Helping My Recovery

[futurefocussed]

I had my DBT assessment today and I actually walked out greatly encouraged.
He explained to me that with trauma it's that our mind doesn't perceive that the event is part of our history, and so that we need a process in which the event catalogues itself as a memory. For some that is with emdr but the way I do it actually ticks all the boxes as well.

Time code
Time context
Safety
Blame
Control

So when I get triggered I write out what the trigger was and what it triggered, with as much detail as I remember, I make sure that I'm somewhere safe when I'm doing this, often at home or in the library.
Then I post it online, I don't feel alone as much, I feel heard and like these emotions are ok.
And by writing it out, I feel like i can control that piece of my past, kind of claiming it back.
The post has a time and date and a context and so it ticks all the boxes.

My head came up with this and i didn't even know it, I took what I knew, that i needed to be heard and i needed to be anonymous to an extent to feel safe and i knew writing helped.

The psychologist doing my assessment was amazed that despite everything my mind figured out a way to not only cope, but to process.

I hadn't seen that before.

 

[Joan]

Well done!! I have done DBT in a variety of settings from outpatient group to day program to residential. I now use those skills I learned every day. I hope that you find it very beneficial.