Therapy types

[Former-Member]

Seeking help, thoughts, info from life experiences etc

currently doing schema therapy for CPTSD and feeling have hit a wall.

been reading little bits about ACT therapy and wondering if could be worth talking with psychologist about next session in couple days time.

wondering what type of therapy might help me coming to terms with, and deal with, ongoing grief from loss of family members 40+ yrs ago. 

Psychologist has mentioned EMDR  various times.  Not something I feel I can do

@Jynx @AuntGlow @Oaktree @avant-garde @Ru-bee @rav3n 

[tyme]

Hey @Former-Member ,

My main therapy was MBT, but I had elements of ACT, schema therapy and DBT. 

I found that I was able to take a bit from each depending on what I need it for.

The DBT was very strong skill based. 

Schema was about understanding schemas and what helps/doesn't help

ACT was a lot of work around being okay with sitting with uncomfortable feelings, and I found the metaphors made a lot of sense.

Oh, and MBT was very much about mentalising ourselves and others.

[Former-Member]

Thanks @tyme 

After quick bit of research I’ve got a glimpse of how these therapies fit together.

my psychologist has offered to lend me a book that focuses on mindfulness and pain.

Will have a chat with her on Friday about these different therapies

my psychologist has briefly mentioned a therapy which involves rescripting negative past situations by (initially) psychologist “stepping into the situation and addressing the negative behaviour”.   Quotation being how she explains it.   Any knowledge or thoughts what this might be?

[Oaktree]

@Former-Member 

I have done some rescripting. So, you describe a memory and then the therapist and you redo the memory with them stepping in to save you. You then reinforce the new memory and there may be a bit of finger waving like EMDR process to cement it. It actually works really well for me.

[AlwaysMyself]

@Former-Member I did some with a pscyh once. It sounds similar to what you described as 'rescripting', except that it was me as an adult stepping in - what would I do to protect my child self.

I'm not sure how helpful I found it, but I think I did find it helpful for being able to accept that I would be able to stand up for myself if it happened now (not helpless), and perhaps a sense of it not being a 'shame on me' but rather a 'shame on them'. I think it also helped me to be able to be able to talk about what happened (if/when I want to disclose it) - both from being less reactive to the memory but also from the 'practice' of retelling it through the exercises. And the lessening of shame about it.

[AuntGlow]

Hi @Former-Member!

I love that you're asking questions and being curious about what's next for you. I can hear you have been working really hard to understand and heal your trauma over the years and I can imagine you would have grown a lot in that time, so it's very normal to feel like you need something else to get to that next step in your journey. 

EMDR has many proven benefits for helping those who are healing from trauma, however, it's 100% okay to follow what feels right for you. 

If you're curious about ACT you should absolutely bring it up with your psych! I think this could be really helpful, actually. 

I have been working with somatic and IFS (Internal Family Systems) practices. I really love drama, movement, and music therapy practices as well. Are you familiar with any of these? 

Looking forward to chatting more soon. 💛

[tyme]

Yes! @Former-Member  I've heard of rescripting. It aligns with narrative therapy too. 

I guess it's important to realise that whilst you may have a preference, the therapist needs to feel comfy working with it... otherwise, it may not be effective. I look forward to hearing how your appointment goes.

[Former-Member]

Early this year I spoke to my psychologist about not feeling comfortable about EMDR.    I felt I wasn’t being given another options.  

psychologist verbally mentioned and explained different types of therapy she is trained in.  Schema therapy felt comfortable.  Can’t remember what the others were.

I did some talk therapy with counsellor through work EAP years ago which I found helpful plus learnt things about myself about.  Current psychologist has said she is not trained in talk therapy.

this post has helped my thoughts and also given me various options to ‘take to the table’ to talk about as possibilities

thanks. Really appreciate the information and support

@tyme @AuntGlow @AlwaysMyself @Oaktree 

[REDLINEZ750]

@Former-Member ive had one  psychologist i completely trust suggest schema and modes are presenting in our sessions especially punitive parent and psychiatrist is leaning heavily on emdr also but my other psychologist who has unintentionally triggered me a few times by having all the best intentions one of which was a session of trauma processing that was fine in session however rumenation later in day led to messy and she strongly says i would need to do it as an in patient, psychiatrist says no one does it like that but maybe an admission and the emdr people come there. yeahhh nah so im on waiting list for 12months of DBT so im better equipped for basically being triggered deliberately and settled repeatedly as i had emdr explained.

also told prior skills needed for schema, ACT i experienced by having a link about 'dropping anchor'' sent to me which i followed and resulted in a big dose of self loathing, doubt and critisicm i still growl just now a little remembering doing all was said then being told its a big world out there now i can go interact with it freely and engage or something like that  & the fact it wasnt even close to happening saw me spiral into thoughts of whats wrong with me?
this is sposed to work hes a expert and this is a proven therapy and got very quickly frustrated with the fact i really tried, im stupid no ones going to believe  i tried coz it made me angry not see rainbows or unicorns which was answered by not all things work for everyone which felt pacifying.

CBT maybe later is best for me personally as every time it comes near my orbit i feel like its trying to pick a fight { i know makes no sense it is proven therapy}

DBT i have done a course of and it has changed my life, i use minndfulness daily and radical acceptance etc but it can take a lot of mental energy and facing the facts is a narrative im able to flip to foreboding but upside is it has helped me grow in self compassion, box breathing helps so much too only i dont know how to pull myself up with it i focused on the regulation of overwhelm more so i look forward to a spot in new programme being available.

thats my last 2 years experiance before that i ran at fear now its my master

[AuntGlow]

Any time @Former-Member, 

Please keep us updated and know that it's perfectly okay for you to take time to figure out what does and doesn't work for you. Allow yourself to explore and be curious, and trust when your body says 'no'. 

I am hoping things feel aligned for you very soon. You've got this. 💛