What kind of therapy do I need?

Question

I have post traumatic stress syndrome from a reletively nasty childhood. That was years and years ago, but I can't stop dwelling. I need some kind of closure, and want to go to therapy, but what would they do? I don't like surprises and want some insight before I go . . .
Also, how do you know when you find the right therapist? I had one once, it didn't work out. She made me super uncomfortable. Please give me an idea of what to expect.

Answer 1

Well, it really depends on what you want.

The right therapist should be professional and not make you feel super uncomfortable. However, you will be dealing with painful memories in therapy.

If you want something short, practical, and to the point, look for someone who practices CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) or a solutions-based approach. Any therapist should be willing to discuss treatment modalities and philosophy with you. If you want to delve more into past, go with a psychodynamic therapist. If you want someone to validate you, go with a humanistic therapist. Most therapists nowadays are "eclectic" and blend a little bit from several schools of thought. Most do lean towards a CBT approach because it is quick and effective.

What therapy will entail will depend on the therapist. Since CBT is the accepted treatment modality for PTSD, therapy will probably consist of you describing what you are thinking. The philosophy behind cognitive therapy is that situations don't automatically produce feelings, but that our thoughts produce feelings. These are called automatic thoughts, and a lot of the time we are not really aware that we are thinking them. Automatic thoughts come from the underlying schema we have, which is usually negative, like "I am worthless," or such. What you'd be doing in therapy is trying to uncover that negative schema, and use logic and reason to argue against your negative thoughts. You'd be keeping a "thought journal" in which you write down exactly what you are thinking. You may also be encouraged to expose yourself to those situations which trigger panic attacks (if you have panic attacks). You will probably also be discussing your childhood, in an effort at closure and leaving the past in the past.

If you have any other questions, you may e-mail me. Good luck.

Answer 2

This woman is absolutely no longer emotionally mature adequate to manage "existence" proper now, so a youngster psychologist might generally be the larger selection of the 2 you steered. Psycotherapists, or counsellors, so much almost always manage adults. In a trouble as critical as this, I advise being as distinct as viable. If you'll uncover a therapist who works solely with preteens, that might be even larger. Depending at the severity of the suicidal makes an attempt, I could even advise the preteen be quickly institutionalized, as to hinder any extra harm. I might additionally like so as to add that it's generally typical for the moms and dads to be uncertain of what precisely to do in a case like this, however they fairly need to ask anybody extra proficient, equivalent to a counsellor on the preteen's college, or a household health care professional.

Answer 3

there are different kind of therapists. I had one that made me uncomfortable too, and all she did was make me talk. The one i go to now actually tries to help me. Look for one that is a behavioral or a cognitive therapist.

Answer 4

Check out (http://www.reducingstress.net ) there is a lot of great content, information articles, expert advice and links on the subject there.

Answer 5

Just to add to Sparky's excellent answer, EMDR is popular and is gaining headway as a first-step treatment for PTSD.

Answer 6

i got no idea .just let the past go and move on in your live .you do not need to pay for any one to say that at the end .