Trauma based cbt vs exposure therapy

[Gs172003]

I don't know. My therapist shares my faith. That was one reason I agreed to set up an assessment meet...

The new therapist will use faith in my therapy if I want it. That's one thing I like I'm just not real clear on the cbt vs exposure

Annnnd......*sigh....I'm not sure if I'm bailing BECAUSE of the exposure.

 

[Deleted member 34328]

@Zoogal that's how my therapist approaches faith issues. If I ask, he'll answer, but doesn't go there if the door is shut on my part.

I've been working on CBT as well. Involves exposure. There was no exposure until I had learned the tools to cope and always on my timetable. I set the pace. No surprises.

If there's one thing I value most about this therapist, it's that he doesn't ever force an agenda.

However, by using exposure within the parameters, I started off by sitting down in a rocking chair at my parent's. Sounds silly, but I had a plan, and worked it out. Now I can go there anytime (didn't happen overnight) and now the chair is just that. A comfy living room rocking chair. I enjoy a cup of coffee with their dog lying in my lap. Never thought that would ever happen.

It worked because I made the choice and went with MY agenda. No one forced me, but my therapist praised my efforts and validated the feelings that went with it. Helped me to celebrate.

Exposure works for me as I confront things and take back the ground that was taken from me.

That doesn't mean that method is for everyone. It works for me. Long ways to go, but many things that used to be triggers aren't anymore. I'm proud of what I've accomplished.

 

[Gs172003]

@Zoogal that's how my therapist approaches faith issues. If I ask, he'll answer, b...

That's not the way my current one did it. She skimmed over how to do basic relaxation exercises and some basic cbt. Then jumped into exposure very quick. I wasn't given the option. I ended up quitting. I was only with her the first time six months.


I'm glad it's working so well for you! Maybe I should give it a try.

 

[Deleted member 34328]

I'm glad it's working so well for you! Maybe I should give it a try

Based on my experience (alone) it has helped me tremendously although still a work in progress. Life tends to get in the way.

However, I would caution you to find a therapist who is compassionate and doesn't push an agenda or timetable. What you described would never have worked for me. I would have quit as well. Faith or no faith. Nothing's worth being pushed out to expose you back into your trauma like that.

My therapist is very much against a flooding approach as in his opinion it can do more harm than good. I agree.

 

[Gs172003]

Based on my experience (alone) it has helped me tremendously although still a work in progress. Life t...

My insurance at the time covered NOBODY. She was the only that would work with me. I don't have that problem now.

 

[Gs172003]

I'm going to talk to my current therapist and see if she can do the trauma based cbt herself. I'll see what she says. That way I don't have to start all over.

 

[Freida]

I have a civilian therapist who uses a mix of CBT and internal family systems. We worked together for almost a year before we got into the details of my dramas and traumas. She spent the first year teaching me grounding techniques and how my own mind worked which was super helpful because I tend to intellectualize stuff. I don't know that I would have kept coming to therapy if she didn't set those in place before we got to the hard stuff. The biggest challenge for her was she had a steep learning curve on both military and emergency services issues. I was her first client with that background which meant I had to spend a lot of time explaining how things worked in those worlds. It actually turned out to be a good thing because it helped me see how my mal adaptive coping skills worked. She also put a lot of effort into getting educated on the topics but I still sometimes have to stop and explain. I found out eventually that she also specializes in christian counseling but she never brought that up in session with me. Which was good because i would have bolted.

My EMDR T is a Vet who has a background more similar to mine. That has pros and cons because she has a better grasp of what that world is like and can call me out when I minimize stuff.

Between the two of them it works pretty well....although some days my brain feels like oatmeal.