Counseling Approaches For PTSD

[blackdove]

Hello. I could use a bit of help with a question I have. Don't seem to be able to find an answer elsewhere.

I started counseling for anxiety/depression related to PTSD. Both my doctor and counselor say that the most important thing at the moment is to get these issues under control. I am concerned that if we do not talk about memories, nightmares and flashbacks etc then I will never get them out of my mind.

Does anyone know if the professional's approach to PTSD as I have described above, is the normal approach? If I knew what was best for me then I probably wouldn't be in my current situation I guess. But I have a nice relationship with the counselor and I think she is great but the method of thought stopping and relaxation etc BEFORE dealing with memories and events, bothers me a bit.

Any insights welome:smile:

 

[Mina]

Hi, Blackdove, and welcome to the forum :smile:. I think I must have missed something...can you elaborate a bit more on your counselor's approach? Are they having you specifically not address your traumas, and instead do relaxation, meditation, etc?

 

[TLight]

It is my hunch they are attempting to get you stable and in a place where you are stable enough to deal with the traumas.

It took me almost 2 years to become stable enough to even approach the subject.

 

[Gunchief]

This sounds like the approach my counselor is using, meditation, breathing and stress control before getting into the trauma.
Dave

 

[Big Shirley]

My counselors approach was much different. She let me decide what I wanted to talk about and when. It did take me almost a year to feel comfortable enough to talk about the hard stuff. I do think your counselors approach is much safer...I had a lot of disassociation and flashbacks that could have ended badly, although my anxiety and depression have minimized a lot faster.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Yes, this is normal. You MUST be stable before dealing with the trauma. I have been attempting to stabilize since last November. I'm not there yet, but hope to be soon.

 

[blackdove]

Thanks guys. Mina: yes we are not yet talking about the 'trauma' (I use quotations because I don't actually think of myself as being traumatized alothough I hear that this is the case) -- I am learning that I am quite stubborn when it comes to acceptance.

Started counseling for anxiety in April because I thought I would lose my job -- couldn't get in taxis, buses, meetings a no-go and basically anywhere that I might get trapped. Had it for 15 months before getting the counselors help. In the 2nd session I handed her a 2 page letter with quite few bits of information on it so that she could get the entire picture and then I might get 'fixed' (i wish it was as easy as that one word). Since discussing things with her, I became more unstable and have had a bit of a brush with the grim reaper -- feeling ok today though.

I was naive and actually thought that what I wrote was unrelated to the anxiety attacks -- is not the case I have learned. Just started medication for depression/anxiety. Cannot sleep well at all and am having nightmares and concentration problems during the day.

My main aim is to hold onto my job no matter what. Employer and co-workers are quite supportive and I've given them enough info that they are nice but don't pry.

One of my greatest worries since April is the attachment I feel towards the counselor. I think it is "rapport" but it scares me because sometimes I just do what she suggest without thinking too much about it. I just sort of follow her ideas -- I know she is coming from a good place but I seem to always be trying to push her away and then I regret it. I don't get outwardly angry but I cancel appointments and then change my mind when I feel unsafe without her support. She says she won't let me become dependent and I think she is good enough to prevent that from happening.

But, does anyone understand the fear of "rapport" with a counselor? It freaks me out. Thanks

 

[anthony]

Sorry to say, but a lot of professionals are idiots. You will never get symptoms under control whilst trauma haunts you. Sorry... it just won't happen and the more and more professionals are working this out for themselves, though like anything it is slow progress. If this is trauma that occurred some time ago within your life, being months or more, you need to get into understanding the trauma, finding resolution to your daunting thoughts so that these things can actually subside... you must get worse in order to get better though.

 

[blackdove]

Anthony: Thanks for that. I am trying to invisage what worse might be?

My trauma, 12 years in a psychotherapy//spiritual cult. Yes, you are all probably thinking "she's ***ed!" Am almost completely out of it now but it's lonely and it sucks big-time in my mind. There is no "getting worse". The next step is 6 feet under and I'm not going to let that happen to me. Have learned one thing that most of you will probably relate to, I am stonger to a greater degree than I am weak. Took me 16 kms of walking to leave the place in April and I didn't even look back once. If I put up with 12 years of that bullshit then I can do 12 more with PTSD. I'm tough as guts!

 

[Mina]

Kudos to you, Blackdove; that took a LOT of courage!!! :clap:

I wonder if part of your fearing rapport with your counselor is due to your social conditioning (for lack of a better phrase) from the cult. Having come from a very religious (non-cult) background, I know that I was taught to distrust those who didn't share my beliefs...not to befriend them...not to open up to them...not to have really anything to do with them beyond small talk, unless you were trying to convert them. Perhaps it is difficult for you to accept that it's okay to deeply interact with her if you were at some time conditioned to think that she is an "outsider"?

 

[blackdove]

Thanks Mina. Yes I agree with you and this is something that although I am aware of, I seem to struggle with alot. In fact, the concept I was conditioned to believe is that there is only one person who can help me and that is the cult leader. Therefore, getting help from anyone else, regardless of qualifications, leads me to be skeptical. I just keep telling myself that the counselor is a good person. Was recommended by the GP who is known to be good and that sort of knowledge about these people might be the best I will get to go on.

 

[anthony]

Blackdove... that is exactly the attitude you need to get through this, learn how to heal and work towards living with PTSD. It can be done to live a normalish lifestyle with management. Well done to you...