If you could go back to when you started therapy, what one piece of advice would you give yourself?

[Teasel]

I am too damaged to get any useful experience

Sweety any therapist that tells you those should be barred from treating anyone. Don't believe this ok?

 

[KayW]

Id tell myself to trust the process...specially when the going is tough.

I think therapists are right though. I am too damaged to get any useful experience.

I was told by my first therapist that they couldn't treat me because of splitting/dissociative symptoms. At the time I felt rejected and that I was too damaged (even though the therapist didn't actually use those words). But she did the right thing and I went on to find a therapist that was trained in treating trauma.

Nobody is too damaged for therapy, but some therapists aren't trained to treat people with certain symptoms.

 

[Freddyt]

Id tell myself to trust the process...specially when the going is tough.

Love that. Healing is a process absolutly. And it takes its own time and know it or not it hands us just what we can handle.

...and the only way out is through.

 

[Tinyflame]

I really agree with @KayW .

I think my biggest problem in general was expecting overnight results, expecting the harder I worked at it the quicker it would be solved, and most of all thinking I had more control than I do, about most things in fact. I also think peeling an onion is a good analogy. I don't often realize the right questions let alone answers. (Just saying for me.)

 

[Freddyt]

I think my biggest problem in general was expecting overnight results, expecting the harder I worked at it the quicker it would be solved, and most of all thinking I had more control than I do, about most things in fact. I also think peeling an onion is a good analogy. I don't often realize the right questions let alone answers. (Just saying for me.)

When I got here was a month or two AFTER finding the first trauma.

Thank god someone pointed out MY part was getting good at functioning day to day.
Therapy's job was healing the PTSD.

So I worked on my day to day functioning, and my T's have noticed and appreciated it. To me either you are all in or all out.

 

[Movingforward10]

I think 'trust the process' is such a good one. Which, for me, would be linked to "chill the f*ck out". The stress and worry and fear I put into not trusting the process and not chilling the f*ck out, made it so incredibly painful and almost unbearable.

 

[No More]

Ask if they are currently receiving therapy of their own outside of supervision.

I have learnt that I absolutely cannot deal with someone trying to advise me who doesn’t have their own shit well and truly squared away. If they are still needing regular therapy of their own, they ain’t for me. My therapist was open in that she received therapy in the past & did the required therapy hours during her licensing, but outside professional supervision does not need her own therapy. Gave me a lot more confidence she knows what she’s doing and can practice what she preaches

 

[EveHarrington]

Avoid all DBT. It’s a cult.

 

[intothelight]

Interview them just like you would an applicant, and don't mess with a few sessions before you fire them.

 

[Freddyt]

Interview them just like you would an applicant, and don't mess with a few sessions before you fire them.

Absolutely! Not everyone gets along with everyone that's for sure. How they work and their experience with dealing with your brand of trauma is a must as well.

I am reminded of a guy the company I worked for hired for an IT job. The guy had every certification you could name - sounded like the ultimate employee. Fact was he had every certification but he couldn't DO anything. He had no practical experience at all - just book learning. There are therapists like that too.....

 

[Cancelled]

Tell me the permanent side affects of this medication that creates new neural pathways. You did not disclose that to me and I can not go off of it for the rest of my life as it causes Parkinson’s symptoms.

 

[Ecdysis]

Tell me the permanent side affects of this medication that creates new neural pathways. You did not disclose that to me and I can not go off of it for the rest of my life as it causes Parkinson’s symptoms.

What medication is this? It sounds scary.