EveHarrington
VIP Member
I saw a new therapist a few days ago and while I initially thought he could help me, I cannot see him because he doesn’t accept my primary insurance never mind the fact that if I only had my secondary insurance I could see him, AND those who have only my secondary insurance could see him. This is so messed up, but I digress. (My secondary isn’t operated as “this is only a secondary insurance” but rather it’s secondary to me because I have a primary whereas the same insurance to those who don’t have a secondary would be their primary. I am getting less benefits by having this secondary when it was explained to me that I’d be open to more services. Ahh the stupid health system in America!)
So anyway, we talked a little bit about my trauma and how I was still struggling because of the untreated OCD. He then told me that I’d have to go through OCD treatment and then deal with my trauma because “trauma therapy doesn’t work if you don’t treat the OCD first”. Honestly I just had to laugh at this notion as yes it would have been ideal to treat my OCD a long time ago, but that doesn’t mean my trauma treatment didn’t work.
I just sat there and thought “oh hell no, I’m not doing that again”. I mean I'm confident that treating the OCD is going to help alleviate many of my symptoms and I don’t see the point in going through trauma therapy again when many of my trauma only symptoms are gone.
Plus, the thought crossed my mind that the total expenditure for my trauma treatments probably exceeded what he makes in 4 or 5 years.
My point is that so many who treat trauma have very rigid views about treating trauma and they aren’t meeting the client where they are. I have experienced this time and time again. Somehow the dominant belief is that it all leads back to trauma so if you have any symptoms then guess what? You need MORE trauma therapy. Many of us will have symptoms for life and telling a client that they MUST go and talk about it AGAIN in order to feel better is completely off the mark.
Even just engaging in skills that I’ve learned on my own has resulted in a marked decrease in my intrusive thoughts and compulsions. I’m to the point of having feelings of boredom as my symptoms used to take up so much of my time.
I have another intake appointment in about a month and I have other options as well, but it’s all telehealth as I can’t find anyone locally who takes my insurance.
So anyway, we talked a little bit about my trauma and how I was still struggling because of the untreated OCD. He then told me that I’d have to go through OCD treatment and then deal with my trauma because “trauma therapy doesn’t work if you don’t treat the OCD first”. Honestly I just had to laugh at this notion as yes it would have been ideal to treat my OCD a long time ago, but that doesn’t mean my trauma treatment didn’t work.
I just sat there and thought “oh hell no, I’m not doing that again”. I mean I'm confident that treating the OCD is going to help alleviate many of my symptoms and I don’t see the point in going through trauma therapy again when many of my trauma only symptoms are gone.
Plus, the thought crossed my mind that the total expenditure for my trauma treatments probably exceeded what he makes in 4 or 5 years.
My point is that so many who treat trauma have very rigid views about treating trauma and they aren’t meeting the client where they are. I have experienced this time and time again. Somehow the dominant belief is that it all leads back to trauma so if you have any symptoms then guess what? You need MORE trauma therapy. Many of us will have symptoms for life and telling a client that they MUST go and talk about it AGAIN in order to feel better is completely off the mark.
Even just engaging in skills that I’ve learned on my own has resulted in a marked decrease in my intrusive thoughts and compulsions. I’m to the point of having feelings of boredom as my symptoms used to take up so much of my time.
I have another intake appointment in about a month and I have other options as well, but it’s all telehealth as I can’t find anyone locally who takes my insurance.
