Lived Experience Forum

[Oaktree]

Has anyone here tried trauma therapy? Was it helpful? Is it worth re-living the traumatic memories for? I need to do it but I am scared.

Meggle

[AussieRecharger]

Hey Meggle, 

I am learning about this subject now.  I guess to answer your question is do you think you will be in a safe space to relive these experiences. If you feel safe, what is it that you will be scared off?  

Being in a safe space and having experience help that you trust means you can try to experience this type of therapy and if it does not work for you, then you have trusted supports to help you with whatever you face. 

I think this type of therapy works when the person is correctly supported and feels safe to explore the trauma without feeling like they need to react to what they are reliving. Don't go into it looking to come out different, just go into it seeing if you learn something new about yourself. 

I hope that helps.. 

[Oaktree]

Thanks for your response @AussieRecharger 

I have worked with my clinical psychologist for some time and did come  to a place where I trusted her but due to some ill health we had to take a break. Looking at restarting as soon as she has space and she wants to tackle the trauma therapy stuff now but I am not sure if I will need to build up that trust again or if it will already be there. Not sure...

Meggle

[AussieRecharger]

@Oaktree

This is just my thought process so feel free to ignore, but i would work out what trust means to you, ie are you being judged.. I would throw out a comment to elict a response from your consellor so that you can see how they respond. I have learnt over the years that by doing the wrong thing, i find out how people will react and if they will work to help me or judge me. 

[Emelia8]

Hi @Oaktree .  I only really know you through the letter writing thread, but have seen you around quite a lot which is great to see.

Can I ask you what type of trauma therapy your are planning to have?  There are a number of options.  I also have PTSD and have undergone several types of trauma therapy with a well respected trauma-trained clinical psychologist.

I have had CBT, Prolonged Exposure Therapy and EMDR ... in that order, over several years.  Each were effective to a degree, but each therapy was very intense.  Not something I would have undertaken unless I had full confidence in my therapist.  Fortunately I had been seeing her for a couple of years prior to undergoing these therapies, and we had a good rapport and understanding by then.

You are welcome to pick my brain for anything specific if you so desire.

Emelia 🌸

[Oaktree]

Hi @Emelia8 

I am going to be doing imagery rescripting. Not sure exactly what's that going to exactly look like. My psychologist is experienced in it so I am hoping for the best. We do have a good therapeutic relationship and a good rapport. I think I trust her but I do have trust issues so that could be changeable.

Meggle

[Mazarita]

Hi @Oaktree I personally am very wary of trauma therapy at this time in my life. But I am just one person. We are all different and find healing in different ways.

Decades ago I spent years trying to heal my dark memories and emotions from childhood trauma and just dug myself more and more into a pit. Much of this was not the doing of my psychiatrist/counsellor at the time. It was that I became obsessed about my traumas.

Very recently attempted a trauma-release hypnosis series with my new psychologist/hypnotherapist, but discontinued as it really just stirred up intense emotions and memories again, and again without release from them. Fortunately he followed the discontinued session with a very healing, deeply calming, tranquillity hypnosis that settled those intense feelings and memories again.

I actually plan to ask my psychologist about him helping me through hypnosis to recover and grow my memories of the happier times in my life. For such a long time, they have seem so clouded and overwhelmed in my memory by the dark times.

I wonder if revisiting and accumulating memories of the small moments and events of happiness and enjoyment in my life may be beneficial to how I feel about my life when I look back at the story of me.

[Oaktree]

@Mazarita 

Growing your happy memories seems a better way to go. Thanks for taking the time to respond it was very helpful. Good luck with future feelings of happiness and contentment.

Meggle

[Mazarita]

Hi @Oaktree well wishes with your happiness and contentment into the future as well.