Link to my article on pregnancy/birth trauma

http://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/pregnancy-birth-trauma-expectations-0409125/.

"Am I Crazy? Because I feel crazy...."

In working with trauma survivors (as well as other presenting challenges such as anxiety or depression) the symptoms themselves often make clients feel crazy.  "Why am I living in the past?  What am I so scared/angry/sad right now-nothing is happening that is making me feel that way?  Why do I keep thinking about these things or having these thoughts over and over again?  Why can't I stop?"  These are questions, often presented in a state of exacerbation, that are posed to me regularly.  My response is "no, you are not crazy you are healthy!" I know that I have said this in different ways at various times, but I do view PTSD symptoms, in particular, as somewhat functional in that it seems to be the brains attempt to digest overwhelming material.  I think this could apply to other challenges in mental health as well.  For example, if we are struggling with anxiety, the symptoms (typically physical and coincide with a particular thought set) lead us down our treatment path.  The symptoms tell us precisely where the work lies; the identified fear (once it is identified by therapist and client; this can take a while sometimes) can also provide specific information about the person and their history.  In a larger sense, I wonder if many of the mental health issues that bring people into treatment fall under this umbrella-perhaps they are the body's attempt to recover and can tell us specifically what needs to happen to heal from old wounds.  Sometimes, with depression for example, these symptoms can occur following an injury to the body.  Clearly it is distressing to have our bodies hurt and this in itself can present something for us to chew on, but I also wonder if depression forces us to rest so our bodies can heal?  This is just a thought but I have this pressing curiosity about the function of our psychological ailments and what they tell us.  So, when PTSD symptoms overwhelm us, or anxiety or depression, I would argue that it is typically a sign of health and an attempt to heal.  The symptoms themselves may be trying to do that (a previous poster alluded to this concept as well).  If we had a non-response to something terrible, that would be a problem that would concern me far more than flashbacks, nightmares, hallucinations, multiple personalities, or other constellations of symptoms.  So, no, you're not crazy at all :).

What is the most important aspect of trauma treatment for you?

There are several treatment approaches employed by therapists in the treatment of trauma, and I am curious to hear from survivors what actually matters most to you?  We (therapists) often assume that whatever modality we use, our skill set and our experience are the most significant, but I wonder what do you look for in a therapist?  What has worked for you?  What hasn't?  Is it most important to feel connected to the therapist as a person or is their skill set more valuable?  Do they need to specialize in the issue that brought you in for treatment?  Is geography what you care about (i.e. their office needs to be close to your house or the therapist needs to offer services remotely)?

If you have been in treatment before without success, what clearly has not worked for you?  Are there modalities that were ineffective or you didn't care for?

I am curious to hear your responses!  Thank you very much!  ~Athena