Posted by jay on October 7, 2003, at 8:37:27
In reply to confused about what is good...may trigger*****, posted by justyourlaugh on October 3, 2003, at 15:53:41
> on tuesady i talked with my social worker about the past..
> lots of childhood si...
> now i cant stop thinking about si..i was real confident i was getting better..
> could talking about it be triggering me?
> i am picking at my head...noticing the knives i am putting away after meals...
> i am so very hurt that this seems to have showed its horrible head ...again..
> ?
> confused about going forward with weekly visits..
> any help..
> i am lost as to who to ask for advice??
> jyl
>JYL:
Sorry to hear...really! That sounds like unacceptable therapist behaviour. Catharsis (letting out emotions) is rarely productive in therapy. In fact, it can lead people to feeling "stuck".
What I would highly recommend (as a fellow Social Worker...even if I am f***ed up...heh) is focusing on the "here and now". This is much like Person-Centered counselling, Brief-Treatment, with some CBT thrown in. Think of it this way:
-Goal directed (i.e. short and long term)
-Try to develop a 'contract' (I will put up an example if anyone wants)
-Goal setting/implementation strategies (this is a bit tougher than it sounds...so focus on both short and long term *realistic* goals, which can be part of your contract. If they don't pan out, it's not your fault, it just means they may need to be adjusted.)The counsellor is likely/should be equipped with all of the excellent latest tools in empathy, interviewing skills, body language, etc.
So, maybe take some of this info to your counsellor, and explain in very concrete ways what you are looking for. The older psychotherapeutic/cathartic therapies have been proven not be very useful, and they are rarely even offered now in training in college/universities.
Please let me know what you think.
Best wishes,
Jay
poster:jay
thread:265278
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030925/msgs/266274.html