Cognitive Therapy

Needing some input about CT therapy..I have gone to different websites and read about this type of therapy(this is the modality my T uses) but I still don't have an understanding of it. With this type of therapy do you just forget about the past(for me an abusive childhood)and deal with only the present? I have dissociated just about my whole life, including an abusive 20 yr. marriage, and have tucked away mostly everything. Does a person discuss their past in CT therapy, or do you just discuss the issues you are facing today. I am finding it all quite confusing.

My last therapist told me that I needed to move on from my past, and change my behavior and thought processes in the present, which I tried really hard to do. Went to classes, got training, got a great job, continued with support groups and AA meetings, but still felt so crappy and hurting inside. There would be times that I would want to talk about something I remembered from my childhood, but those things weren't discussed in session..So I kept quiet. And now I am scared that doing this type of therapy may be the same thing. At least what I have read makes me think this.

I am so afraid of making a mistake again. I don't think that I could take it. Is it weird that I want someone to hear me? to really listen to me? To my friends and family I look so ok, so together on the outside, I've learned to do that well. But inside I am such a mess..Guess I yearn to share that mess with someone I can trust..

Any input would really help..tomorrow I have another session and am tempted to not go, it will be only my 2nd one with him..thank you so very much for your support..

Cognative therapy in laymans terms is just brainstorming and sloving a problem - any problem past or present by looking at

what the problem is
who is involved
when did it happen
What feelings you felt just before, during and after the situation happened
evidence that supports your feelings and thoughts
eveidence that does not support your feelings and thoughts
and then coming up with your solutions to the problem for the best outcome for you based on the objectiveness of looking at all angles of the problem.

If you are in therapy and woring on solving your problems by looking at all sides of the problem then you are already doing cognative therapy.

You can find an example of how this works in the book Mind Over Mood by Dennis Greenberger, PHD and Christine A Padesky, PHD in the activity called - Thought Record

((((((Myself))))) I am so glad that you responded to my post, thank you. I have been feeling desperate all day about this..I don't remember most of my childhood, just tiny fragments..and most things that have happened with me in my marriage I have forgotten...if I didn't have my children to tell me what happened, there would be nothing..and I have absolutely no feelings,emotions, or memories whatsoever about my childhood, though from my sisters I am told that it was truly horrific..that is why I am concerned about doing this type of therapy..inside I feel like a rag doll but do not know why..will CT therapy help me if I cannot remember anything, and if I do not feel any emotions or feelings from my past. a friend told me that maybe a psychodynamic approach would be the best for me, but I am not sure..I have cancelled my appt. for tomorrow until I can figure this out..thank you for being here, you are always most encouraging and helpful..

This is one of the safest and most effective types of therapy around imo. It's basis is educate, build skills, and solve problems. Most of ppl's thinking occurs because of what their habits of response are...depending upon yes, childhood, and other environmental events...

by realizing OH! I always think that way about myself because... gives you the underlying cause to your (emotional?) response. It also allows you to reframe it with... I USED to react that way, but now that I know why I always did... I can change it so I'm not affected negatively by such a thing.

It's really good...and useful for the rest of your life! TC!

Talk to your T about how he/she feels about talking about your past. Sometimes we need to be heard, our stories told and then work on how to deal with it. You should have some say in your therapy.
w_i

I had a therapist who did CBT..it helped allot with the suicidal ideation..but did nothing to assist with the past abuse and trauma issues..so I agree it has value, but it only hurt me in the long term because I was not allowed to process traumatic symptoms, for that he had me taking heavy medications..so really I dunno..I just know, now, I should have never allowed it without the traumatic abuse processing..it only prolonged the inevitable reoccourance of symptoms..some things you just cant think your way thru..analytically/reasonably..it just has to be worked thru..dunno if you understand what i am trying to convey..sorry..cant put it any other way..but I hope the best for you whatever you decide..at least your moving forward and trying to find healing..which is great..

thank you ((((Sky)))),(((white iris))), and (((Evangelista)))...I am so alone here IRL and to have your encouraging words, well there are no true words to explain how it helps me..thank you for taking the time to respond to me, I treasure your words..I am taking a slight break from therapy to evaluate what I need..which is a first for me..my son is a psychology major who wants to work with children who have been abused..He has encouraged me to work with a therapist who is experienced with trauma..but honestly, I need this place to help me..I work 2 jobs to support my 5 precious children, and though I cannot respond much here, I still seek support from you all..and I want to say a heartfelt, "thank you" to those who respond to my posts..I am blessed to be here....ALL of your words have tremendously helped me, they sure have....

Thanks (((((Climingkit)))))

Can you benefit from Cognative therapy - let me ask you this -

when you are with your therapist do you talk about your problems (any problem past or present) that you have encountered between your last appointment and your present one?

if so do you talk about how you solved that problem or your therapist and you talk about ways to solve that problem after you told her what happened?

