3 sessions in

Exactly. She doesn't know you, you don't know her, and neither of you know your alters or even if they are in fact true dissociative alters.

Some people here have posted you have done a lot of healing with both this therapist and others but from all you have posted here over the last few months that is not the case at all. You are absolutely not ready for integration of traumas you have no awareness of and parts you don't know.

Moreover, SHE has - NO IDEA - about what traumas may or many not be there and what any alters may or may not be protecting. Messing with that kind of unknown is unethical at best and could completely destabilize and drive you over the edge at worst.

The whole idea of it is absolutely absurd.

She seems tunnel-visioned.

I dont know what to do.

I was going to post and add what I think but I believe Amyjay has said everything I would have.

So what do I do?

What do you do? That has to be YOUR decsion.We can tell you what we think but we can't tell you what to do.

I am contacting another therapist to switch.

This one specializes in PTSD and Dissociative Disorders and uses these techniques

Attachment-based
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Expressive Arts
Family Systems
Gestalt
Person-Centered
Psychodynamic
Sandplay
Solution Focused Brief (SFBT)
Trauma Focused

Wish me luck please.

Good luck,for real,I hope it all goes well for you

Good luck, Dnester. I hope you find a therapist who is trustworthy, respectful and is able to support and guide you in your quest for self understanding with an open mind.

Thanks guys I just have to go with my gut instinct. I took some test with this lady 15 years ago I dont even remember what the test was or said. She just remembers my diagnosis. Does not have my records. Met with my therapist one time and has seen me 3 times and claims I have a perpetrator alter and I should consolidate all my littles. What if that messes me up? Its just not a risk I am willing to take to continue seeing her.

Wishing you luck as well! From all I can tell, your instinct is right.

Question do you know what SFBT is and how to do it...

this is a therapy where you and the therapist will be setting up a treatment plan where it may seem like your therapist is pushing you very hard and does not go into past issues. it keeps you focused on finding solutions for the problems you are having today and teaches you to think not in a way where you expect others to tell you what to do. the therapist is going to have you questioning and answering for your beliefs, problems and going way beyond what you can find online or in books and movies.

here is an example ....

Therapist.... Hi amanda on a scale of 1-10 how are you feeling today?

Amanda.... Hi T.Im feeling about a 3 right now.

T...............What makes it a 3 instead of say a 4 or 5?

Amanda ....This happened this morning and that happened this morning, this person did this and this is going on in my head and...

T.............If a Miracle happened tonight while you were sleeping and those problems were not there what would your life look like?

Amanda .... what would my life be like if all this wasnt happennig?

T... yes if something happened during the night while you were sleeping that solved all these problems what would your life look like?

Amanda..... it would look like a 10 on the scale

T... what does a 10 look like to you?

Amanda.........it looks like..........

T...... ok in order to remove these problems while you are sleeping what would this miracle need to include?

the interview questions continue until you find your own solutions to your problems. it forced you to think not in terms of theres one right answer and to focus on what your own present life is like and what you need to solve those problems. leads you into being in control of your own healing, whether you heal from your problems is all in your own hands.

it does not focus on a specific mental disorder, getting diagnosis's and learning about various mental disorders. and it does not focus on looking at the past, your alters and all that.

its all focused on finding out what your problems are today in your life and finding solutions for those problems in your day to day life. it is very structured, kind of feels almost like you did in school when a teacher caught you not paying attention and threw a question your way. the questions are asked in a way that you can not formulate answers ahead of time and because they are answers about you and your own life its not something you can find in books and on the internet.

its actually a really good therapy technique that my own therapists and I have used in my life. it takes some getting used to and most people I tell about it online think my therapist is doing things wrong, is weird, strange, doesnt know anything...because this therapy approach is so different than the typical therapy stuff,

this therapy actually moves you along into healing faster because its all focused on finding solutions rather than delving into the past. no one tells you what to do, how to do it nor what your problems are called. so their opinions are not getting in the way of who and how you do things.

by the way yes this works for healing from all mental disorders. a person doesnt have to know all their alters and all their traumas to do this kind of therapy. you just go in and the therapist asks you questions and you answer based on your scales that you and your therapist set up about you, you answer the questions as they relate to you and the questions keep coming until you figure out what you want to do about your problem.

