Questions For Anthony About T

[Purplemunchkin]

My partner is having CBT through the NHS, and has nearly finished his 20 sessions.

He doesn't think it has done anything for him, other than make his feel frustrated and misunderstood. The therapist seems to only ask about his childhood and our relationship.

His PTSD relates to his 17+ years as a police officer, and his experiences during that time, but the therapist isn't interested is discussing these. Even when my partner bring the subject up, the therapist apparently changes the subject.

Is this usual? How is it supposed to help him deal with and process the traumatic experiences?

 

[rainy_daze]

[Note: not meant to be off topic]

Nearly 20 sessions with a therapist feeling like you've not been heard or understood? I suggest he tries a different therapist. I know that is difficult within the limitations of our UK healthcare system, @Purplemunchkin

It doesn't sound like it's trauma focused. Does the T have experience of working with clients who have PTSD? I checked that mine does, and she has experience with working with many clients who have experienced a few of the things I have.

Is there anyone he can tell, a psychiatrist or whoever referred him for the CBT, that his hasn't worked out and he feels he needs more help?

Depending which area of the UK you live in can depend how good the therapy is. Some is really good, some is non existent to nil. I am a supporter and sometimes it a battle to get recognized that help is needed. Maybe you could ask to be be referred to your local Community mental health team by your GP, you could get lucky and find some really good support that way, my husband did after the first few.

The above is from this thread: https://www.myptsd.com/threads/uk-nhs-therapy.21251/ and you may want to read this one too https://www.myptsd.com/threads/nhs-therapy-scotland.37607/

There might be other threads relating to what you're going through now too. It might be worth starting a thread too or asking some of the members on the threads above. I wish I could help more, but those are the only suggestions I have. It's sad he's put time in and hasn't experienced benefits, just frustration. I wish you all the best with helping your husband, and taking care of yourself in the process.

 

[Hashi]

@Purplemunchkin, I would like to reply to you but I'm worried about taking StrongerNow's thread off topic. How would you feel about asking moderators to move your post to begin a new thread? You can request that by posting in the Help Forum with a link. I think you raise some valid questions about your own situation.

 

[Hashi]

I posted at same time as rainy. My post wasn't in response to hers. :)

 

[Purplemunchkin]

Sorry, didn't mean to hijack. Have posted in the Help Desk section as you suggested @Hashi and will respond to you and @rainy_daze once that is in place.

Thanks.

 

[anthony]

People shouldn't confuse a therapist with a technique. Because they tell you they're using CBT, does not mean they know what they're doing. CBT is an umbrella term.

It seems to me that a lot of those who don't find CBT helpful have found somatic therapy and DBT helpful as well as approaches such as those discussed in Invisible Heroes. They also find talk therapy works for them it seems.

CBT is talk therapy, DBT is actually an underlying form of CBT and well... you get the point. EMDR is a form of CBT, as is prolonged exposure. They're all a cognitive and behavioural based interaction.

He doesn't think it has done anything for him, other than make his feel frustrated and misunderstood. The therapist seems to only ask about his childhood and our relationship.

As per the above... that isn't CBT. Nor is giving someone self-help workbooks. You must have a feedback loop in which to nut out problems until you find a resolution that your brain understands. That is the cognitive aspect, which you then follow up with the behavioural component to force your brain to accept the new logical outcome, instead of the irrational process you currently experience, hence going into therapy to begin with.

Asking about a childhood is too broad, as is a relationship. All discussion must become far more specific for any therapy model of CBT to work. You work on one issue at a time, then move onto the next once it is solved.

There are more idiot therapists than ever before, because society is falling apart, manufacturing is going to shit, thus people are becoming more employable where demands seeks it, such as therapy and such human interactive roles now in growth.

 

[Abstract]

@Purplemunchkin, just start a new thread of your own and you could even copy and paste what you said! No harm done but you deserve to be able to explore it in depth :)

Therapy form would be fine for it I think.