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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 5 of 5. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by lola_2 on March 3, 2011, at 22:30:09
I could really use some help with this. I started therapy and feel like Im going over the same issues over and over again, basically, my past. Its been really hard and Im starting to feel really bad. Its a lot of hard work. But how long will this go on for? How long do you need to talk about all this old stuff before you move on? Its very unpleasant going over these things. But the issue I presented with has not even been addressed, Its getting frustrating. Do I just need some patience?
Posted by B2Chica on March 4, 2011, at 8:59:40
In reply to the therapy process, posted by lola_2 on March 3, 2011, at 22:30:09
Hi Lola
i've been in therapy well..too long.
but it seems as though you can only go over stuff in past so many times. it's not going to change it. but here's how i see therapy.you need to talk about it long enough so that it becomes stationary in the front of your brain rather than burried. as it is the 'being burried' that causes so many physical symptoms.
Once it is in the front, then you need to learn how to deal with say flashbacks or memories that are disruptive to your everyday life.
once you gain the skills to deal with them. Then you can look at either tapering off therapy, or using it as a maintenance thing (i.e.: going once a month or a couple times a year)
**************
i'm kinda at your place. i've gone over past over and over and sometimes i get a flashback that is new and i freak and need my T. but i'm learning now that there will always be some flashback that i haven't perfectly described to my T. and i need to learn to live productively around it. to NOT let it disrupt my life.
honestly, i think the hospital outpatient program helped me figure that out better than therapy.*************
and in my experience, there is nothing easy about therapy. it is Very hard work. and it usually gets worse before it gets better. BUT, it DOES get better.***************
and if you need to skip around do it. i would talk to T and tell him/her that you need to address 'said' issue.
Posted by lola_2 on March 4, 2011, at 18:43:28
In reply to Re: the therapy process, posted by B2Chica on March 4, 2011, at 8:59:40
>
> you need to talk about it long enough so that it becomes stationary in the front of your brain rather than burried. as it is the 'being burried' that causes so many physical symptoms.
>That makes sense, but how do you establish whether its burried? For me, I remember everything. I can talk about it (with a lot of emotion and discomfort) to my therapist, but it comes to my mind a lot (prior to therapy), I have managed to keep it "burried" for years to move on. I am kind of struggling with whether I really need to be doing this.
> once you gain the skills to deal with them. Then you can look at either tapering off therapy, or using it as a maintenance thing (i.e.: going once a month or a couple times a year)
>That makes sense
> **************
> i'm kinda at your place. i've gone over past over and over and sometimes i get a flashback that is new and i freak and need my T. but i'm learning now that there will always be some flashback that i haven't perfectly described to my T. and i need to learn to live productively around it. to NOT let it disrupt my life.
> honestly, i think the hospital outpatient program helped me figure that out better than therapy.
>How are you doing with it? I seem to be going through this prosess of needing to explain every detail, everything new I remember, I am finding it so intrusive. But did you find it helpful to go over the details again and again? How long would you say you did this for? weeks? months? longer?
> *************
> and in my experience, there is nothing easy about therapy. it is Very hard work. and it usually gets worse before it gets better. BUT, it DOES get better.
Thanks, I will keep hopeful :), I know timelines are hard to give, but how long would you say it takes to get to the place where it starts feeling better? I feel so early on still, but Im not sure I am.
>
> ***************
> and if you need to skip around do it. i would talk to T and tell him/her that you need to address 'said' issue.Yeah, this is what Im having trouble with. I will bring this up.
Posted by Dinah on March 6, 2011, at 20:27:24
In reply to the therapy process, posted by lola_2 on March 3, 2011, at 22:30:09
I don't think there's any one answer for that. It depends on what's best for you and what you need. Does your past lead to serious problems in your functioning today? Aside from it being stirred up in therapy, I mean.
What does your therapist say? I think it's entirely fair to point out that you'd like to spend some time focusing on your presenting problem.
Posted by lola_2 on March 6, 2011, at 21:51:05
In reply to Re: the therapy process » lola_2, posted by Dinah on March 6, 2011, at 20:27:24
> I don't think there's any one answer for that. It depends on what's best for you and what you need. Does your past lead to serious problems in your functioning today? Aside from it being stirred up in therapy, I mean.
Not to me, but he believes thats why I have my current problem.
>
> What does your therapist say? I think it's entirely fair to point out that you'd like to spend some time focusing on your presenting problem.
>I will speak to him. Thanks
This is the end of the thread.
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