So proud of what you have gone through & how far your progressed in really such a short time.....that says a LOT for their program....really focuses on the individual's needs....I'm VERY impressed at the program & with YOU

Oh how I understand those walls that we put up to keep people out even though we want them in. When my psychologist retired last December, she told me about the wall that I had put up & she NEVER thought she would get through. For me, I know that the DBT has been the greatest help of ALL the therapy I've had in the last 20 years.

Just a thought though on that weekly meeting.....I know that when I got through the intense DBT 2 year program (met for 2 1/2 hours every week).....they offer a "next step" DBT program for all of us who made it through the 2 years & you know, it's wonderful to have that short weekly get together & reminder where we can just bring out even one thing that we are either struggling with or have succeeded in getting through. It really does seem to help & I know you want to make the break & make that back into life move, but was thinking that maybe that once a week get group until you do get into the DBT would be a good outside place to keep your DBT skills you have learned just reinforced rather than looking at it as still hanging around the program.....just a thought that went through my head.

I understand how you can click with someone better than the T you have.....I had that happen when I was in the medical hospital with anorexia after going through a trauma when my mom was dying of cancer. I was in a medical hospital that didn't have a psych wing but they had an outside pdoc & psychologist that came in to talk.....for some reason I was able to open up more with him than I was with my psychologist who I had been seeing for years. For me, it made me realize how much my psychologist just listened to me talk without any feedback.....but like you, it opens our eyes to somethings that we do need to change in the relationship. I am sure that your T will be open to their suggestions. Hard to know what form that change will be like, but it should be more like the relationship in your PHP & IOP experience that you realized is important & you can use that as your standard to strive for & talk with when it doesn't feel that way with your own T.

So happy that this has turned out to be such a wonderful experience & I definitely do support their suggestion of the DBT program. Our mental health group's DBT program was outstanding...loved our little Italian group leader.....she is amazing & actually led the group like a college group where she actually taught us about the way the mind REALLY WORKS....that was an eye opener because when I went into the group even in my late 50's, I thought people were either logical or emotional....I had no idea how the mind really worked....it was the most educational group I have ever gone to....& we always have fun with her Italian accent & trying to pronounce the words in english. I made it through the first section & then I was riding a horse & it spooked & I bailed & managed to fracture my back....between that & not really being able to afford the extra expense....they went together & asked the director of the mental health group to waive my fees.....I never had anyone care enough about me to ever do anything like that before in my life......they saw how much I was really getting out of it & how much I was participating. It wasn't that easy sitting that long but it was worth it....I sat out for one section & was back in it the next. DBT skills are the most common sense skills that honestly have ever been taught. I personally think that it should be a required High School class before graduation because it's at that point in our life when we NEED to learn the skills so that we can apply them through the really difficult times of life. When DBT is presented well, they are the most valuable tools we can use in our life.

Sometimes we have to get to the bottom before we are ready to ask for help....when we can't do it any longer & aren't quite really ready to JUST give up.....so glad you were able to say "I need to be saved" & glad that your T listened & got you into where you got such wonderful help & that you were OPEN to the help you received.

Glad to take the journey with you.....thank you for sharing....it does us all good to go through other's experiences & see the world through your eyes.....it expands everyone's view

What a wonderful idea for them to give you the information on the DBT groups.....I know t