Is your T a DID expert or trauma expert or neither?

I worked with a T who was a trauma expert and DID expert for several years. I then moved to a smaller town and have found it difficult to find the quality of expertise I had before.

Would you call your T an expert in dissociative disorders or trauma? Or just "normal T?"

I really believe it makes a difference, but I may be wrong, since at least 30-40% of therapy success is solely based on the " therapeutic relationship."

Thoughts on this?

I never asked. I used to worry that he didn't have the expertise I needed but I realized that his extensive training including analysis along with his relational expertise is just fine for me.

The t I will be seeing on Tuesday is a DID expert (although I am no longer excited to see her since she never called me back when I was freaking out). If you are having trouble finding a t expert do what I did. I ended up finding 2 here and my old t offered to do phone therapy. Just call around and not only let them know you are looking for a t expert but if they say they don't have much experience ask them if they knew anyone who did that they could recommend. It may take many phone calls but SOMEONE had to know someone who can help you!

If you are still in search for that perfect t than I wish you luck! tc!

I picked out my T years two years before I even called her. I saw a blurb in the paper about a lecture she was giving on father daughter relationships. At that time I thought "Hmmm, maybe all my issues are because my father died when I was a little girl."

I said to my husband, if I ever get the guts to go to therapy, I'm going to call her. I cut the blurb out of the paper and saved it.

Two years later, when I was driving into oncoming city traffic with screeching brakes and people swerving, and me not knowing how I got there, (always the last to know, lol) I knew it was either pick up the phone or die. Because I love my hubby, I made the call.

Turns out her "specialty" is PTSD. I would not say she was an "expert" on D-disorders then, but she certainly had extensive knowledge and experience with trauma and abuse. What I admire about her is that she continues to stay educated. She is always flitting off to some conference or another. She is also one of the T's the news has on as a contributer. (I did not know this at first, so when I had a mouthful of coffee and turned on the TV and there was T, I inhaled my coffee by mistake and nearly drowned.)

I was only going to see her because my brothers died and I was falling apart due to "grief issues." Surprise, surprise.

And yes, a lot of my issues were because of my father, but for very different reasons.

I am just getting to this issue, which I have been resisting. It will hurt the most.

But, I believe it will be the final chapter.

I have been in therapy for 13 years working my butt off. But the payoff has been worth every tear drop.

My T is just a "normal" T. She mostly sees autistic and substance abusers. It's only recently that she and I have noticed my dissociation. Mainly because it's not a complaint of mine. I'm struggling with anxiety (didn't know I was anxious but apparently I'm never relaxed and always on guard) and dysthymia (also didn't know I was depressed either) and PTSD and then the traits of avoidance personality. She's always noticed though that I seem to be in a dream world and an observer of "reality" whatever that is. So now we're starting to explore DDNOS since DID is too rare to happen to any one she knows lol. I live in a very rural area. There's more cattle than people. I've looked online and there's no experts in dissociation that I could find.

Heya Tollhouse

I used to see an expert in trauma. He had all the certifications that you could get for it since he did work overseas with the soldiers who had PTSD. We did a lot of REM (?) rapid eye movement in therapy and it helped, a lot. We moved so I had to stop seeing him. Right now, my T specializes in DID and PTSD. The T already has the masters degree and working on becoming a psychatrist as we speak.

Sorry you are having troubles trying to find a new T. It must be difficult but I understand you all the way, I've had to find new Ts all over again because of moving and its a hard job. Maybe you can check for a T in a different state thats close by? My T is in a different state since there are none in my town. Hang in there

my t is "probably" normal...i mean she seems pretty normal!

all kidding aside...i am her first did patient. i know this because when i was starting with her i told her my list of "stuff" and she said she had never trewated anyone with that....BUT she said she was willing to try or she could refer me to someone in her office who had treated did. i told her if she was willing to learn i was willing to teach.

i think what has worked for us is that she did alot of training with vets in va hospitals...so she's seen ptsd (okay so maybe it was years ago).

now i think most of her patients are sad housewives and other almost routine things (not to minimize their issues) because she thanked me for coming once because i have done wonders for her by making her do research and "work" again.

we've slogged thru some hellish trauma stuff and things i never touched on with my old t who was supposedly a trauma expert.

so i don't know...maybe just a "normal" t is okay if you find the right one.

My T is an expert in DID and she got me connected with an out patient program for DID - i just love her for being so informed.

I'm thinking neither, but that isn't really an issue at the moment.

My old T was a general T with skills working in mild trauma. My new T specializes in DID and DD's. The Dr. that diagnosed me referred me to her.

New T is very good with DID. She only has four clients that she sees on the weekends. During the week she works as a Clinical Coordinator for a diversion program for MD's.

My T is specializes in trauma, and therefore, has lots of experience with dissociative disorders.

I him!

Currently I have no T. But in the past I have worked with an expert in dissociative disorders, someone who knew nothing at first but is now a specialist in trauma and dissociation, one who knew nothing at first but got herself informed, and someone who knew nothing at first and still knew nothing at the end (I don't recommend the latter category!)