Posted by Amelia_in_StPaul on June 23, 2009, at 12:35:00
In reply to More than just one therapy......., posted by fleeting flutterby on June 22, 2009, at 13:43:02
Mandy, what a great post. I wish I felt up to contributing, but I'm sort of exhausted just now by these issues. However, I do want to say that I eventually want to come back and talk about DBT, what it does, and how it's helped me. In concert with CBT, it has done for me what nothing else has--not medication, not talk therapy, etc.
Of course, in my individual sessions with my DBT therapist (for those who don't know, when you are in DBT, you have DBT group meetings and then individual therapist with a DBT specialist), we do talk about stuff from my childhood, etc., but only to illuminate what my triggers are and to help me work with those triggers and try to calm my reactions to them. I shouldn't say "only"--my therapist validates my experiences, even if he does provide gentle challenges to my way of thinking or reacting, and that is essential to this process too. Also, the thing about DBT is that you learn a lot of skills--and you learn that you have been using skills all along, but doing so, now, intentionally, and having a menu of skills you can choose from, makes skills-use all the more effective. It's about building mastery.
I have a wonderful individual therapist and a wonderful group. I don't know how I got along all this time without it. But I'd like to eventually post some studies on DBT, b/c there have been so many that show how well it works.
I personally think DBT works best for learning how to 1) tolerate distress (a huge thing--distress being, of course, anxiety, rage, anger, depression, etc.) 2) identify and assert one's boundaries 3) make wise-minded (emotion and rationality in balance) decisions 4) stand up for oneself, but also give to others (that's just as essential) 5) stop dissociation and probably other things I can't think of just now.
But I do think CBT is essentially for figuring out what gets a person into a state of distress in the first place. Sometimes it's triggers, those knee-jerk, often post-traumatic, responses to things, and sometimes it's one
s faulty cognitions. DBT will take care of the former; CBT, the latter.We do not do anything psychodynamic, and there's isn't a single piece of psychodynamic theory in our work, but that doesn't mean, of course, that we don't talk through issues, and that my therapist doesn't serve as someone important in my life--someone with whom I can practice being in a kind of relationship, though I want to stay away from any implication of transference, since that's not in our vocabulary, and for me, not useful.
I did have a psychodynamic therapist at the age of 18, and that worked at the time for what I needed.
I am sorry to hear about the horrible things you have suffered.
And YES, it definitely sounds like you are doing CBT. You are working on cognitions, it sound like--what you think or feel when something happens--you work to identify those thoughts and feelings--and then practice skills in between. That is definitely CBT.
Also, I want to say that it isn't only in psychodynamic forms of therapy that people talk about what's happened to them in childhood and etc. But the frameworks are different--why a client is encourage to talk about it would be different in different forms of therapy. It may be that you and your T are doing some psychodymamic work.
Regardless, it sounds like you are getting a lot of help, which is great. It does sound eclectic, which as Scott has said elsewhere (I think), is what many people do.
> I hope those that have posted or are interested in posting about CBT, DBT and other therapies will feel they are welcome to do so here.
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> I think I, and probably many others that lurk and some that post, would benefit widely from other experiences and insights on various types of therapies in addition to psychodynamic. I think, for me, 20% psychodynamic and the rest(80%) various types of behavioral/cognitive changes-- would be an ideal mix, in my case that is. I was stunted in every way by early childhood trauma, abuse and neglect so I really need to improve in all areas. (thinking, behavior, relationship etc...) and I also need some things that psychodynamic therapy can provide.
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> The therapist I'm seeing now seems to do a bit of everything, at least i think so. We work on my knee jerk reactions, and where they come from, how to work through them and I've been able to understand a few so well that I'm able to stop the "reaction" before it starts. Doesnt that seem like we are doing several kinds of therapies?? We look at way past- then current- and how to cope in productive ways with the present and future. I've not been encouraged to be dependant-- I have zero outside contact with T. unless there is a real dire emergency-- like when my son was in the hospital. I am expected to use what I've learned so far-- in 16 months-- to cope inbetween sessions. This I figure is CBT and not psychodynamic. Seems psychodynamic encourages dependance(is that right?) and that for me would have a never ending cycle! But-- I do need to look back at my childhood in order to understand where dysfunctions are rooted and why some are such very strong roots. (I dissociate and so things can get foggy) without that background understanding, I don't think CBT would work for me.
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> What I'm trying to say-- probably quite scattered-- is that I think that a mix of therapies is a good way to go for many. And I hope those that have varying experiences and knowledge will continue to post here so I and many others can see that there is more than one way to "fold a napkin". ;o) (ummmm yea, I tend to word things differently-- welcome to my schizo-world) :o)
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> wishing all a good day
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> flutterby-mandy
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poster:Amelia_in_StPaul
thread:902623
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090614/msgs/902754.html