Do You Discuss This Forum With Your Therapist?

[KwanYingirl]

My therapist was so pleased when I blew his mind and joined myptsd.com. When I am struggling with things, he goes down his checklist to help me figure out if I'm having a PTSD episode or an organic chemical exposure to my brain. Lately he asks me how things are going with the group-i corrected him and now we call it the forum. I do get triggered by things that are discussed here. Sometimes I feel useless because I don't have any advice for someone. But by far it has been a godsend. I saw him today and he asked how the forums going and then we discussed my trepidation over spending xmas with my mom. I want to let him read some of the threads I respond to so he can get a sense of where I'm at. He would like me to write about my abuse. We can lock it in a box or burn it or examine it. This forum is the first setting in which I feel safe to write my fears, questions,ask for advice, etc. I told him he should read what I write and see how we work as a support group But Not without me checking the members of how they would feel if my therapist read a thread once in a while, but most so when I'm overwhelmed.
As far as I'm concerned I wouldn't care if someone's therapist read my postings.
How do the rest of you feel about this? We are anonymous .

 

[scout86]

I wouldn't mind if SOMEONE ELSE'S T read what I wrote here. I'm not so sure I'd want mine to right now. And, I suppose that's because......... I'm not sure why "it's because". I guess, with him, there's stuff I don't want him to know until I'm darn good and ready and then I'll tell him myself LOL

But, in answer to your question, it would be fine with me.

 

[Justmehere]

I'm ok with anyone's therapist reading the forum.

My own therapist reading the forum would be embarrassing for me, but I think I would actually be ok with that too. She knows I'm on a forum, but doesn't know which one. She has noticed I have made much more progress in therapy since being on the forum. It has been such a huge help for me in many ways.

 

[Candleflames]

I definitely talk to my T about the forum and how I use it to help my healing. I've even printed up a few of my posts and read them to him. Those were some intense therapy sessions.

 

[Ellabella44]

I told my t that I was here and have learned alot about dealing with different things that come up for me with this like dissociation... she says im doing better with my self care strategies and for me reading about others dissociating, has made it easier for me to deal with and accept. it has also explained some other behaviors ive had that since being here ive found are part of this and ive been able to tell her about them because someone else posted them as well.

 

[Deleted member 28740]

KwanYingirl, you are one of my first met on this forum. While finding the help I need to start the healing journey, you are wise, gentle and open, and I have felt safe sharing. Great compassion. Trust you. Share. Hope to find a T to help me.

 

[Chava]

I don't mind, but really look at how many views these posts get....lots of strangers all over the interwebz are looking at this stuff. I came across MyPTSD threads a lot when I was first learning more about ptsd...these threads came up in searches and I read stuff. Eventually I joined. Publication and such is a different matter but anyone can be reading this stuff. Kind of creepy really, but that's what I signed up for I guess, and why I look like a snail.

You are very helpful here, by the way. You do give good advice. But I also know lots of times that if I want advice I can just do a google search on topics and ideas. I think what helps here often is that I don't feel so alone....or can get some ideas for very quirky specific symptom stuff. Not lots of people respond to my stuff, story of my life so it's cool because I don't go for that. I value the few but thoughtful responses I get from different people and you've been among them. I also like stuff or questions you post.

To answer your question though, no I don't talk to my therapist about this site. Always feels like we have 9 million things to do when we meet. We get right to it. If I do talk, it's based on pretty clear notes I've made and want to address, sometimes based on something I've partially talked about or processed on here. I think my therapist's life would be sheer hell if she had to read my e-mails plus my long threads!! :wtf: I also can't write about details or memories much here (my own protective stuff, boundaries or something) but it has helped to write and send to my therapist sometimes. I think it's great you have included it in conversations with your therapist and that it fits in as a tool for you guys like that. I really appreciate any therapist going along with tools that work for us as individuals (my extra thing is my e-mails...I do speak a lot better through writing and process things differently...I honestly think it's a hand-brain-visual thing for me, like how I process playing a musical instrument).

 

[seedling]

I hid the forum for a long time from my therapist. I think I felt that he would take it as competition (or think it was silly?). I hid it from my family as well. I'm good at hiding lol!
Since I've been active here again, more recently, I've let him know I'm here. I don't share a lot about it.

I'm starting with a new T now and I think I will share this more with her. I want everything out in the open and I don't feel so paranoid now. It's a little weird to tell people you are getting help online. Unless people have checked out this site they just don't know.

I don't care if your T were to read posts here. I would like to think that at some point my new T would want to read mine and that it would help my therapy.
I wonder what insight she might get from reading what I write here as compared to how I come across in session.

 

[joeylittle]

I have not told my therapist about this site, and do not ever expect to.

I need one place/thing that is mine, and not something I put up for discussion in therapy.

 

[dougyhowzer]

I am so happy to hear that you are even willing to let your therapist read some of the threads . I think that takes an extraordinary amount of trust .

I indeed have no problem with that . Granted I don't reply to your threads, but that is probably have to do ugh me being so absent .

Regarding feeling so useless , I don't see you that way . From what I can tell, you have certainly helped me and I am sure others with whatever advice you are able to give .

Even being able to relate in itself is good .

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

My therapist knows. My therapist asks about it and we talk about it in therapy. He seems to have respect for this forum and thinks that's its well run and as even taken down the name of it to give to other clients. I've taken posts I've written in my dairy and used them for discussions in therapy.

 

[Kefira]

I've mentioned it to my T. He thought it was a good thing for me to have. I wasn't sure whether he would. Silly I guess. Help is help.