Psychodynamic Therapy (with The Nhs) ... What To Expect?

[Grim]

Hello,

I have moved forward with trying to get some help for my C-PTSD as I have been refereed to waiting list for Psychodynamic Therapy - once a week for a period of one year. It might be a six month wait but at least I'm on the list now!

So while I wait - I'd like to know has anyone got experience of Psychodynamic Therapy and what form the sessions might take. with the NHS. I think I'm going to see the consultant who assessed me.

Previously, I've tried Person Centred Counselling before, where I was encouraged to talk and talk .. and talk some more without any guidance or real feedback. It left me very frustrated as I felt it wasn't helping - simply it didn't work for me.

So any thoughts or experience of Psychodynamic Therapy welcome.

 

[BloomInWinter]

((((Grim)))))

I'm in the US so can't give wisdom but I can show my support. Hang in there!

 

[Grim]

Thank you

 

[ronin47]

I certainly could be wrong, but I imagine psychodynamic psychotherapy wouldn't be much different within a place like the UK as it would anywhere else. The same principles should still apply.

Psychotherapy is, in my experience, infinitely more effective for something like PTSD than "talk therapy." I had a counselor like that once, who really just tried to get me to talk a lot, and it drove me crazy. I just wanted to scream, "If all we're going to do is talk about the sad things that happened today and how it made me feel, I have a very morose and melancholy friend in Maryland who I can do that with for free!!!"

To summarize the way my sessions went, at least for the first year or so, they involved navigating through all the surface layers and symptoms until we finally reached the root subconciouss thought process that was driving the symptoms. Case in point; one particular session very early on I talked about my struggle with self inflicted injury. I talked about things that would trigger the impulse (stressful classes, etc), how I felt relief as soon as I saw the blood, how I would panic if I couldn't find my knife, stuff like that. I would try to deflect whenever the T asked me about my feelings, more specifically what I would be feeling and thinking whenever I cut myself. The whole time, as he pointed out later, there was no emotion in my voice, none whatsoever. He kept asking me, "What's keeping you from feeling right now?"

Finally, there was a moment when I was talking about how my father used to trivialize my pain, and some emotion came through in my voice. I remember it well. The moment it happened, my T said to me, "What you're feeling right now, don't stop. Don't stop yourself."

With that, I fell apart. I started sobbing convulsively and as the tears streamed down my face I bawled about how I felt like I was left alone all the time and my parents never cared about me and if they never cared then I must not be a very good person who deserved to have her arms sliced open, etc etc etc.

So there you are, a somewhat more dramatic example of what a psychotherapy session may look like.

I will be hoping and praying that it goes well for you.

 

[BloomInWinter]

((((((ronin47)))))))

 

[mamachick]

I would think that it would be more effective than person centered. Psychodynamic therapy draws from many therapies to assist the client. It presumes that maladaptive behaviors are unconscious and rooted in early years so that would be consistant with early trauma.
As ronin pointed out, talking brought up very painful memories and the T said to stay with it. By allowing that pain to come through in a safe place in the presence of the T, the opportunity is there to challenge the beliefs that have developed, to reframe the beliefs, and to begin the healing process associated with the memories and beliefs that are in place so that reminders wont trigger the same response. (Dont know end result for ronin)
Best if you can stay open minded and hopeful.

 

[Grim]

It's been an odd day, I've had a phone call and my therapy will now start next Tuesday on the 13th September.

I'm not sure the reason why I've jumped the queue - I know its odd but I'm a bit worried that the psychologist who accessed me saw how close to the edge I am. I know that's their job, and I have a lot of internal trouble at the moment, and I'm desperate for help.. Be it still worries me that it maybe can be seen by someone else.

Thank you all for your answers and ideas. It looks like I will discover what Psycodynamic therapy is quite soon.

 

[Grim]

Psychotherapy is, in my experience, infinitely more effective for something like PTSD than "talk therapy." I had a counselor like that once, who really just tried to get me to talk a lot, and it drove me crazy. I just wanted to scream, "If all we're going to do is talk about the sad things that happened today and how it made me feel, I have a very morose and melancholy friend in Maryland who I can do that with for free!!!"

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I've also had a similar experience with person centred talking therapy. It didn't do anything for me; it left me very frustrated as I just wanted it to work so much.

 

[Psychpo]

Hi
I am 3 months into psychodynamic therapy with a consultant clinical psychologist, having presented with PTSD and depressive illness (the first for 2 and half years, the second for as long with previous incidences). I have had EMDR previously (about 3 months or so post-event for around 7 months). It helped a lot... but not enough. Also some counselling for anxiety...
So eventually, I get to see my current T. (And BTW, do not look a gift horse... I waited best part of a year (bless the NHS) and it was hell).
Why psychodynamic, I asked him. Because my problems have not responded well enough to other treatments so maybe there's something more deep-rooted that's contributing.
Makes sense.

What to expect? That depends on your T and the way he works.
I get a weekly session. It's not easy - partly my own fault, partly because it just is NOT easy.
Build up faith in your T. Let him know what you are thinking. Accept his help and believe that you can say whatever you want. I'm starting to but I have issues.... I think many people may be more open with their T than I have been / am. Maybe read a book on psychodynamic counselling - I did, gave me an idea what to expect and more importantly for me, what sort of stuff it is "Normal" for clients to go through, think and experience.
We have yet to talk about the PTSD-inducing incident or its consequences. The depression is acknowledged but is also seen as a response to feelings and anxiety... so the theory is that if I can drill down to the feelings and re-experience them, learn how to manage emotions and various other things related, the depression will improve.

You have a year - which part of the country to you live in, I'm moving, that is WAAAAY more than I expect - "20 sessions then review".
I wish I had just gone with the process from the start instead of fighting my T and trying to control him / the sessions and keeping away from the hard stuff. Maybe I'd be starting to get somewhere now if I had.

Anyway, good luck and happy to share experiences as much as you find useful!