If so you are already doing cognative therapy.

now think about if your talking about the problem. Did it help you to talk to your therapist about it?

If you solved the problem before going to the therapy session did telling your therapist about it and te solution you came up with help you to know you did the right thing for you?

If you didn't solve the problem before going to therapy when you and your therapiast were discussing the problem and the possible soltions did it help you?

Your answers will tell you if you are benefitting from doing cognative therapy even though you have no memories about your abuse.

Psychodynamics is basically re experiencing your memories so that you can know what you were feeling at the time the situation happened and then taking care of it.

an example of this is what I do focusing on a specific trigger or memory and letting myself experience both being in the here and now and also experience whatever memory is replaying in my head as a flashback or as I am acting the memory content out as "Mary" "katherine" and so on.

being co conscious while the memories are replaying as flashbacks and memory pieces (alters) and focusing on that memory and the matching triggers is hard. Its worth it but its hard because I feel the feelings just like they are happening for the first time because memories are stored that way.

Think of it this way psychodynamics is for example if you were raped letting yourself re experience (feel) the emotions, smells, tasates, sounds, touches, sights and pain of that rape.

Another example of psychdynamics is in my blog - LL and I using the sand tray. I relaxed myself into my tunnel area to the point where I was able to see LL but also experience the memories (flashbacks) that running my hand through the sand triggered and LL kept me focused on telling her about the memory that was replaying by asking me questions about the situation that I was telling her about. I cound feel the texture and coolness of both the present sand in the sand tray and the sand that was the memory of my playing in sand as a child. I could smell both the prese4nt sand tray and the smells that I did as a child playing in the sand. I felt the same emotions that were a part of that playing in the sand memory that was replaying as a flashback and memory piece.

I cant tell you if you should change from what you are doing now to psychdynamics but I can tell you that if you are ready to know what your forgotten memories are and can handle re experiencing the emotions and sense memories contained in those foprgotten memories then yes you can benefit from doing so.

If you decide to go for it spend a few sessions with your therapist talking about doing it and so on so that you can plan when and how to do it that will be the most safe for you. for example Doing it the week your therapist goes on vacation is not the right time to do it because you weill be flooded with the feelings and so on contained with in that memory.

I wish you peace and hope that you find what you need to guide you in your healing journey. In the end, it is what you need. Remember, nothing is engraved in marble. You can have a say in your therapy process. If you feel something isn't working, tell your T and discuss what other options are available. It is difficult to take that role. My T encourages me to take that active role in my therapy. It is quite scary and alot easier for me to say "what do you think we should do..." A learning process.
white iris

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climbingkit said:With this type of therapy do you just forget about the past(for me an abusive childhood)and deal with only the present?

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You should be dealing with how the events of your past are effecting you in the present. Events from the past aren't ignored, but they aren't dwelled on for their own sake...your therapist should guide you to an understanding of how those events effect the way you think, feel, and act today.

Climbing, I hear you!
Your concern about your T's modality of treatment resonates for me.
You are clearly stating that you have a need to talk about and be heard on past traumatic stuff. Otherwise, they take up space in your mind.
CBT is not my treatment of choice, when it's the only modality being used.
Trauma is not processed by reframing and finding solutions. Trauma is processed by talking about it to a trusted person. You experienced stuff without the benefit of another supportive presence. In therapy you have the opportunity to talk about those experiences and have the support of your T.
In my experience, talking about the stuff I wanna talk about, with a competent therapist, and within a trusting relationship with the T, enables me to loosen my grip on that stuff.
Too, I am of the opinion that a T should have extensive training in treating trauma, and I specifically look for someone with training in clinical psychology. (I stay away from CSWs, no offense to anyone please)
Perhaps what you are looking for is psychodynamic therapy.
If you enjoy reading, here are some books that I have found useful: books by Alice Miller, The Drama of the Gifted Child is one of her books.; books by Harriet Lerner, The Dance of Anger is my favorite;
You have a story to tell, and I believe it needs to be heard. That is the path to healing.
I wish you the best of luck on your journey to healing.

here are some links that will explain Cognative therapy in more details -

For example this -

What is cognitive therapy?
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a relatively short-term, focused psychotherapy for a wide range of psychological problems including depression, anxiety, anger, marital conflict, loneliness, panic, fears, eating disorders, substance abuse, alcohol abuse and dependence and personality problems. The focus of therapy is on how you are thinking, behaving, and communicating today rather than on your early childhood experiences. The therapist assists the patient in identifying specific distortions (cognitive assessment) and biases in thinking and provides guidance on how to change this thinking.

Cognitive therapy helps the patient learn effective self-help skills that are used in homework assignments that help you change the way you think, feel and behave now. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is action-oriented, practical, rational, and helps the patient gain independence and effectiveness in dealing with real-life issues.

is copied from http://www.cognitivetherapynyc.com/problems.asp

and another website that is a good one is

http://www.beckinstitute.org/

and this one is an encyclopedia that explains it very briefly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_therapy