How to start therapy again

[lovak]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if any of you have some tips about starting with a new therapist. I've been diagnosed with PTSD about 8 years ago, and I'm 6 years therapy free. I've come to realize this is because of my coping strategy: working working working. I've crashed, so in a couple of weeks I'm starting therapy again with a new therapist.

It's just, how do I start that conversation? I don't want to waste time by letting her figure out 'whats wrong' when I already know. Do I just go:

"Well, hello, I have PTSD from long term sexual abuse in adolescence, had plenty of therapy but this was never trauma based. I functioned for a long time with a seemingly healthy coping strategy that involved working till I fell asleep, and then working again. Now I've crashed and I have no coping strategies left accept drinking, self harm and not eating anything. Besides that I derealize everytime I step outside, I'm not able to do anything outside the house and practically nothing when I'm home. I'm extremely unstable and afraid all the time. I can't take a shower by myself without getting a flashback and I am too afraid to go to sleep at night without having some wine. My life is one big mess right now and my boss wants me to come back to work as soon as possible, but its already hard enough to focus on time passing let alone be a manager with a high workload. Nice to meet you'.

 

[ILoveLife]

Whenever I started therapy anew I always had this problem. But it's usually a conversation. We can rehearse conversations, but there are always wild cards popping up.

I was so worried last time.. It was nothing out of the ordinary in the end. :)

 

[blackemerald1]

..Yep...you could. The therapist might then engage you in a lot of questions to fill in some things and start right back at the start.

Or you could tell your therapist you don't know what they want to know and not try to preempt.

Your therapist will know how to build the picture and ask...

 

[somerandomguy]

I think what you wrote is a perfectly good start.

For a while I was switching therapists so often that I wrote out a two-page summary of my issues and would just hand it to them to read (or would read it to them, if they preferred) at the first meeting. That probably told them a lot about me, too ...

 

[lovak]

@Sietz I guess so. The last times I went to therapy I wasn't really sure what my problems were, or at least I couldn't describe it very well. It is a conversation... but I feel like we can skip that one. If i have to let it be a conversation, who says how soon the session will be over and how long it will be to get a new one.. I'm just waiting to get in there right now, not doing anything else

@somerandomguy Yeah I've considered this too. I did so with my GP but she just immediatly referred me to a therapist when I started crying the minute I came in. She knows my file.
It does say something about my issues aswell. I make lists constantly...

@blackemerald1 Maybe your option is the best one. I'll just write it out, say I have it, and let her decide. My way of things obviously isn't working right now

Thanks for the advice, all of you

 

[piratelady]

I think when I initially started with the therapist I have now I told him, "I was trying to work through my divorce, learn new coping strategies, and be assertive." Truth: I divorced my abuser and already had a PTSD diagnosis from a previous therapist. That sentence started the conversation that covered a lot the other stuff he needed to know. The difference I think, is he asked me questions and made it manageable for me.

 

[lovak]

I have this tendency to make plans for everything and to map everything out, trying to stay in control. I realize that's what I'm doing now, predicting what it'll be like.

When I'm being realistic I will probably start crying immediatly because I don't want to live with the realization i've relapsed and I'm back in therapy.

But just in case I'll probably make a summary. Old habits die hard.

 

[joannamagdalena]

In my case, I feel I need something else than just talking with my T. I feel that I need to talk with some people who are through similar stuff as I am - so a support group (which unfortunately is really hard for me to find one). Maybe that solution would work for you, if you aren't sure the therapy with a therapist is exactly what you want...

 

[piratelady]

When I'm being realistic I will probably start crying immediatly because I don't want to live with the realization i've relapsed and I'm back in therapy.

But just in case I'll probably make a summary.

I have a tendency to plan out what I'm going to say to my therapist. I haven't written it down, but I definitely see value in it. When I do plan what I'm going to say, I get in there, the emotions take over and I don't say anything close to what I planned out. I think your plan of making a summary, but knowing you may start crying gives you a good plan but still sets good expectations. I hope you have a productive appointment!

 

[EveHarrington]

Just be open and honest about your treatment and progress up to this point.

:hug:

 

[Suzetig]

You could start by talking about what’s made you decide to go back to therapy now - they’ll unpick the back story if need be but whatever’s happening that made you think therapy is what you need is usually a good starting point.

 

[Harmonics]

Hello everyone,

I was wondering if any of you have some tips about starting with a new therapist. I've b...

When I started with the new T, I was surprised how nervous I was. I had been with the previous T for a LOT of years. But I had moved, gotten a new job, and started having massive flashbacks, so I knew a T was priority one for surviving. The history was the worst. It triggered me really badly...of course, I was already triggered from the move and increased flashbacks. Anyway, we agreed that initially we would not try to unpack the past. I had freaked out when they asked about my relationship with the family member who abused me...guess I gave them a big hint there. So initially, we worked on coping tools, lots of them. Several months later, we started talking about the dissociation that was getting worse and worse in sessions. Then eventually, I started talking a little about the abuse. I would say to remember that your first priority is stability. So you are going to want lots of tools for coping before you can work on the trauma. Right now, your coping skills are not working so well, so you want to develop better ones. And I so get the working til you drop. I have done that for so much of my life. I hope this therapist turns out to be a good one for you!