That sucks this whole three months is supposed to be about dealing with dissociative disorder issues. I will be sure to ask her if she can help me in other ways then or I will end up having to stay with my Psychologist.

Though this prospective T may have training in all of the methods listed, I would hope that they would choose their modality based on what's best for the client in front of them, rather than taking a 'lucky dip' approach.

Many T's list various methods in which they have training, then use what will be most useful to the client. So that doesn't mean she'd used the brief form on you. As I've been told before, the first session is partly for you to interview the T, to see if they seem like a good fit. Ask her how she'd plan to address your specific issues, what methodologies/techniques she'd use. If it doesn't seem like it would work for you, move on.

I didnt post what it was in frames of thats all that will happen with this therapist.

my point was that I was wondering if you knew what those things are in the list you posted or if you just saw the list and went " this one looks good, think Ill see this one" and then later on you discover it wasnt what you thought it was going to be.

many people that I know see a whole list of things a treatment provider does and thinks "wow this is a good therapist for me" with out actually knowing what those types of therapy are.

my suggestion before choosing another therapist, when you see lists like this actually check out what those therapies are and decide whether those things are for you.

now you know what SFBT is. move on to checking out what another one is in that list...

example...

do you know what Family Systems is? you can find out that information by looking up and researching Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS)

Do you know what Gestalt therapy model is? or what Expressive Arts Therapy is, or what psycho dynamic therapy is, or what Person Centered Therapy model is? or any of the other kinds of therapies in that list.

my suggestion is never go into therapy with someone unless you know exactly what the therapies are. that way you know what to expect from you and from the therapist and you can find yourself a good match for a therapist.

I know so many people who just jump into seeing this therapist or that one and then end up with lots of complaints and problems because that therapist isnt a good match. if you want a good match you need to know what types of therapy techniques work for you then find someone who does that therapy technique.

really check out those things on the list before making your decision of if you want this kind of therapist and do the kind of work that they do. Always, Always check out what services they offer, what therapy techniques they use, and always check out what their expectations / rules and such are. that way you dont waste alot of time with someone who doesnt match up with your views are of what you need and want to do in therapy.

when I am choosing a new therapist I treat it like people do when they are buying a new car or new house. its not going to work if it doesnt fit me.

I agree with LOTT and LT. Most Ts list a wide range of their modalities on their information sites, and then formulate a treatment plan based on your needs and treatment goals. I don't think you are going to have to worry about the T doing SFBT at you when you walk in the door!

What you do know is that your current therapist's approach is making you very uncomfortable. Most therapists would argue that the success of therapy largely rests on the relationship between the two people in the room. The only way to figure this out is by going and meeting the therapist in person.

I just think it is quite interesting that she first of all said she would not retest me from 15 years ago because I am on meds. Then she said she wanted hypnotize me to fuse my alters and when I was actually considering I had asked her would she use hypnsis to find out why and when my alters were created. She said no we dont need to I can teach you how to do that.

I cant find it but there was one with a cat sitting like the therapist and a client on the couch. It said that sounds stressful sir. Have you ever tried pushing a bunch of **** off the table. I thought it was cute.

I am so bummed right now. The lady I contacted said she doesnt accept my insurance. I looked and looked and either they are LPC's which cant diagnose, dont accept my insurance or are male. I refuse to see a male therapist. Been there done that. I cant go without a therapist, this one is dangerous, ****!!!!

I meant to put this somewhere else.

Dnester, LPCs, like LCSWs, are master's-level clinicians trained to provide therapy and diagnose mental illness including dissociative disorders. They cannot prescribe medication, but it does not seem like you're seeking that kind of treatment.

Source

Do you think you could find an LPC or LCSW to provide just supportive therapy until your regular T gets back?

I could but I was hoping to take this time to get help for dissociative disorder issues. My T knows nothing about dissociative disorders and because she knows nothing she is actually going to be doing supervision under the T I am seeing now and having a problem with so either way I will still technically be treated by this same woman as my T on vaca is going to be looking to her for advice. ****!

Idk she told me on the phone she was a LPC and therefore cant diagnose.