Therapy styles

This reply is meant for Trace14:

If you are falling asleep it could mean two things. The first is that sometimes sleepiness is a way of ignoring getting close to what is in our heart and mind. Secondly, you are too tired to be meditating! Instead, sleep! Or get up and move around and try again.

In a Boston program they found meditation did not help veterans with deep trauma, and meditation could actually make it worse, for reasons you stated.

If the trauma is coming up as soon as you start to meditate...it is indicating that the trauma wants "to be heard."

Have you looked into an informal vets group? Or...maybe starting one on meetup? We have one in my town...for vets alone...a support group...that meets at the library.

So please hang in there until you find some help. Although DBT skills can't hurt, your therapist should be addressing the trauma issues with you, as well.

You could also try "walking meditation" which is just incorporating movement while letting thoughts come up and then letting them"be" - and then letting them fall away. Sometimes walking is a really good way to meditate...and for you...because of sleepiness...it would definitely be advised.

I totally get what you mean about needing to talk about it. I finally have a steady enough therapist (don't plan on switching t"s again any time soon) to feel like I can get somewhere. I also really like that analogy of not being able to talk about it akin to putting a bandaid on a festering wound.

I'm sorry you are so limited in resources... I had that problem when I moved down south. I had no job, and no insurance. I didn't qualify for state aid (can't even remember the reason they gave me anymore). I was able to find a sliding scale clinic to work with. It kinda sucked because the t was done with his practicum after 8 months,but at least I was able to see someone for that time. I'm not sure if there's anything like that near where you are (or if they'd see a problem with you going to the VA and also to a free/ sliding scale clinic...), but it might be an option.

Was there an option of switching therapists within the VA? I think I remember you saying you weren't sure if you wanted to have to start over again, but it might be more bellflower than continually feeling like you aren't getting what you need from therapy.

Meditation is not really that hard. After all, it is just sitting with our thoughts. But often we are used to ignoring our thoughts. In the case of cPTSD the thoughts insist on being heard.

Most people don't continue meditating if a lot of unresolved issues keep coming up. That is why it is much better to find someone to work with -- or really two people --- a certified meditation instructor and a therapist.

"Meditation Light" might work for people with moderate anxiety. But trauma and other issues need different kinds of attention.

If someone with cPTSD works with a therapist, the therapist should be made aware that meditation and other mindfulness and DBT practices might very well be like someone suggesting putting a band aid on a festering wound. It is cruel.

schema therapy is helping me

Never heard of it. I will look it up. How long have you been doing this form of therapy?

6 years, but i was in a previous sexually abusive relationship with my former T, so it took me a few years to even trust my current therapist and actually allow myslef to open up to him and his help. basically i spent a lot of time fighting him and therapy

Well I stopped the DBT classes for now. I hate to start something and not finish it though. But it's not doing me any good to be so stressed out the night before that I can't sleep, then be triggered throughout the class to dissociating, then the dissociating hangover, not remembering what we went over or what the homework assignment was. Pretty much ruined a couple of days for one 45 minute class.

Never really thought about a person having to be in the right place mentally for a DBT class or even counseling. My first real counseling experience , the counselor told my GP that I was not ready for counseling. Still don't know what that was all about. Needless to say I left and never went back.

You have to be willing to listen, put your guard down, be patient, contribute, do homework. Dbt is demanding.

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That's easier said, than done, for some people. That's why they are at counseling to get help with that and what ever else the T determines they need help with. Some people honestly don't know what the problems are issues are and need help identifying them. Does that mean they are not ready for counseling? Oh here's a thought...find out why they are guarded, or having a hard time focusing or concentrating...but that would mean the T would actually have to do some work.......oh well.

The problem is you're not seeing a therapist every week. I don't know if you're on any psych meds? I think c-PTSD is like a PD and requires years of therapy however there are people who strongly disagree a PD requires years of therapy to overcome. I remember the first year after my divorce I tried to do it on my own without medication and then I finally asked for help. Then it took me two attempts to do Dbt before the 3rd one finally clicked. Even today I'm struggling with new issues in therapy with a different therapist.
I know other vets with PTSD and one incident that happened to them 10 years has changed them irrevocably. Sleep meds don't work.
I think we all have to find something that helps us to move forward. I don't know if that's useful or not.

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Even if I were to see a T every week, who's to say that T is knowledgeable enough pursue the reasons for the way that I am. Chances of seeing a T weekly at the VA are slim to none. I take Wellbutrin and Lexapro.

Can you ask for a referral to EMDR or CBT if Dbt is not working for you? Dbt is for PD and BPD in particular so if it doesn't work for you that could be why. Perhaps one of these other modalities could help?

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You know that was what I was thinking about it not being for me. If my traumas were from people in my life now I could where this would be a benefit. I have very little people interaction except here.

Referral? Remember we are working with the VA. It's pretty much use our limited resources. But I will run it by the T next time I see her.