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Originally Posted by Tired12
I am a newbie who suffers from C-PTSD. I tried to read past threads to answer my current questions but I was unable to find out the information I was looking for. Can anyone share their experience?
I am curious about the processing of my trauma. It has taken 8 months to feel safe enough to talk during therapy sessions. What I am finding difficult is my T only visits my town every two weeks and other that that I have no contact with my T (My T travels 350km to provide this specialist service to my community which I am so greatful for).
I have started to noticed that two weeks between sessions feels like eternity. And that it takes me a while to get in touch with my thoughts and feelings during each session (sometimes I remain in the 'machine/robot' state and may not connect at all). After some therapy sessions the emotional response rolls on for days after. I seam to have more response in the safety of my own home after the sessions. But before I get to my next session I think I start to repress these emotions, thought and feeling and I become stuck in the abyss of 'nothing' and it takes me the next half session to get to the point where I can talk again. It is rather frustrating and often I wonder if I'm doing the right thing.
Does anyone know if this type of thing happens to people during weekly session? Is this the process itself working as it should? 
It is all a bit different for me as I have not engaged in the process of therapy before.
Thank you,
Tired12 |
((((((Tired12)))))) Welcome.
The bright side is that you are soooo lucky to have caught the PTSD relatively early in it's development, which leads to a much better prognosis.
PTSD is an anxiety disorder, and anxiety of all stripes can cause that freeze/stuck response (or rather, lack thereof) in session. I had something similar happen to me and I told my therapist ( T ) that I felt like I didn't get much accomplished in 45 minutes and couldn't open up much, so he recommended longer sessions, which have helped TREMENDOUSLY.
Are you a veteran? If so, does NZ provide veterans mental health services, and/or have centers that provide such (if they are good and can be trusted, that is)? You are definitely doing the right thing. The only way to stop PTSD is to confront it head-on, scary and rotten as it is. It's important to have a T who has a lot of experience in that area though, and that you feel comfortable with the T.
Are you still in NZ? Beautiful country.