How difficult is it to find a trauma specialized therapist

[airdog]

Not even sure this question belongs in this particular forum (please repost in other forum if not appropriate here)

I live in Canada and have been looking for a specialized therapist (I suffer from both PTSD AND CPTSD) in vain. I did find a therapist and she's very helpful and therapy does help a bit but still she's not specialized.

Not that I haven't been looking, even went as far as calling the army (only to be told that they only treat military personnel). Other programs exist in university but I would have to live within a 5 km radius which is not the case.

And what's even more confusing is that in my search for a therapist I read lists of proposed therapist on many sites on the web only to find out that most therapists are supposedly "specialized" in trauma but also in about 10 other fields, which makes me very skeptical as it took me 6 years to specialize in my profession which to me means that were they really specialized it would mean that they're at least 80 years old.

Just curious as to what others experiences would be in their search for therapy.

 

[RubyBlue]

One thing I learned is to not worry so much about the qualifications, but the relationship you can build. The relationship (especially with CPTSD) is far more of a healing tool than any methods they’ve learned. My T is fairly general and wasn’t what I really wanted in the beginning- but she has stuck with me for some very hard times and has taken the time to get to know me. She’s also always up for learning more or having me bring in materials I find that can be helpful, like she’s never threatened by me knowing more about a certain thing or whatever. Anyway, the relationship between us has healed me in so very many ways that methods would never have touched.

 

[airdog]

One thing I learned is to not worry so much about the qualifications, but the relationship you can build. The relationship (especially with CPTSD) is far more of a healing tool than any methods they’ve learned. My T is fairly general and wasn’t what I really wanted in the beginning- but she has stuck with me for some very hard times and has taken the time to get to know me. She’s also always up for learning more or having me bring in materials I find that can be helpful, like she’s never threatened by me knowing more about a certain thing or whatever. Anyway, the relationship between us has healed me in so very many ways that methods would never have touched.

Thanks for that and up to a point I agree. As said I did find a therapist and our relationship is very good and as with you she has stuck with me during hard times which I do appreciate immensely.

But then we you read someone like Van der Kolk who seems to have proven that trauma not only brings about psychological transformations but also physical ones you kind of wish the person caring for you would be more knowledgeable about the specifics of trauma and help you in ways that unaware therapist cannot.

 

[Movingforward10]

I'm in a city in the UK. Loads and loads and loads of therapists to choose from. So I was able to really finely tune the search for my therapist: someone skilled in trauma, female, LGBT identified, close to home so no long journey. All my boxes ticked.
Lots of therapists here have lots of training in all sorts and her box of specialisms are quite long.

I suppose phone up and talk to them and see if you click with them?

Maybe don't be out off by comparing your field of work to theirs and trust what they say they specialise in?

 

[Mach123]

In my experience it has to be a specialist. This is my therapists website. Some of the links may be useful. They have a network of therapists. It’s a very difficult undertaking just getting a therapist at all.

Taking Back Ourselves

Finding one that specializes in trauma and takes my insurance? Even here in my city, which is a hospital town, it was a minor miracle. I still have to drive an hour into town for therapy, which I’ve been doing weekly for about 6 years.

Good luck.

 

[grit]

100%agree the physical improvement, concentration, appetite, sleep, and honesty with self.... The real impact goes a long way.... I would even venture further and say if you are dissacoiting after 3 months, you are not dealing with trauma therapy. To dissociate in therapy often as a reaction is the first sign of wrong therapy. The alternative is you get angry or the therapist recognizes and everything stops...to regroup and get back to you.

How do u find one, trial and error.... I was wrong in the past and thought personality... But I learned the hard way.
Must like the person
Must make a real effort to have a rupture and repair
Must have experience treating long term trauma clients other than you.
Must be in control of their well being much better than those they treating.

I tried so many of them. I feel today... I find them in psychoanalytic and it is covered by ohip....

Think of finding a soul mate... More daunting than that!

Ps. No trauma work until basic disassociation is under control and the person can cope with basic anxiety. A lot of therapy do not do that.

 

[RubyBlue]

I don’t know, I stand by my statement. Specialization/qualifications can be important sure, but I still don’t feel they override the relationship. *But* I will qualify that with maybe it just depends on the type of trauma. My stuff is very intertwined in relational things/parents/didn’t have any kind of stabilized relationship around me whatsoever. So as an adult, on top of trauma therapy itself, those are things I’m learning.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Not even sure this question belongs in this particular forum (please repost in other forum if not appropriate here)

I live in Canada and have been looking for a specialized therapist (I suffer from both PTSD AND CPTSD) in vain. I did find a therapist and she's very helpful and therapy does help a bit but still she's not specialized.

Not that I haven't been looking, even went as far as calling the army (only to be told that they only treat military personnel). Other programs exist in university but I would have to live within a 5 km radius which is not the case.

And what's even more confusing is that in my search for a therapist I read lists of proposed therapist on many sites on the web only to find out that most therapists are supposedly "specialized" in trauma but also in about 10 other fields, which makes me very skeptical as it took me 6 years to specialize in my profession which to me means that were they really specialized it would mean that they're at least 80 years old.

Just curious as to what others experiences would be in their search for therapy.

The websites where you look, have boxes......and they check them......but if you have dissociative disorder, OSDD, C-PTSD, or DID, you need to read their resume......if they have PHD, read their published works....and locate their true areas of interest. Also sites which cater to people with CPTSD (Like beauty after bruises) , may have a referral list because they also collect money for people who can't afford therapy. While it's a US based organization, they may be able to hook you up with someone more local.....sad to say, there aren't enough specialists to go around.

 

[airdog]

Those are good suggestions and I'll sure look into it. Many thanks

 

[Pitstop]

I have a local therapist now that I'm happy with but as I live in the countryside I have previously had therapy online which was also helpful and also felt safe at the stage I was at. Best wishes finding what helps

 

[Eagle3]

I found my T by the purest luck ever. We had some mutual friends who invited me to join a mutual shared interest and I met my T during that activity. The more I got to know him in the dojo, the more I knew I needed to see him professionally as the only T I'd ever met who actually KNEW what I was dealing with. Turns out, he's a trauma and attachment specialist who'd been in practice for over 40 years. I've been seeing him for at least 7 years now, and DREAD the day when we need to part company. While he's spot-on with trauma work, he doesn't have much experience with Autistic individuals, so we've had to do some work together to figure out how THAT affects my trauma, but that's been a big part of growing the therapeutic relationship. I'd been through several other T's in my life, and none of us connected the way I do with my current T. When it's time to shop for a new T I now have a better idea of what I'm looking for.

Specialists are worth their weight in gold, but claiming "specialties" means jack. Look for experience and longevity in the special areas, certifications, and in-depth knowledge in the area you need work in. I can't tell you how many "specialists" I've met who had really just read "The Body Keeps The Score" and thought that made them a guru on trauma. It's true that the relationship is everything (I wouldn't be able to work with this current guy if we didn't have a real connection outside of therapy first), but the fact that he's a true expert in this field of specialty makes all the difference. I'm so grateful I found this guy, but I know how rare it is to find real help. Good luck on the search!

 

[joeylittle]

You could look into therapists who have EMDR certification in your area - it doesn't necessarily mean that you're committing to using EMDR as your trauma therapy, but if they've acquired and maintained a certification it does speak to a certain amount of dedication/commitment to trauma-specific training.

Here's a link to EMDR Canada, which will give you a decent place to start.