Beginning CB,, DBT and EFT "tapping" therapy Day 1

[HallieChristine]

Hello all,

I am writing this post to document my journey in hopes that it may give others some comfort, and that I can someday look back on today and see how much progress I've made.

I have been in trauma therapy for nearly two years now, but we have rarely touched on my phobia. I am going through a spell currently where it is worse than normal (normal being doing behaviors, having thoughts, but not ALL of them controlling my life like now) - and I am unable to eat again. I am deep into my behaviors and finally last Tuesday (appointment day), I told my therapist that out of my two traumas or the phobia if someone were to ask me what we could erase, if we could only erase one, I sobbed and said the phobia. I can find ways to cope with losing my brother, and my r*pe, but not this phobia.

On that note, we are beginning a form of CBT/ EFT that involves me "tapping" on certain pressure points of my body while speaking to myself. ( There are youtube videos by Brad Yates showing this in detail if any of you are interested.) Basically, when I begin tapping I am to acknowledge the specific fear to myself and describe where it is in my body and what it feels like. Then I am to continue tapping while saying "despite this overwhelming fear, I completely and fully love and accept myself."

I was skeptical of this treatment at first because I felt a little embarrassed doing it in therapy, and I didn't understand how it could possibly help. However, apparently by tapping and speaking of your emotions/fears at the same time, it connects your left and your right brain. So the tapping is physical, the acknowledging is emotional - and when we can connect the two sides of our brain we are able to better cope with the anxiety / phobia because we are connecting with the "rational" side of our brains through the tapping.

I am sorry if this is confusing as I am rather panicked right now, I am sure if you were to search EFT Tapping it would explain in better detail than I can. We have only done this one in session so far, and he said it would take a while to see results. But even after doing it just once I felt more relieved, more grounded.

I will keep you all posted on how the treatment is coming, so long as there's interest. I am absolutely ecstatic that my therapist is finally willing to address this when nobody else ever has been willing.

Thank you all for your love and support,
Hallie

[Flowerchild]

Thank you for sharing ! I have heard of this technique and have heard of some people having success with it. I am curious to see how this unfolds and I am interested to hear updates if possible I hope it goes really well and you see results

[Heather_509]

How is your therapy going? I'm very interested to hear about this.

[HallieChristine]

Hello everyone,
The recovery is slow - going as I have been unwell with strep and have had multiple stressors in my life that have triggered the anxiety and phobia. So far I am only to use the tapping on my own when my anxiety is at a 7 or less, and to focus on the biggest emotion that comes with being triggered (usually fear.)
I have found that it lessens my anxiety to some extent, but because I am usually having flashbacks when I am triggered it is extremely difficult to control the panic and it lasts for hours.
There isn't much to update you with yet and I am sorry. I am hoping to have more progress once I can make it to my sessions again, but for now I am being constantly triggered by my body.
I'm sorry if this doesn't make much sense, I am very unwell at the moment. I hope each of you are being gentle with yourselves.
Hallie

[Heather_509]

Hi Hallie, so sorry to read you're unwell! Thank you for posting anyway. Wishing you all the best and looking forward to reading about your progress when you can get back in to your sessions.

[Flowerchild]

Don't be sorry ! It's a work in progress and set back do happen it's a part of recovery. I hope you feel better soon so you can continue with your treatment . I understand what it's like to be triggered by ones own body and I know how devastating that feels. I hope that you are not being to hard on yourself , you will get through this.

[Rinkosparrow]

I'm interested in hearing about your therapy! I just started therapy myself and am planning on starting a thread here about my recovery. I'm sorry you are going through this. I know how terrifying it is. Sending you love <3 hang in there.

[HallieChristine]

Thank you all so much for your kindness. It's Tuesday morning and I am getting ready to go to my therapy. I think we will be working on the phobia today. I promise to update as things happen.
Hallie