I Do PTSD Research

[flex]

Hi all,
I'm a 3rd year grad student in clinical psychology. My research focus is PTSD with an emphasis on meaning-making. In other words, I'm looking at how people make sense of what has happened to them.

I won't go into the whole story of how I ended doing what I do, because that would take a while to write. I just wanted to let people know that I'm here to help. If anyone wants to know what's new in the world of PTSD research, ask away. My training is cognitive-behavioral, so if you want to know more about how that works, maybe I can shed some light. I've worked at a VA hospital treating PTSD and I currently see clients witha range of presenting problems.

Basically, there's a lot of info out there on what PTSD is and how it can be treated... some of the info is great and some of it... isn't so great. I might be able to help people sort what's what.

Jeremy

 

[anthony]

Hi Flex,

Sounds interesting. Can you point me in the direction of anything you have done online, verification of who you are, etc?

 

[flex]

Yeah, I was trying to figure out a safe way to let people know I'm genuine and I wasn't sure what info to give.

I have an entry in the Encyclopedia of Psychological Trauma
www.wiley.com/WileyCDA/WileyTitle/productCd-0470110066.html

I also have an article in a future issue of Cognitive Therapy and Research, not sure when it will be published.

I'm still trying to figure out why my post got flagged for having an improper title. I do PTSD research non-stop. That's who I am at the moment. Someone please explain to me how I've broken a rule with this.

 

[gdf]

Flex,

As a fellow grad student and a PTSD sufferer, I would find your inquiry a little suspect from the limited information you have presented. The information you have given so far really doesn't identify you as "legitimate." E.g., what school are you affiliated with, what exactly is the degree you are pursuing (Ph.D., Psy.D. or masters), what is the focus of your study, and has it been approved by the appropriate committee for human subject research at you intsitution? What is your real name and where do you attend school? Is this your dissertation; in some cases it might be post-doc research? How do you propose to gather your data?

I understand that finding subjects for research is often times difficult and a site on the internet might be a good source for mining subjects but I would need a lot more information to participate in a research project than what you have given. You might also consider the subject group you have selected. People who suffer from PTSD generally have trust issues and often times are suspicious of being "used" or taken advantage of especially where childhood abuse is involved. Frankly, when I see these types of posts, it makes me feel a little creeped out like someone wants to use me for their own gain. I just feel objectified. Of course that is just my opinion--others may feel differently.

Citing scholarly literature sources to which you have contributed is not the best verification of your skills or intentions as they are very hard to trace because most people, unless enrolled in a school where they have research data bases and capability, do not have reasonable access to verifying your published work and cannot do so without a name. With your name, journal title/book, publication date etc. the average person could go through their local library or college and obtain what you have previously published through inter library loan. Just my two cents worth.

GDF

 

[Llama]

You likely forgot to capitalize one of the words correctly. Most of us do when we first start. The mods would have already edited it though :) Go through and read the editorial notice more closely and it might tell you what happened.

We all pretty much trust anthony to be straight with us since he has our best interests at heart, maybe a good way to 'verify' yourself would be to send him a PM letting him know what school you are with and one of your professors and he can check it out (if he feels necessary) and let us all know one way or another whether you're for real or not. That way you aren't giving info out to everyone, but we get someone we trust to vet you.

 

[flex]

Llama, thanks for the info. Much appreciated.

GDF, I never said I was here to collect data. Sorry if what I wrote sounded somehow like that was my purpose. It isn't.

What I did write was that if people have questions for someone who does CBT, maybe I can help. That's it. Like I said in my post, I've worked with vets before, so I wasn't expecting an amazingly warm welcome here. I don't know if I was expecting to get a lecture on how I'm objectifying people, but that's ok.

 

[Nicolette]

I'm sorry flex if you feel that you received a lecture but you have to put yourself in our shoes for a moment. We don't know who you are, what your real agenda is (and only time will demonstrate that) and if you are so good that you can offer advice why would you need to come here where we already have a very good base structure of information in our articles section? You would also be aware I presume that "giving advice" has legal ramifications, even over the internet, for you personally.

At this stage I would not feel comfortable in you giving me advice however I would be interested for you to speak from experience and share your stories and knowledge. Then I may be able to gather some credibility before I started asking you about CBT when I can ask someone local and 'real' face to face and I know who they are.

 

[kers]

Like I said in my post, I've worked with vets before, so I wasn't expecting an amazingly warm welcome here.

Glad we lived up to the low expectations, then! This is actually quite a warm place. It takes time to become a member of a community. No one's going to ask your advice until we know you a bit better, just like I didn't trust my own therapist or psychiatrist until I'd had a chance to hear their perspectives and knowledge.

