Posted by TamaraJ on May 26, 2005, at 15:38:18
In reply to confusion about therapy, posted by sunny10 on May 26, 2005, at 15:05:10
Sunny,
I am so sorry that you are struggling right now. I, personally, think your therapist should be giving you concrete techniques to help you "let the thoughts go". Of course, I don't have much experience with therapy, so I probably don't know what I am talking about LOL. Perhaps, you could try keeping a notepad and pen on the bedside table, and, when the intrusive thoughts come, write them down as a way to "deal" with them. Getting them out of your head and on to a piece of paper may prove therapeutic. I know when I take the time to write down things that I am ruminating about, it tends to put the thoughts into a different light and I can, most of the time anyway, move away from the ruminating and catastrophizing. Plus, I find that by writing it down, I can tell myself that I have got it out, so I don't need to play it over and over and over again in my head (at least not that day or night, as the case may be).
You are by no means a simpleton, Sunny, and you are by no means alone in dealing with this type of thing.
I think I would give the therapy a little more time, but make it clear what your goals are and what you hope to achieve from therapy as well as what you hope to LEARN from your therapist, which could include techniques to stop the ruminating in its tracks.
Good luck to you Sunny.
Tamara
> my new T got frustrated on Tuesday. I'm not saying that she was frustrated with ME; it actually seemed like she was more frustrated by her own limitations. I walked out feeling like this whole process is useless for me.
>
> I have been having trouble sleeping at night due to racing thoughts and catastrophizing. She was trying to explain that she "allows the thoughts to pass in and then back out of her head" and when I asked HOW one learns to be able to actually implement that action, she was at a loss for words. I KNOW that I'm supposed to acknowledge and validate my thoughts and feelings and then "simply let them go", as she says. "Simply" is a very complicated word to me, apparently. I am not able to do what she asks.
>
> The whole concept of "just do" this or that is frustrating to me because I AM intelligent. I am in therapy BECAUSE I do not know HOW to "simply let things go", although I am smart enough to know that I need to do this. And I desperately want to learn how people to do this, to "simply let things go".
>
> Is there anyone who has been through this particular issue and been able to come out through the other side being able to do this? And, if so, do you think you could explain it to a simpleton (regarding this)like me?
>
> I'm sure that there are many more of you who deal with this, too. I don't feel alone in this, I just want to know if it's something that actually CAN be learned... and HOW.
>
> Otherwise, I think I'm wasting my money on therapy...
>
> Thanks,
> sunny10
poster:TamaraJ
thread:503230
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20050521/msgs/503237.html