General Dissociation in therapy

[ColinKevin]

Looking for a bit of advice, as my sufferer has been working in therapy for a while on what they describe as 'something dark'. They have dissociated several times whilst trying to access/process it via EMDR. They are considering ketamin therapy (legal in this country) as they feel this may help bring down the barriers of the dissociation.
Therapist has several tricks up their sleeve and they are working on creating a safe parent figure, first of all before possibly trying ketamine.
Sufferer is massively frustrated, this is the only part I can help with - reflecting on how far they've come and overcome. And that they will get through it. That's all I've got .

 

[beaneeboo]

I couldn't possibly comment on the ketamin therapy sorry. But I do know there are tonnes of techniques to help with dissociation in therapy. Like using multi sensory modalities e.g tactile (fidget toys) oral (sweets/ candy), vision (looking around the room for certain colours), working on focusing on the body etc. Those are just a few and a good trauma T should have a wealth of tricks up their sleeve.

My feeling about using something like ketamin therapy (without knowing anything about it) is that it's placing the responsibility and skill on something outside of you to manage the dissociation, when the real work, imo, is done through the person learning (with a good safe relationship with therapist) how to gradually manage those triggers and feeling of overwhelm which send them into dissociation. Because that skill needs to be learned. It may not always work but it can improve even if it doesn't fully go away. But it can take a long time I think to work making therapy a slow process.

It may be that it's too early in the therapy journey for opening up what's being opened up? Maybe EMDR isn't the right modality to try atm. Maybe further trust needs building with the therapist? Or maybe other therapy approaches could be explored.

Kati Morton is an online therapist with loads of YouTube videos on these types of themes. She has loads of suggestions about how to cope with dissociation in session too.

Sorry - not meaning to sound preachy and I'm away i haven't answered your question. Maybe you guys know all the suggestions anyway. But please ignore if so

Good luck

 

[Sideways]

Sufferer is massively frustrated, this is the only part I can help with

Yep. The rest of it is out of your hands, and tbh, not much of your business unless your partner decides to talk about it.

You can ask them what would be helpful for you to do when they’re coming down from therapy. Beyond that? Being there, and staying level-headed is about it. The world needs to continue spinning when therapy is done. That’s about as reassuring as it can be.

 

[ColinKevin]

I couldn't possibly comment on the ketamin therapy sorry. But I do know there are tonnes of techniques to help with dissociation in therapy. Like using multi sensory modalities e.g tactile (fidget toys) oral (sweets/ candy), vision (looking around the room for certain colours), working on focusing on the body etc. Those are just a few and a good trauma T should have a wealth of tricks up their sleeve.

My feeling about using something like ketamin therapy (without knowing anything about it) is that it's placing the responsibility and skill on something outside of you to manage the dissociation, when the real work, imo, is done through the person learning (with a good safe relationship with therapist) how to gradually manage those triggers and feeling of overwhelm which send them into dissociation. Because that skill needs to be learned. It may not always work but it can improve even if it doesn't fully go away. But it can take a long time I think to work making therapy a slow process.

It may be that it's too early in the therapy journey for opening up what's being opened up? Maybe EMDR isn't the right modality to try atm. Maybe further trust needs building with the therapist? Or maybe other therapy approaches could be explored.

Kati Morton is an online therapist with loads of YouTube videos on these types of themes. She has loads of suggestions about how to cope with dissociation in session too.

Sorry - not meaning to sound preachy and I'm away i haven't answered your question. Maybe you guys know all the suggestions anyway. But please ignore if so

Good luck

Thanks for taking the time and giving a different perspective. They've been in therapy a long time and have managed dissociation throughout. But have really come up against a big barrier. T has come up with a good plan so they are going with that, and doing all of the work they need to outside of therapy.

Beyond that? Being there, and staying level-headed is about

Every damn day . They do talk and if they ask for anything, I respond. They are in the driving seat, I ask here to gain perspective which helps me remain level headed. Thanks for reminding me

 

[beaneeboo]

Thanks for taking the time and giving a different perspective. They've been in therapy a long time and have managed dissociation throughout. But have really come up against a big barrier. T has come up with a good plan so they are going with that, and doing all of the work they need to outside of therapy.

Sounds like it's a case of continuing to plug away... I think your partner is lucky to have you and your support... that in itself will help alot so don't under estimate it... Good luck with it all