Interesting night, new ideas, things that might help

Well saw the T tonight and feeling relieved.

That horrible task I was given (asking 5 people for 3 characteristics and 1 constructive criticism) was not really touched on... to be looked at next session but she apologised for overkill I got from one chap and said that that wasn't quite the intended result.

But yeah, anyway... she scaled me on dissociation and revealed that it isn't anything to worry about, that I'm on the overwhelmed side of it and that it can and will be managed.

That the sounds and voices are ok... again, an issue of me being overwhelmed and has started me on a path of mindfulness techniques which she was both surprised and pleased with how quick I was able to calm myself on the first go... said it was an indicator that my trauma was after year 5 which = I had what I needed by then to draw upon stuff.

As for the times when I start to go numb and flooded with thoughts and ideations... such a simple item was given - an elastic band to be put on my wrist. She's asked me to ping it (not hard) with the idea that the focus and very mild pain on that will help ground me.

Feeling a little bit optimistic again, she definitely prepped me up and I have enough trust to believe what she said... so yeah... fingers crossed. Hopefully things are back on the road to improvement.

Ahh. I'm definitely glad that she didn't intend for that to happen (otherwise I would run over there and strip her of her counseling license lol).

The grounding thing is a great idea! Last time I started going kind of haywire I ended up cutting for the first time in a long time so I'm going to try the rubberband snapping too

glad to see you in higher spirits

im glad to hear that things are going well. it sounds like you have a good t. hope things continue to be successful. take care.

I'm relieved you're relieved. Thank you for sharing these things.

Employing mindfulness techniques to combat the sense of being overwhelmed sounds reasonable and may help with depression. I hope that proves true.

Thank you for sharing this. I think the rubber band plan is good and I think I'm going to try it. Sometimes I get going down the slippery slope of what if, coulda, shoulda, woulda... And I think maybe the rubber band might help bring me back into the present. Thank you thank you thank you.

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I think the mindfulness thing is great. It can work very well for intrusive thoughts and S thoughts. Just watch the thought bubble up and float away and bring yourself back into the moment.

I was kind of looking forward to an explanation of the whole assignment thing but I guess i will have to wait.

Hi ToeJam, really pleased things are going so well for you with your T. I'd say you deserve a lot of the credit here as well though, you're clearly putting a lot into the sessions so well done on that!!!
Fingers crossed here for you as well, but it does sound like things are back on the road to improvement!!
Alison

I missed some earlier threads on this, but that horrible task you mention sounds really horrible! It must be a relief to be done with that. Definitely sounds like this T has a lot of ideas, I'm glad some of them are working!

Well, today was crap. Not a reflection on last night, but had a wave of intrusive thoughts and ideations to the point that I was just withering at my desk... pinged the elastic band a fair bit, and yeah.. it worked in spots... but overall a very tiring day. Hoping that once I get my teeth into some of the things discussed, it will ease it down... with that said, and conscious that my tablets may no longer be working as they should... I've booked a Friday morning app with my Dr.

Kind of umming and arring whether I should hold off and discuss it with my T first (and kinda kicking myself that I didn't bring it up last night.... but there was a hell of a lot of information and stuff to absorb at the time) meh.. two weeks is a while.

Yeah she does... is probably the best I've met in my time of dealing with this. She is very proactive, perceptive and very hands on. Was nervous when I first started as private (in contrast to the free nhs) can be a mind field... but I think I struck gold.

Hi ToeJam, I'm sorry today was hard for you, but that's not at all about you not getting there. New techniques, approaches can take a bit of practice and time to work, or to work as well as they can. Now you are gathering them, picking up more, starting to get to grips with them. You are moving forward. But really hope tomorrow will be better for you.
And.........you know where we are, right!!
Alison