Exposure Therapy-Sage?

[terified girl]

Hi everyone, it's been a long time. I hope everyone is doing good.


Sage I really need your advice, I am doing CBT and this is going to be my 7th session and I just have this off feeling about the therapy, I know it's not me afraid to go on but that my therapt is not good. Let me explain, since seeing him, he's shown me relaxation techniques to do at home which after a few times of doing I got really bored doing. Now he showed me a meditation technique, but the couple of times I've done my mind is just not focusing. Anyways that's all he's done on his part. Yes we talk alot and sometimes I don't think its appropriate but whatever. I told him how the movie Duplex freaked me out badly with the v* scene because seeing it was horrible but the sound was just a nightmare (most movies sound fake, this one actually made me feel like I was the one being sick, it sounded so real I could picture the motions of it,it's hard to explain). Anyways he told me to watch it over and over and told me to start slowly, but I couldn't do it. Then I mentionned another movie, Bring it on, and I knew I could handle it and so he told me to start with that one. Now I did it no problem and told him so and you know what he said to me? Ok find another one to watch... What am I paying this guy for really? He's not suggesting things and he doesn't have a list of things for me to do, I just feel like either I'm moving way to fast and that all we're suppose to be doing is talking or this guy doesn't know what he's doing. I really need to know what you think Sage because I don't want to quit because everyone will think I quit because I don't want to try but I don't want to keep going to someone who's not going to help at all.


Also Sage I read another therapy topic and they are all doing some sort of steps on the computer of exposure therapy that is from you. Can you tell me where I can find it? And can I do it alone or should I do it with my therapist? You should also know he has no computer or tv, isn' that bad? Because we'll never actually do exposure together unless its pictures but I don't even know if he's got that on the agenda.


Thanks Sage!


Sonia

[kel12347]

My two cents: Print out Sage's info sheet on the Treatments forum and bring it to him. Let him read it, and then discuss it at the next session. It sounds like he wants to help, but he doesn't quite know what to do. This was similar to my therapist. But once she and I went through Sage's hierarchy, and added a couple steps, there is a very clear direction to the therapy. You need to work together with him to put together your hierarchy (although Sage's is a prety much perfect ready made one). I think it's good that he's letting you be in the driver's seat, it just sounds like he's not familiar with emet, which is actually okay.


Good luck!

[ontariogirl]

Good Luck

[terified girl]

Thank you! I actually did give him a copy of Sage's info and we did do a hierarchy. Nothing yet though, maybe my hierarchy sucks? Maybe that's why we haven't gone any further than just looking it over?

[japa]

Well, I know Sage will give a great answer, but I am going to throw in my $.02.


Oh, I would say that you definitely shouldn't quit with him. He does not sound like a bad therapist. I believe that in any kind of psychotherapy, even if it's cognitive and behavioral, you will do a lot of talking about your emotions and thoughts, and that is all a part of understanding the roots of your problems and how to get better. Sometimes it may seem like the talk isn't getting anywhere, but for me, it has always led to a productive point.


It does sound as though he is trying to do exposure therapyby having you watch the movies, but he had you going too far by watching Duplex. You are supposed to start with the very easy movie like you ended up doing, and sage has been saying to watch it over and over again until you are bored with it. Maybe you are already at that point.


Under the treatments thread, there is a thread with a link tothe exposure therapy pictures that you can look at. There is also a list of movies there that you can watch, and work your way up to more and more graphic scenes. So, in a way, your therapist is on the right track with the movie watching. But maybe you can do the pictures on that site first and then report back to him about your progress. It seems like some people are doing the pictures by themselves and not with the therapist in the office. In fact, you would have to do the pictures and so on by yourself mostly because 1 or 2 hours a week with the therapist is not enough to desensitize you and get you bored with the pictures. You are supposed to stare at them every day for a decent period of time, like 20 minutes or something, and you won't be with the therapist every day in order to do that.


About the relaxation technique, isn't it something you're supposed to do if you feel anxious or panicked in order to calm you down? The fact that it makes you bored sounds like a good thing to me because when you are bored, I doubt that you are anxious or panicked. To me that sounds as though the technique is useful, but maybe there is something that I am not understanding.


I would continue longer with him, and try to work things out. No therapist will ever be perfect, but he sounds like he has potential to work with you on this.

[sage]

ya thanks everyone for your excellent responses.


i'm a little confused. you say you developed a hierarchy, yet you're starting with movies. what happened to pictures first? are you ok with them all?


def. go to the link on the treatments thread and see if you have any anxiety with picture #1, etc. don't try to look at them all. follow the instructions.


in short, my advice is to TELL YOUR THERAPIST WHAT YOU TOLD US. let him know you're confused about treatment, and ask what the plan is. you deserve this.


basically, if you like this guy ok, then stick with him. but you may have to educate him. they aren't mind-readers!


good luck