How Do You Know When To Get A New Therapist?

[Smorck5]

Hey everyone,
I'm just wondering if I need to get a new therapist or maybe just start some one on one additional sessions? There is nothing wrong with my therapist but we started going for couples therapy before I knew why I'm so freaking crazy! Now with my PTSD dignosis I really want to focus on that and I feel like a lot of our sessions get spent talking about marriage issues not controlling my PTSD symptoms. Maybe this is good...I'm not sure.

any thoughts?

 

[Kintsugi]

As far as I can tell from what I've read on here and elsewhere, a trauma therapist will be much more likely to handle my trauma issues effectively, since PTSD is not like depression or bipolar, BPD, or any of the other sub-categories whose elements seem to show in PTSD. Though PTSD seems to look like a lot of different things, I don't believe it can be treated like other illnesses exactly because of its nature, its onset being a traumatic event and the specific repercussions that come with individual types of trauma.

I don't know the nature of your PTSD, but I am looking for a trauma therapist who does DBT because it is a popular treatment method for PTSD and I appreciate what seem to be its core values. There are a lot of different treatments out there--CBT, DBT, EMDR, SET... I would do some research on different methods of treatment that are being used by trauma specialists near you and see what is attractive to you.

 

[Smorck5]

Thanks for the insight! I think your right...ive been feeling like my issues may be just over his head! I did find a therapist near me that does EMDR but I don't know a lot about it and I feel kinda guilty going to someone else as dumb as that sounds!

I will have to do some more homework on EMDR!

 

[Kintsugi]

I will have to do some more homework on EMDR!

DO read up. EMDR is not right for me because my trauma is complex: it was prolonged and happened in very early childhood for the most part. There have been some disaster stories (a couple posted here) about people with CPTSD getting worse with EMDR. As I understand it, it is most effective in treating short term/one-time trauma (i.e. car crash, mugging).

 

[Smorck5]

To answer about the nature of my PTSD in case that would change who I would see... it started when my father passed suddenly when I was 3 sending my mother (who is also a hoarder) into a depression that has lasted 30 years now making her unable to care for us. My brother handled his grief by beating the crap out of me for the better part of 15 years. There was also sexual abuse by a family friend, although I didn't realize it was sexual abuse until much later in life. All in all it was a very dark place however I didn't seek out therapy because sadly I had no idea this was not normal until I became an adult and had my own kids and couldn't imagine treating or letting anyone treat them the way I was treated!

Sorry to unload this on you all :unsure:

 

[BloomInWinter]

(((((Smorck))))

Your story resonates with me deeply. I'm so sorry for all that has been stolen from you.

May your healing be deep and vast...

 

[Kintsugi]

(((((Smorck)))))

I would definitely maintain some reservations when researching or asking someone about EMDR. If you talk to a specialist about possibly doing this, it might be best to be pretty explicit in saying that your trauma was long-term and occurred in your youth.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Smorck5]

Thank you Bloom and I'm sorry that you can relate!

Thanks for your input MissAntiSunshine now I know where to start the conversation when I make phone calls! You've been very helpful!

~S~

 

[Magnet]

Hi, I am new here but I just wanted to share my experience--I have complex PTSD from chronic, early childhood trauma and neglect, the kind of thing that is notoriously difficult to treat & that a lot of the literature says EMDR won't work for.

I got super lucky, however, because somehow when my PTSD & exhaustion/workaholism totally derailed my life, I ended up randomly moving to a college town & hearing about this incredible EMDR practitioner.

There is a specific, but actually rather simple methodology added on to the regular EMDR structure, that very, very effectively gets at this horrible, difficult vague early childhood chronic stuff. It takes longer--I worked with her for two years-- than emdr for specific event traumas. But it worked miracles for me. My PTSD healed so much, I am so grateful for this.

The methodology is called Ego State Work and/or the Conference Table.

I have since moved to a much bigger metropolitan area and called tons of well known well qualified EMDR practitioners, none of whom were familiar with the specifics of this beyond regular emdr. I am going now to a regular emdr therapist covered by my insurance, and it does seem to help on a continuing basis but I know she would not have had the tools/chops to clear what my first emdr therapist did.

I just got triggered last week, ugh!!! And it was after missing emdr for three weeks:I think it really does now work as maintenance for me.

I was so lucky, apparently my original emdr therapist was one of the best in the country. She was a social worker, not a psychiatrist. When I feel unlucky about all my trauma & related chronic health issues, I should definitely remember her!

 

[Magnet]

Ps: after I got triggered, the only thing that got my brain back to normal was a massive dose of sugar. Ugh! It was horrible & so depressing. But nothing else worked to rebalance me to the point of getting rid of intrusive thoughts & rage, etc.

I realized that the headphones & clickers used in EMDR would have been possibly helpful--I have done so many emdr sessions at this point I feel ok running through the process on my own, and the magic of that bi-lateral stimulation I think may have prevented a horrible binge. And as I am typing, my pants would not be tight! I am going to talk to my emdr lady, the current one, about this, and if I get the go ahead, my mom who is a therapist is going to order me the headphones and clickers.

When triggered , the regular mindfulness practices are an utter joke for me. My brain chemistry requires the big guns In that state. For me, emdr has been a miracle where years of cbt and mindfulness and ebt (like dbt, it is Laurel Mellins program in CA) just didn't have enough firepower.

 

[Smorck5]

Thank you for posting! I'm still looking into EMDR and I have been told they have come along way and it can work for c-PTSD. Its very helpful to hear you've had success!

Thanks and good luck on your continued healing,
~S~