[HazelGirl]

For those that have been in therapy long enough to notice the positive impact, what has been the biggest benefit of therapy for you?

For me, I am more aware of my own thoughts and feelings, and their origins. I am no longer afraid or intimidated by how I feel, and I can manage my feelings. I used to feel so overwhelmed whenever any sadness or pain came out. Nowadays, I can acknowledge it, know where it is coming from, and work through it. I also can be more real with my emotions around others and I feel more connected to them as a result.

[stopdog]

I have taken phrases the therapist has tried out on me and use them at students, who unlike me, sometimes respond well to such nonsense.
Therapy has not had any effect on the reason I decided to try it out again.

[unaluna]

I notice it most, recently, in my interactions with my neighbors in the apartment complex. Im no longer an obnoxious yippy dog looking for their attention. Im calm, i speak when spoken to.

I get less overwhelmed during very stressful times, like right now (the start of the autumn term is always stressful and this year it has been more so than usual.) I have more confidence in my own ability to get through the crazy times, and I can more easily find a kernel of calm within myself. I still lose it completely from time to time and I do feel a lot of stress, but I handle it better and get through it more quickly.

And this was not even the main reason why I went to therapy, and I am seeing a psychodynamic T (I think CBT is perhaps more often associated with stress management, but PDT works for me.)

Thank you for this thread. I think it is a good thing to take stock of the positive change from time to time.

[HealingTimes]

I have been in therapy (with this T) for 4 years.

-I no longer binge and purge as often.
-I definitely don't SI as often.
-My world, life, feelings and emotions are not determined by what I do/don't eat that day.
-Emotionally, I am much healthier. I don't deny that I HAVE feelings and emotions.
-I care about myself a bit more than I did at the start.
-I can be more assertive with my family...this is work in progress!

[archipelago]

I've learned more about mental states and their interconnections. From this I've allowed myself to open up areas that I hadn't really developed as much since I was so overdependent on intellect. I've learned real compassion, for myself and others, not just seeing the wrongness of being victimized. I reached a point where my psyche was safe and strong enough to allow the processing of very early sometimes pre-verbal traumatic experience. And I guess what is up currently is that focusing on building a future where the past is just a factor but not a powerful or dominant factor is the setting up of a life with true freedom.

[Kated1984]

My self confidence has slowly started to improve and I'm starting to feel like I am worthwhile. I also don't 'listen' to the anxiety symptoms I feel in my body as much any more. I'm a lot calmer actually and I've only been in therapy around 8 months.

[StressedMess]

Just a few months under my belt so not much experience. I am on quite the cocktail of meds which dull the feelings down so I feel safe actually noticing them and working through them instead of stuffing them. The best thing I've noticed is that T won't allow me to be overly negative or place unnecessary blame on myself, and forces me to recognize my accomplishments. I need to do that more often.

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[kororain]

I've been going 8 months.

* I got a new job (old one was super horrible and the cause of much of my anxiety)
* I stopped letting thoughts of my dad control my life (he's been dead 10 years)
* My anxiety is sort of under control... sort of
* By quitting my old job, I also severed several unhealthy relationships with co-worker friends

I'm still screwed up, but... better.

[growlycat]

Most of all, I feel better…more comfortable in my own skin and pains come and go but less of the agonizing despair I used to feel. I feel loved.

The negative internalized parental crap has been mostly replaced with the kindness of my T's.

I am way more independent than I thought I'd ever be---living hundreds to thousands of miles away from my former supports.

My emotions still flood my ability to think things through calmly, but that is improving too.

There is so much. Therapy has been one of the best things I've ever done.

[sweepy62]

I have not Sh in a year.
I learned not to catastrophise too much.

I learned to be vulnerable .
Learned boundaries.
Learned assertiveness .

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[Victoria'smom]

I learned to ask for help.

[iheartjacques]

Panic attacks only in certain situations instead of almost constant.

[Ambra]

I don't feel like getting sick anymore, I'm starting to acknowledge my feelings, I am letting people get a bit closer and I started to cry.

[Terabithia]

Medication today is far better than it was in 1987. Therapy back then was an hour long, once a week, with my psychiatrist. At the time is was what I needed, to get in touch with myself. But now, I like the approach that doesn't focus on my past. Because I'm not dwelling on it, I feel better and I'm able to pay attention to others' feelings and needs more. I think this is a process, though. I don't think I could have just jumped into therapy without talking first about my past. My therapy today emphasizes the positive, while acknowledging the negative and trying to work with it.

I'm less afraid of being monstrous.

[LifeIsCruel]

I have seen no improvement

[HazelGirl]

I love these responses, y'all!

Originally Posted by LifeIsCruel

I have seen no improvement

How long have you been in therapy?

I have seen so many - therapy is THE best gift I have ever or could ever give myself. But the top one happened yesterday - I told T that I was frustrated and angry with her. Well yes so I cried when I said it, but I SAID it. Anger is SO hard for me.

- before this go-around of therapy I only ever made friends at work, and they were only at-work-friends. Now I've got a group of friends that I hang out with most weekends who have similar spiritual interests as me (we get together for drumming circles and shamanic journeying) that have nothing at all to do with work. First time in my adult life.
- i'm learning to claim my personal power, not there yet, but am making strides. Like doing that work trip to Tulsa recently, I had to be so far outside of my comfort zone, but I did it.

[Chartres]

I am not in denial anymore (at least most of the time) about my childhood abuse. I am much more accepting of myself, including my limitations and gifts. My boundaries are much stronger - I have boundaries! I am learning how to be more open and vulnerable with some people. My heart is opening. My ability to cope with difficult feelings without resorting to numbing and/or self-destructive behavior has increased. I want to live.

I can handle life now. I used to be a total wreck. Now i am healthy and happy.

[JustShakey]

I'm starting to feel what I feel rather than act like I've been told I should or how I logically conclude I should. It's very new to me and I feel very strange now, but it's a good kind of strange. I like it.
I suppose it's by extension of this but I also feel stronger, more assertive. I'm not longer opening myself in desperation to the (emotionally) unsafe people in my life. It's a little lonely, I do badly need caring people close to me, but it's not nearly as lonely as, well, looking for love in all the wrong places. I still have a ways to go. I'll get there, I know I will.

[ScarletPimpernel]

I can go outside my house alone, I can go to the grocery store, I can talk on the phone (though I still hate it), my health has dramtically improved, I'm driving again, I'm not living in a fairy tale (i.e. computer game).

About three years ago, a close friend of mine pushed me into seeking therapy. Some months later, he encouraged me to ask my pdoc to take me on as a psychotherapy client, since I could not connect to my T, but felt a lot of trust in my pdoc. My friend even wrote the pdoc a letter where he expressed his concern for me - it is one of the most caring things anybody has ever done for me, and I shall always be grateful to him for that. (My pdoc has been my T since then.)
Yesterday, this friend and I had a short email conversation, in which I mentioned that therapy is really hard but I am still glad that I am going. My friend then replied that he has seen real changes in me, in how resilient and capable of handling day-to-day difficulties I am today compared to three years ago. As I said in my previous post I have noticed this in myself, but it was really good to get this confirmation from an outside source.

[justdesserts]

I'm starting to find my own voice.