[jenluv]

My understanding of most treatment of si in therapy is to NOT focus on it too much but acknowledge it as a symptom of other things.

Does anyone here have a T who focuses on the si itself -- even to the exclusion of the underlying reasons? If so, what does that look like in therapy? Do you feel the focus on the si holds you back from making progress?

[lostmyway21]

We never focus on the si, except when we are talking about cognitive behavioral stratigies. Such as hand manipulation excerises, or rubber band trick, or positive distractions. Like you said si is all about discovering the underlying causes, and working on them instead.

[Mike_J]

My therapist and I talk often about the reasons for my SI, what are the triggers, what am I getting out of it, what am I trying to escape, what am I thinking about while I’m doing it, but this is more of getting me to understand it not to directly treat it (at least I think that is what she is going for). Usually SI is a symptom of something deeper (OK almost always) if you could treat SI without treating at least trying to understand the reasons behind it, you might be able to stop the SI but underlying condition would pop up in other ways, quite possibly much worse ways.

t never talks about the si. he asked about it one time.

he literally turns green. i never look at him, but try to sneak a look when he brings it up. even his face gets all contorted. just weird.

i am glad he never talks about it.

[jenluv]

I'm pretty clear on the reasons behind it. I've been getting better at sitting with those feelings and looking at their source(s). Right now I'm snapping a rubber band on my arm and trying to journal and sit with these feelings/needs once again. Better the rubber band than scissors, right? *sigh*

[WikidPissah]

my T asks about it..."did you feel the need to si this week?"...but he has never focused in on it, or judged it or told me I shouldn't. Sometimes I wish he would address it...ask me not to, tell me to call before doing it...etc...I think that would make me feel more like he cared.

[lostmyway21]

Originally Posted by jenluv

I'm pretty clear on the reasons behind it. I've been getting better at sitting with those feelings and looking at their source(s). Right now I'm snapping a rubber band on my arm and trying to journal and sit with these feelings/needs once again. Better the rubber band than scissors, right? *sigh*

I mentioned this in the fidget toy thread, but have you tried hand manipulation toys like this? I use the "therapy relax Tangle". I keep it in my backpack. I haven't si'ed in a few months.

[jenluv]

lost, that is a great idea. I will bookmark it and look into it after work.

[stopdog]

The one I see has never wanted to talk about it and when I try to she just labels it resistance and moves on to something else.

[likelife]

Originally Posted by stopdog

The one I see has never wanted to talk about it and when I try to she just labels it resistance and moves on to something else.

Wow, that seems super unhelpful. Maybe your T comes from a pretty staunch psychodynamic background, but SI seems like much more of a coping strategy than anything to me. It signals the need to talk about what is causing the SI in the first place.

[stopdog]

Originally Posted by likelife

Wow, that seems super unhelpful. Maybe your T comes from a pretty staunch psychodynamic background, but SI seems like much more of a coping strategy than anything to me. It signals the need to talk about what is causing the SI in the first place.

I mostly si only when in therapy and it is usually right after an appointment.

I'm honest about it with my T, but if I don't talk about it she rarely brings it up. Even then.. a couple times now she's asked some variation on 'and did that make you want to cut/hurt yourself?' I answer, and then we move on.. I think she wants to focus on getting to the cause instead, and the hope is that the symptom(s) will disappear.. must be working, I don't really do it anymore.. or want to. (One particular fit of temper excluded )

[likelife]

Originally Posted by stopdog

I mostly si only when in therapy and it is usually right after an appointment.

So maybe your T is trying to avoid reinforcing the SI if it's directly therapy-related? It seems like all the more reason to talk about it, though.

[jenluv]

Does your T notice the si? Does he/she ask to see it?

[nicoleb2]

My T asks me about it every week, and if I have si'd, I have to do a chain analysis (dbt stuff), basically, it's all about what brought on the urges, what exactly did I do, and how can I prevent myself from doing it again in the future

[Asiablue]

It's really never been discussed in any depth by any therapist i've ever seen. I get the feeling a lot are uncomfortable with it. I would like to talk more about it when it occurs but mostly it's swept under the carpet.