So I've been doing the DBT group therapy for a while a now. I'm nearly finished just one more month.
But I noticed myself well it feels Im going backwards.

What happened was our group had 3 weeks off because of Christmas and the hoildays. When I came back we had a fairly new member in our DBT group I mean they join mid last year but disappeared at one point and then came back. But this person will NOT cover up there marks let's say. In the DBT rules its required to cover up. This person will not do it. Then I saw another client in our group who didnt covered up either. It just brought back all those feelings because I use to do that but I haven't for months. So it was a real triggered for me.
Last week one of the clients who refuse to cover up got upset because they heard people talking in the other room. So one of the therapist told them to move position were we sat round the table and the other therapist went and told the people who were having there own therapy to be quite in other room. Then the other therapist said we have a break because the other client was stressed. In the past when we had different therapist if some one was upset or even cry we just ignored them and carry on with the session. I never felt it was right to ignore them but I knew if we did do some thing then group therapy wont be doing the lessons we need to learn in the group sessions.
When we had the break the one client who was upset about hearing the people in the other room and refuse to cover up there marks was going on about how they get alert in exam month. I thought to be kind and try to vaildate the person because when they mentioned they get alert during exam month. It reminded me when I was alert for months with this therapist I had for 2 years and how it utterly exhausted me and I got sick because well the therapy wasnt working and made me whole lot worse.
Anyway I said to them "It must've been exhausting for you "? And there response was quite aggressive but in a mild tone and said "Of course,of course " and I felt this huge sense of shame because I thought I did some thing wrong and felt told off. There response reminded me how my sister reacts to me quite aggressively some times
. Then later on in our group session the therapist was explaining emotional mind and logical mind using supermarket as an example. They say logical mind at supermarket would be the food you need like fish, chicken vegtables how much you need and emotional mind is and I said just being my happy self "chocolate" and then that same person said "well obviously". I just felt a sense of shame as if I did some thing wrong and I'm dumb.
Well after that group session well for 2 weeks I feel I'm getting worse. I'm crying more often like I cried 4 times and with reasons of being extremely sensitive what people say to me. I been having say self destructive thoughts. Also feeling happy of the thought to do it.
I really dont want to go back to DBT group. I'm scared because I dont know how that person is going to react. And it seems to disrupt the sessions. Also I dont want those self destructive thoughts to come back again and go down hill again.
If I tell my therapist they probably encourage me to go even though that group therapy making me worse. I dont know what to do. I thought just to avoid going all together.
Also is it normal what I have described to happen in a DBT group?

[AzulOscuro]

I understand why you feel like running away from the group.
Maybe I’m gonna say a nonsense but is there a possibility to be transferred to another group? I guess it’s not the best option however.
All I’m gonna tell you, I wouldn’t probably dare to do it but, I will say it to you.
There are two things you could do short-term: Talk to the therapist about the struggles you are finding with this person and also put into practise the very best of the skills and knowledge you are getting from therapy and try to apply it with this person.
I’m curious to know what attitude the therapist of your group is taking with this person. Maybe, this guy is not ready for a group and have to do a lot of work before individually.

Originally Posted by AzulOscuro

I understand why you feel like running away from the group.
Maybe I’m gonna say a nonsense but is there a possibility to be transferred to another group? I guess it’s not the best option however.
All I’m gonna tell you, I wouldn’t probably dare to do it but, I will say it to you.
There are two things you could do short-term: Talk to the therapist about the struggles you are finding with this person and also put into practise the very best of the skills and knowledge you are getting from therapy and try to apply it with this person.
I’m curious to know what attitude the therapist of your group is taking with this person. Maybe, this guy is not ready for a group and have to do a lot of work before individually.

Thank you for your reply I really appreciate it.
Well...in my experience being in the DBT group. First we had two therapist psychologist. One of them left and then this socail worker who was trained to do DBT came in. Then the other psychologist left too. So for a while it was socail worker who was trained in DBT and a student therapist. Suddenly we then had a new psychologist come in they were there for a while...maybe couple of months. Then they decided to leave too because they were going to get involved in another group therapy.
So now it's just the socail worker who trained in DBT and the student therapist.
There was at one point during class that maybe 3 of the clients got up in different times, to answer there phone and leave the room. I heard the socail worker saying "I dont have control of them room"
The person who got upset by the voices in the other room and refuse to cover up his marks he works with the socail worker outside of DBT group. I know this cause they discussed at end of group therapy what time to make the appointment.

So yeah, I dont know if I answered your question correctly but that's what happened in my DBT group so far.
I mean I dont know if thats even normal for DBT group to behave that way. I dont know if constant change of therapist in a group is good for clients since we experience sensitivity to rejection.

[StrawberryAnnie]

DEAR MAN them!

Originally Posted by StrawberryAnnie

DEAR MAN them!

I dont think they are in a state of mind to be able to handle a Dear Man.

[IssaColdWorld]

In December I joined a Codependents support group through my insurance. First session was beautiful and the group was small so I dared to go back for another session: big mistake.

I was completely triggered and almost had a panic attack mid session because it was so chaotic. It was right after New Years Day and what I realized after I left group was so many people showed up because they had NY resolutions to seek help. Let me tell you I heard extremely wild stories from people obviously not wanting help and a few members pretty much took the class over with their problems and the therapist allowed it. Ugh.

I haven't been back, but I'm feeling like going again next week because chances are most of those people have lost interest by now.

That's one of the huge drawbacks to group therapy: some people show up as a way to collect narcissistic supply. Be careful.

[AzulOscuro]

Originally Posted by TeaFruit

Thank you for your reply I really appreciate it.
Well...in my experience being in the DBT group. First we had two therapist psychologist. One of them left and then this socail worker who was trained to do DBT came in. Then the other psychologist left too. So for a while it was socail worker who was trained in DBT and a student therapist. Suddenly we then had a new psychologist come in they were there for a while...maybe couple of months. Then they decided to leave too because they were going to get involved in another group therapy.
So now it's just the socail worker who trained in DBT and the student therapist.
There was at one point during class that maybe 3 of the clients got up in different times, to answer there phone and leave the room. I heard the socail worker saying "I dont have control of them room"
The person who got upset by the voices in the other room and refuse to cover up his marks he works with the socail worker outside of DBT group. I know this cause they discussed at end of group therapy what time to make the appointment.

So yeah, I dont know if I answered your question correctly but that's what happened in my DBT group so far.
I mean I dont know if thats even normal for DBT group to behave that way. I dont know if constant change of therapist in a group is good for clients since we experience sensitivity to rejection.

I see now, after your clarifications, that the situation is more complicated than I thought.
I have read here on several occasions how there is still a lack of professionals well-trained on DBT. I guess these people who lead the groups want to do their job as well as possible but sure they also find their own struggles with people who are upon them. I mean their bosses or supervisors.
I understand very well how you are feeling and the struggles you see with going on with the therapy and your fears that it could mean a worsening for you.
I would like to be able to tell you something that could give you a light but I never did DBT, neither I did therapy in a group.
All I can tell you is that when I see a therapy is not working in a moment for me, bc of external or even internal circumstances, I take a break. And another thing that I can tell you is that I heard and read from some psychiatrists that DBT even when it’s working very well in many cases, it’s a whole program based on techniques and skills and as it’s very expensive bc it’s a whole program is used especially in extreme cases when the life of the person is in danger.
You can be taught these techniques with other therapists, and there are even also other kind of therapies that are giving great results. Scheme therapy, mentalizing, CBT and others. I read some posts where people talk about these therapies. I know mainly, the classic, CBT and I was lucky that my psychologists knew DBT techniques.
Take it as a stone in the way.