Creating a collage is another way of allowing your internal system parts to tell more about themselves. Pictures can be a powerful way of communicating. And a collage - a collection of pictures - can tell a lifetime of stories. Most trauma survivors were repeatedly told by their abusers, "Do not tell". Violence, threats, abuse, and pain often accompanied these rules. How many times did you hear "don't say … [Read more...]
10 Qualities Therapists Recognize in Good Clients, part 2
Hello, I hope this day finds you doing well. The first part of this article certainly caused a little stir, and maybe raised a few eyebrows along the way. Please know, my intention in posting these blogs is not to offend anyone. If you have any questions or concerns about anything I've posted, please comment and let me know what you're thinking! And here's a big Thank You! to the folks who did comment to the … [Read more...]
Interviewing a new Therapist – Questions to Keep in Mind
It appears that several of the readers of this blog have gone through the wringer in terms of finding a good trauma therapist. When you are interviewing new therapists, in addition to clarifying that they have the skills and training it takes to provide proper treatment for your trauma issues, it is also important to ask about their approach to trauma work. Make sure their views match or blend with your own … [Read more...]
Blocking Therapy vs. Therapeutic Mismatch
Let's start with Castorgirl's comment to the article "Therapy for Trauma Survivors": Hi Kathy, An interesting post. It raises many issues that have been a struggle over the last three years of therapy… The question whenever things don’t seem to be going well in therapy always seems to come back to - “Is this our fault?” Are we sabotaging our own recovery, misinterpreting what has been said or … [Read more...]
Are Specialized Trauma Therapists Necessary?
What advantages are there to having a trauma therapist specializing in Dissociative Disorders? I am writing this post in response to a question asked by BehindtheCouch. BTC wrote, “do you think that a “trauma client” (ie one with PTSD or a dissociative disorder) should necessarily be treated by a specialised “trauma therapist” or, in your opinion, could any therapist who has the skills … [Read more...]