Therapist Experience Level

[finding_my_way]

If my T doesn't have much experience dealing with sexual assaults, do I need to see another T, too. I see her for an ED and general life things and she is great, but I feel like, when it comes to the assault, we talk about processing it but we never do anything to process it. It's like she knows we need to do something but never does anything. What does processing the trauma in therapy even look like? Am I not doing my part? Maybe if I had some ideas of how to process a sexual trauma, I would be able to make the sessions more effective?

 

[Seasounds]

Yes, your sense is a good one; having a T to talk about, and to feel, the emotions relating to your sexual assaults, will help you heal from the traumas.

I've found even experienced therpists have waited for me to start and elaborate upon sexual details, of sexually related traumas. Since I wanted to heal, I initiated my events and emotions, as they surfaced. From my T 's responses, I quickly learned if they had the skills to work with me. (If they didn't have the skills, they changed the subject, interrupted me, and even intimated that my memories weren't true.)

I'd suggest you might ask your current T if you can talk about your assaults, or if it would be best to get a different, trauma, therapist. That way, you are initiating what you want, while you let you T be a choice, depending on her comfort and expertise.

 

[ghotiff]

I think you should trust your own judgement. If it doesn't seem to be working, it probably isn't.

Personally, processing my sexual abuse is slow and it needs to be very slow so that I remain functioning (my first T went too fast and I ended up suicidal).

Basically I mention one tiny detail or thought every second 1.5 hour session with my T and that disclosure with her 2min caring response takes me a about a week to stop having the memory of my disclosure to my T as a regular disruptive intrusive thought.

Given that my childhood sexual abuse went for about 7 years, I sometimes laugh at the absurdity of how slow I have to take it...I'm hoping that at some point I will be able to disclose more each session, but that time is not now.

 

[Lucycat]

@miriam123 is your Eating Disorder related to the sexual assault? Did one cause the other? Which came first. It might be that you only need one therapist but I would suggest the priority is the earlier feature. I am not sure 2 therapists at once is helpful, I would think if you need 2 then one should follow the other or find an expert in both areas.

 

[Rumors]

Why wouldn't you pose the same question to your therapist that you posed here?
"What does processing the trauma in therapy even look like? Am I not doing my part? Maybe if I had some ideas of how to process a sexual trauma, I would be able to make the sessions more effective?"
Seems to me that would cut to the chase instead of asking a group of people who don't know your therapist or her credentials. Just a thought. ;).

 

[digger]

Agree with @Rumors, these are questions you need to be discussing with her. If she has mentioned processing the assault but hasn't moved that forward in any way, there may be reasons she is holding off on addressing that for now. She may be wanting you more stable with your eating disorder first for example.

What processing the trauma actually means in real terms will depend in some part on both the therapist and the type/style of therapy. Again she is probably the person best placed to answer that and whether she feels she has the right experience to help you in that process.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Yes, you need another therapist. If this one knows nothing about trauma, she CAN make you worse.

 

[FindingMyself88]

I was in a similar position. For me, changing T's was the right decision. At first I was wanting to see both T's as the one through the school had a contract for me to see my psychiatrist. But my new T said that essentially that would be like seeing 2 doctors for the very same thing. I am glad I made the switch as my new T is VERY knowledgeable on not only sexual assault, but also childhood abuse survivors. I made more progress in 3 months with my new T than I did in 2 years with my previous T.

Listen to your gut. Talk with your T about it. When I finally did my old T, she admitted that she probably didn't have the experience I needed to help me to the next level in healing.

 

[JEM]

Relate this info to your therapist. Ask if they feel qualified to take on your ptsd.
Go from there.