[HALLIEBETH87]

I see my t weekly before DBT group. Last week he told me he thinks I have complex PTSD and not Bpd. Then I sort of Broke down to him about some things. I'm embarassed and scared to go today! I want to ask him more about his opinion-he's a psychologist. I want to know his opinion on my bipolar. I don't want to fight back tears about personal past events like I did last week either.

I'm just nervous.and I'm nervous for him to read my DBT diary cards.

[gayleggg]

I'll be glad to be a pocket rider as support. Sounds like you have a lot going on and that it is causing great anxiety. I hope that it turns out easier than you expect. Good luck. Just pat your pocket and know that I am there.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Originally Posted by gayleggg

I'll be glad to be a pocket rider as support. Sounds like you have a lot going on and that it is causing great anxiety. I hope that it turns out easier than you expect. Good luck. Just pat your pocket and know that I am there.

Thank you!!! It went ok. He said the DBT stuff will help me leArn skills skills I need then we will work on my childhood trauma. That's scary for me to think About. He also said he thinks I am bipolar like I'm diagnosed because I have depressed and manic episodes (he's seen them.) once I learn the skills and can manage my moods and relationships better maybe the bpd dx can be removed cause he's pretty sure I don't have it-the complex PTSD stuff is causing big issues aside from my bipolar.

I apologized for all the stuff that flooded out last week I'm embarassed about. He said "in here?? Nah." That made me feel better.

I really like my psychologist. Wish you could see him too. He's awesome and so nice. He has a ponytail and his hair is better than mine-jealous!

[BeyondtheRainbow]

I have what people here would call complex PTSD although honestly I'd never heard that term until I came to this site (I haven't read a lot about PTSD because it upsets me). But I just wanted to tell you that I've been through an intense PTSD treatment (a form of exposure therapy that I don't remember the name of) and it was very difficult and also one of the best things I could ever have done for myself. I think if there is anything I'm proud of in coping with my past it is that I did that intense therapy and learned to cope with the bad stuff so much better. It really is something that I don't really think about so much now but when I do the trauma part is pretty much gone. It's just sad now. Which is vastly different than before. Obviously my past always will be with me and sometimes it will hurt but I'm managing it so much better now that it is't nearly as awful. It is good that your therapist is waiting for you to be in a good spot to do that; for some complicated reasons we decided to do it when I wasn't very well and it was pretty hard that way and it took a lot more sessions than it was supposed to because I needed extra time to cope and sometimes needed a session or two off to process things. But doing it then was the right thing for me. However if waiting had been possible I certainly would have preferred that.

I just wanted to reassure you that going through trauma in therapy in general sounds worse than it is because it is a safe place with a safe person. And it is good to get all that pain out. Really good.

[raspberrytorte]

Happy your appointment went well Hallie!

What is DBT?

[HALLIEBETH87]

Have you heard people talk about mindfulness?

[raspberrytorte]

Oh yeah. That.

[HALLIEBETH87]

Yea...that's most of what me and T talk about. Being mindful and nonjudgemental. Im learning core mindfulness skills right now. Its confusing to me right now.