in that area. I know I have some anxiety there, and also think that the breasts are so uniquely powerful...

I'm really sorry you have a tough day ahead: psychiatrist & dentist, ugh. I've had that type of trouble w/the dentist too, just switched a while ago because they were just too incompetent and cold, had gotten really hard to go. Tomorrow, I'm going to tell my therapist in detail about the...

I just completed another course and earned an A. I am now officially, finally, more than halfway through with this two-year program to complete my Bachelor's. I'm a senior!!! I have only 10 more courses to complete, including the one I'm in now. I earned a B for my June course, but that, in...

Since some of they symptoms of PTSD are avoidance, persistent negative cognition, and re-experiencing, yes, it makes perfect sense that going through the process of opening up about the trauma would feel terrible. Switching from avoiding to examining has been very difficult and painful for me...

Yeah, I agree with the rest. There really aren't "signs" that someone's been abused, each of us presents in a different way. You can't really judge backwards by saying, oh I have this issue so I must have been abused. I would focus on what makes you unhappy in the present day. It's important to...

Hmm, I agree, it's often those brief moments of seeing something beautiful that really anchor me. Today I noticed the cherries on my tree are ripening and the birds are making the most of them. Saw both blue jays and a hummingbird among the branches this morning.

There is no right or wrong when it comes to grief. Silence, shock, numbness are all just as valid as sadness and tears. Try to have compassion for yourself and accept how you are as perfectly fine in this situation. I'm sorry you lost your ferret.

Overcome

We didn't get to the list last session: I'm planning on covering it tomorrow. Criterion B: intrusion symptoms The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in the following way(s): (one required) Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive memories. Note: Children older than six may express...

Therapy has helped me keep my symptoms in check so I can be a better partner. You might try that to help you work through the most problematic of your symptoms and issues and give you the space to empty out that PTSD cup so you can be a bit more open to and available for relationships.

Yes, I often speak to my therapist late, or did especially when I first started seeing her, lately it's more regular morning appointments. Many nights we've chatted until 11 or 12 her time: fortunately for me she likes working evening hours. Weekends too. It's very valuable. It is something I...

I don't think it is an irrational concern. It's hard to trust you are free from your parents at only 18 and after dealing with their dysfunctions. It's a violation of the professional code of conduct for the industry for a therapist to break patient confidentiality, unless, as you say, there is...

Yes, I relate to this. I've had a lot of these experiences with sex. I too was abused by my father while I was young. My advice is to be gentle and loving toward yourself. Have compassion. On a practical note, I've found therapy and writing a lot to help me work through these issues to a place...

Remember, the feeling of defeat or hopelessness is only a feeling. Try and treat feelings like clouds in the sky: part of the weather, but not the end-all of reality, just passing events. The goals you have, friendships, romantic relationships and children are all worthwhile goals. Therapy can...

I'm really glad to hear that! I know it's a struggle. I hate the way that I am reactive to my little daughter due to my trauma and therapy's helped a lot but certainly not been a magic pill. Kudos to you for doing everything you possibly can to be the best parent possible. Your conscientiousness...

They've been blessing and bane for me. Courage to Heal: not for me. Too unprofessional. The DBT workbook was great for me, but I do bit and pieces, and some with my therapist, some on my own, not in a forced march fashion. I do find it most helpful to work with someone I trust on my issues...

Actually, as I writer, I find much is gained through print. It's a trade off, not at all a clear loss for me.

I have had this issue of angry outbursts at my daughter. I sought therapy. It's not acceptable to me to act out my disorder on her, she's helpless and I'm responsible for her. She's challenging to parent, she's both gifted and has Oppositional Defiant Disorder, but it's all on me to hold the...

I have had misunderstandings using email, but have had them in other situations too. It does depend partly on one's ability to communicate in writing, I suppose, but it's also about having a solid relationship. The longer I've worked with my therapist, the smoother our communication has become...

I have unlimited email access to my therapist. She encourages me to write to her as much as I'd like. I pay for my email sessions though, so she's compensated for all her work. My email sessions are long, indepth, back and forth exchanges. Her approach is less common in my experience but I love...

I've done therapy in person and therapy online, with phone calls and chat. I've definitely been able to make a deep connection and do trauma work with great results in that format, indeed, doing therapy from home and with a little more privacy has made it even easier in some ways. The key for me...

Thanks for a lovely topic. It's one I've devoted a lot of time to this past year as I reentered therapy to get back to a thriving rather than surviving mentality. Thriving is multi-faceted to me, encomassing physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well being. Spiritual health to me includes...

Here's the list. I talked about it some with my T today, but it was hard to.... fit it all in, we're going to do the 1-10 rating exercise on Monday. I'll be returning to the thread to document where I am now with each item and where I was a year or so ago. It is intense to think about the trial...

Panicking about the future's another classic PTSD thing: catastrophizing. A sense of foreshortened future or negative outcomes for you or loved ones is, unfortunately, part of the backlash from trauma in many cases.

Sure, that's classic PTSD, subtype with dissociative symptoms: "In addition to meeting criteria for diagnosis, an individual experiences high levels of either of the following in reaction to trauma-related stimuli: Depersonalization: experience of being an outside observer of or detached from...