I think one reason you will be met with great suspicion here is because it is largely a community for sufferers and carers, a place for people to vent and communicate with others who understand. We've gained a lot of insight from our own suffering through the years, and when we want professional perspectives, we turn to our own professionals. I'm not saying you're unwelcome here by any means, just take a look at it from our perspective.

I look forward to hearing more about you and what you are learning from your research.

 

[flex]

Back when I was applying to graduate schools, I used a site that was designed for students entering medical/dental/psych professions. It was a great help because people would share tips and strategies for the application process.

Then one day, a retired professor introduced himself (but he didn't identify which university he was from, what his name was, or any other personal information) and said he was happy to give prospective students guidance on their applications based on an ex-faculty member's point of view. This was something no one else on the forums had been able to do since we were all students. Needless to say, he fielded tons of questions instantly, he actually had some pretty good insight (even if a lot of it was common sense), and he comforted a lot of worried students. I thought it was nice of him.

Jump forward a few years. I frequently Google "PTSD" to check what's in the news and one day I came across this site. It looked like no one on here represented where I am in life and I thought to myself, "Obviously this isn't a site for students eager to get into grad school... but, maybe I can fulfill a role similar to the retired professor and be helpful here by sharing my knowledge."

If you're happy with your therapists, that's really great. Most therapists don't do research which means they may or may not be up with current methods. So, if anyone out there has a question, then post it up or PM me or whatever you want. Decide for yourselves if what I have to say has any use. Maybe yes, maybe no - at least you've got one more resource at your disposal.

If people still find this troubling or sinister or something then I'll leave. I didn't go through the trouble of registering on here just to bug people. That would be pretty sad!

 

[Clydiechick]

Hi

Welcome. Tell us what you know. I'm interested. But cognitive behaviourial therapy didn't work for me. What's new in the world of PTSD study?

Clydiechick

 

[eyebiter]

Welcome Flex please settle in and just start replying to forum questions in general. Once we get to know you better the trust will come, it is great to have you here.

 

[Lisa]

Flex,

Like some here, I have studied psychology, and I did a research dissertation that related to some current academic ideas around factors and mechanisms that contribute to mental distress, including PTSD, and I studied in depth the approaches to researching, and approaches that develop treatments for PTSD. I do understand something of wanting to 'get out there' and help by using your academic background and knowledge. Particularly given the fact that I do think that it is important for anyone suffering PTSD to learn about it from an intellectual, research based perspective as well as other perspectives. I'm not alone in this thinking, and I think there are a lot of members here, with study/research background or not, who feel the same way!

Whilst there is nothing wrong with trying to be helpful in the world (and there certainly needs to be more of it), you should well understand that the context you were speaking of was within a professional/academic context - and this context you are wanting to help in, is a personal context for us. When we go to see a professional of some kind, we expect to be able to know that they are appropriately accredited and that they are a part of a quality and standards body who regulates the profession, and that is a right for all clients and patients. If a therapist, for example, decides to practise for free... those receiving therapy from this person would have a right to know that this therapist is appropriately qualified to give expert advice/treatment etc. You've come here effectively offering something of a professional service, so the same goes for you too.

I think the difference with your story about the forum, and this one, relates to that. This forum involves people who are suffering a great deal personally, often (but not always) due to trauma that is related to other humans; and this means there are people here who are vulnerable. Additionally, as sad as it is, it is common sense in this world to greet somebody who is presenting as entirely altruistic, with a little wariness, particularly via the internet... It doesn't mean to say we don't want your input here (though I think as this forum is ultimately for carers and sufferers, your role here that you are posing would need to be checked out with Anthony)... It just means that it makes sense that when arriving here as a professional researcher, to be sure that you are who you say you are. Because the difference here is that in being a professional researcher, it is an unequal position whereby we would all otherwise would have to just trust you... But say you weren't. Say you were a sophisiticated predator looking for somebody vulnerable? There is a lot of trust that members here have to put into this forum, in order to take part here. That members in general here will respect the rules, and that if they don't, staff will deal with them accordingly for example. If we didn't have that trust... we wouldn't be comfortable posting here about our lives and trauma's.

Excuse the wary response, but I do think it is a natural one. Don't take it personally.

I look forward to hopefully reading some helpful information in regards to research and it's findings... Until I know you are qualified to do that, I'll have to scrutinise you with my distrusting nature anyway! Again, don't take that personally as it isn't an attack or accusation, promise. :smile: