What *is* Effective For Complex/childhood Ptsd?

[radicalgratitude]

@presentjoy, the parts work I do is what I learned at ITT. It has foundations in ego states theory and IFS and also incorporates the "Instinctual Trauma Response" developed by Dr. Tinnin (co-founder of ITT). Seriously, the Instinctual Trauma Response model freed me from tons (read: years) of self-loathing and self-blame for my abuse. I was introduced to Dr. Tinnin the second week I was there and I was starstruck.:woot: But I had to giggle in my head because Dr. Tinnin struck me as such a humble, quiet, unassuming gentleman. So I said, "Thank you for developing the Instinctual Trauma Response."

For those who did ITT, were you from out of town? (Not trying to find out where you live, but rather, how it might work if you aren't local to this place) A 2 week hotel stay.. WV probably deals with that enough. But yeah. No mention of cost on their website, either. If insurance covered it, would be worth considering. Although they say they screen for ego regression so I'm not sure whether this could be something available to J right now.

To add to what Junebug wrote, I was also out of town. I stayed at the Suburban Suites and they had a full-size refrigerator, a few cooking items and a stove (no oven). They have a special ITT-rate. We went to Goodwill to get some items the hotel didn't have, like tupperware. There's a Save-a-lot next to it which helped cut down on the costs. Also, at ITT, they have a refrigerator and microwave available.So I packed a lunch every day. I also brought spices with me from home in little plastic bags and that helped. So this saved a lot of money.

Also, I echo what Muse wrote. They also give help to those who have ego-regression to prepare them to attend in the future. Perhaps she may even find out that she doesn't have ego regression...you never know.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

@Muse

ITT keeps you from being re traumatized by speaking about your traumatized self as an " outside observer". You speak about the abused self as "little solara" or something similar. It allows you to more objectively examine the trauma without getting bogged down in emotion. It's more like being able to stay in wise mind rather than emotional mind for all you DBT people out there.

You pass through the trauma 4 times. Once as an outside observer watching from above or through a lens. If you're too close, instead of watching from the ceiling of the room, they tell you to back off your lens so that you're outside the house. It really helped to keep from getting overwhelmed emotionally. The second time you draw out every scene from the trauma. The third time it's read back to you as a storybook narrative, and the fourth time it's through dialoging with internal parts. Oh, and you can do art therapy if you get stuck.

@radicalgratitude

Please add anything I've left out! I think you were there after me and I know their program is always being updated.

@presentjoy

Most of ITT's patients are from out of town. Morgantown is a dinky place that mostly centers around The university and football. When I went it was $4,000 a week so in all I'm sure the price tag ended up being closer to $9,500 to $10,000 for two weeks, which is what I needed.

Insurance doesn't cover it, but I would go again and put it ALL on my credit cards if I had to. Yes, money is a concern (it's one of my biggest stressors), but that's just how much I believe in them because they helped me when nobody else could.

Maybe JEMINI needs to try more local treatment first? I don't know? I'm just sharing that it was literally the last option for me so the price tag wasn't so daunting.

Oh and for anyone close enough for a day trip, they will meet with you and give you a tour before you make a financial commitment.

 

[presentjoy]

I want this to be @Jemini 's thread so I'm again, going to just say thank you to all for responding. The info is helpful.

(edited to add: I'm Jemini's spouse, and right now am calling a local resource on his behalf because he's not feeling well enough to make the call himself. Lest anyone think I'm hijacking the thread)

Junebug thanks for pulling up the price, I was trying to find it but couldn't.

Again, I think the trick is how to address pervasive neglect/abandonment kind of stuff, along with the specific incident kinds of trauma that happened. As J said, he's talking about things for which maybe there isn't even a specific thing attached to them. How about the stuff that is just missing? It is kind of a re-parenting.

 

[Seasounds]

"What do you mean by #9, change?"

Good to ask for clarification. The first few years, of my memories opening, were tough. I was just learning the skill set needed, to walk through life, as a PTSD survivor. Daily, I called the same two friends, whenever I had nightmares, anxiety, or increased depression. I wore them out. Sometimes, I couldn't find either of them. This availability and reliance problem, created a great strain for me and for them; it created a strain on our friendship. So I learned how to enlarge my list and build stronger coping skills.

 

[Deleted member 1860]

Just off the top of my head, I'm thinking that the IFST stuff could help him because it forces you to get in contact with all those feelings and parts which need a voice. I tried doing written dialoging but it was too agitating so resorted to puppet play therapy. Honestly, it was sort of fun ( if anything in trauma therapy could be called "fun" then it would have to be puppet therapy)

 

[Tinyflame]

Thanks @change ,that is a truism. I didn't understand what "knowing most people wouldn't understand me, I made a list of persons I would call"(?). Hard to expand such a list without self-disclosure, but I agree with all you've said.

Glad it was so productive for you Solara, you sure deserve it! :tup: :) I think however it would be cost-prohibitive for most people, especially considering the difficulties many experience with working with ptsd, and if they support themself or dependents. Particularly in the last 5 years, and record foreclosures, etc.

My mom's adopted sister was terribly abused, she did her own 'puppet therapy' for her (she was 10, her sister was 5). It worked great. :) :tup:

 

[Hashi]

But I'm trying to reconcile this with the idea (which makes a lot of sense to me) that talk therapy is neutral to harmful for PTSD, as it basically causes a lot of re-traumatzing in the retelling, without necessarily helping to process or resolve the trauma.

Talk therapy is extremely healing for me, but it depends on how you do it, what works for you and how good the therapist is. There are some approaches very focussed on exposure and discussing trauma in a way that - to me - would be too brutal, direct and retraumatising. I don't do that type of talk therapy. I'm not saying you should do talk therapy, I couldn't know, I just want to say that not all talk therapy is the same.

I see an integrative therapist (trained in a number of different approaches) so talk therapy is combined with other things, like art therapy and body psychotherapy.

I've also had a somatic therapy (not EMDR) and don't think healing would have been possible for me without that as well.

Are there other things I should be seeking?

Strategies for safety and stabilisation. Whatever type of therapy you choose, these should be an essential part of it and you shouldn't be doing any kind of trauma processing unless you're stable and have a whole toolkit of coping skills that you are actively using.

Coping skills are not just things to do in therapy or when a therapist suggests them. We have to find and do them ourselves, all the time.

Also am confused about how to stabilize from recent trauma when that trauma has freed up so much childhood trauma that it is all coming up at once.

Grounding exercises, eating healthily, good sleep patterns, appropriate amount of exercise, coping strategies that you remember to use, relaxation exercises, self-soothing, containment and distraction techniques.... and a reliable therapist who doesn't interrupt, turns up on time and does what they say they'll do.

 

[Deleted member 20978]

Thanks all for great feedback.

It's still daunting as I have so few resources. My coping had been limited to laying in bed, which is not ideal. I'm trying to gradually take on little by little some self-care so that I may feel able to leave house and have slight engagement. The gradual is maybe just trying to let my stress cup drain some.

Finding a therapist is *hard* and expensive, both in the initial visits and in the weeks going by with rent and bills but not feeling that lifeline of someone working with me to feel better. I could go back to work if I were like 10% better and knowing that I had an ally to keep improving over time. But right now I feel like working would send me right back to the hospital as likely as any other outcome. Cup is *full* and symptoms are not good.

When PJ has been back in bed and helping with meals, I have been having fewer nightmares. So that's positive. And I've done dishes past couple days. Baby steps...

 

[LizardViolet]

Jemini, how are you doing?

Do you have resources at hand for learning about coping strategies?

 

[Deleted member 20978]

I'm doing very badly. I have not been able to find a therapist who will take me as a patient for a couple months now.

I have no family. Was just thinking, the majority of people go through their entire life always having a family. I've gone through my entire life not having one.

I have no hope left. Just pain, unbearable. And anger at everyone who has abandoned me.

I wish someone would shoot me while I walk down the street.

 

[anthony]

All the tier 1 treatments can be used for multiple trauma. The right practitioner with EMDR will make it extremely effective for treating complex trauma today. Much has changed in EMDR delivery. EMDR is an exposure therapy, much the same as Prolonged Exposure, they just go about the outcome different ways.

There isn't any diagnosis called CPTSD either... you only have PTSD. What you have is complex trauma, not complex PTSD. It isn't the PTSD that is complicated, it is your trauma and its affect upon you that is complicated. All the symptoms are normal, standard, PTSD. Abandonment, parental abuse and such, cause complicated emotional states that you find difficult to comprehend or piece together. They cause complex emotional states and feelings that are not easily overcome or rationalised for quick recovery.

Don't focus on PTSD, focus on the trauma. When you lessen that you lessen symptoms. When you have trauma controlled and lessened, you then focus on PTSD management skills.

 

[Deleted member 20978]

Thanks Anthony