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CBT w/o a Dr?


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Hey everyone,

So far so good on my "self-therapy". :(

It's been a year since I was in therapy with someone and I think I'm doing better now that I was when I left therapy.

Of course, that's not to say I haven't had some back sliding and "episodes", but overall I think things are going well. :o

confuzzed:)

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  • 1 month later...
Guest ASchwartz

Hi Fraggie, and all,

Self help is good if you can do it. Fraggie is correct. Many people cannot do it and really need a psychologist to do the CBT with. What do each of you think?

Allan

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I agree with much of what's already been said. It's not always that a person might not be motivated enough but a therapist can offer the encouragement and insight that the person may not have. I know in my practice I've had many who would probably be fine on their own but need that "cheerleader" so to speak to keep moving forward. I'm happy to do that!! :rolleyes:

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im reading a book called FEELING GOOD its cbt on your own, but seriously unless your extremely motivated, a therapist would help. I cant be my own therapist coz im not to the point to be objective. Confuzed im curious how your coming along

I can relate, there is security and comfort in having weekly appts that help speed the process. I like the book you are using but it is so comprehensive it would have overwhelmed me if I started with it. I think that's why a simple CBT book like the by Sam Obitz and Michelle Craske was the one we used in my CBT and is used with so many CBT groups. The TEA form exercise in it is still a staple in my daily routine:)

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Hi everyone. Hi Tmays. I just realised what you meant when you posted you had 'bumped' me. Thank you. :D

Is the book you are talking about, CBT by Sam Obitz and Michelle Craske one that is easy to follow on your own? I find it difficult to do things alone, I know if I had the chance I would definitely need the help of a therapist, since that isn't possible I want to get a book that has easy to follow steps.

Take care.:(

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Endlessnight that is the right book. You will not find an easier book on cbt as it is real simple and focuses on three main exercises so it does not overwhelm you with a lot of different exercises like a lot of self help books. Plus the three exercises work well together and are similar to each other. Let me know if you have any more questions?

The books website is www.tao3.com if you want to read more about it including the book's foreword.

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Yes it is really simple and only has a few different exercises in it. It is also very inspirational in that the author himself suffered from bad anxiety problems for many years before getting better. I hope it is helpful to you. The TEA form exercise is the one that has helped me the most but they were all useful to me at different times.

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five.... Hopefully endless is feeling so much better he does not need to come back anymore. A friend told me to be careful on support sites because a lot of people just disappear once they start feeling better:mad:

I know now that I am doing great I am pretty sporadic myself on posting but I do try and come back to encourage others with my successes.

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Cynthia I feel the same as you about when feeling better people disappear which is fine I guess they have moved on.

If one person feels just a little happpier, feels a little more understood, feels a little more inspired or even feels there is something good that can come out of one thing I say or share, then its all worth it.

In sharing, there is also healing.... :(

Well said and nice to meet you Linda:p

Are you really the mom of 7? Wow!

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Hi Tmays Thanks so much for asking how I am doing. How are you? I removed my posts because of a few reason was was one of privacy issues with the internet and the other was because some people don't want to read about feeling good and recovering it seems maybe I wasn't meeting my depressed posts quota and sometimes moving on is best.

I guess I was lucky to see this in my email box. I am doing great. I had started to feel a shift finally after I started the mental health certified peer program in our state. I was either going to Timber Line Knolls a residential treatment center for women with trauma or I was going to give it a try and see if I could last through the 4 month training program. It actually threw me into a recovery that I had not felt in years. And it started with learning about WRAP by Mary Ellen Copeland. Wellness Recovery Action Program. Please for anyone reading this please google it. It basically saved my life. This self maintained wellness concept helped me understand all my triggers, my wellness tools that I need daily, my crisis signs and what I need to do to help myself and basically it allowed me to shift from feeling helpless and reactive to feeling in control and proactive. It has allowed me to understand what is going on and it allows me to do what I need to do to stay healthy.

So during my training classes which are others who are recovering from a mental illness this support helped me to learn and be able to help others. Not only help others but to help advocate for changes to the mental health field at least here in my state of NJ. After living through what is wrong with the psychiatric system, I am advocating for changes and aiding in recovery for all.

My advocacy part is women and trauma informed care. I am on a mission to do implement a Womens mental health awareness and recovery campaign and I have been networking so much I have been getting the attention of the people in power in government. Through conferences and workshops I am learning and advocating and the response to me has been wonderful and that in of itself is wonderful in keeping me healthy.

I am focusing on the good rather then the bad and that there is nothing wrong with me. Life has its twists and turns and its OK to have taken some detours and with the help of me still not taking any psychiatric medications, my natural level of cycling has finally leveled out. I still cycle about every week and a half but it is so much more manageable because I use my WRAP to help me get through if it does get bad. But it hasn't and that is a wonderful thing for me. Without it I would be dead right now and I hope by anyone reading this there is a message of hope. And, hope is anything you want it to be it is everyone's own definition and it is attainable.

I am working in a very large hospital in Philadelphia in the acute care unit and I would have ever thought I would walk near a hospital let alone work in a place that was once a very huge trigger for me. So amazing where my life has gone and I am very thankful for all that I have met in my journey.

Do you know what helped me? It was typing yes typing I feel that it was this typing that helped move some of the stuckness I was feeling from the subconsious to the consious. I am continuing this typing with a private PTSD online group that many here on the forum are in and it has helped me tremendousely. I would like to do a study in the hospital and see if 'typing' has a similar reaction to in 'moving' our thoughts as is done with EMDR or sand tray therapy. Lots going on and I look forward to getting up everyday now.

I hope many of you who do read this feels a little inspired in what can come of ourselves. WE CAN DO IT!!!!!

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