Posted by mikhail99 on February 5, 2003, at 8:50:06
In reply to cyclotherapy, posted by likelife on February 5, 2003, at 1:47:10
> Reading some of the posts here got me thinking about the cyclical nature of therapy. I know I've read the term 'cyclotherapy' somewhere, referring to the idea that issues that come up in therapy just seem to keep coming up, perhaps in slightly different forms, but the rough content is the same.
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> I know I've experienced this in my therapy, and it drives me crazy, because it makes me feel as if I'm making very little progress. I know overall that the loops don't just circle back on themselves; that there is some forward movement as well, but it's frustrating nonetheless. I've brought it up numerous times with my therapist, usually under the guise of asking whether she's getting sick of hearing the same things over and over again. She continues to tell me that she will repeat the same messages to me, in a consistent manner, until I start to believe some of them myself.
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> Why is it that there are some things we just can't make ourselves believe, even when there is a preponderence of evidence that they are true? Is this some kind of cognitive impairment? My therapy has been mostly of the CBT variety, which I admit also drives me somewhat crazy. I can achieve an intellectual understanding of the concepts--yes, my thoughts affect my moods--but it hasn't helped me much in changing those thoughts.
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> Just rambling now. Does this sound familiar to anyone?Yes, very familiar! I often wonder the same things too and if my insurance is going to limit the amount of sessions I can have with my therapist, can I be fixed? :-)
I think what you said about the loops is true, that there is forward movement but I think sometimes the progress is so small, we may not realize it that our thought processes are changing. I don't often realize it until I'm talking to my therapist about an incident and then I realize that I was able to use some of the things he's taught me. I try to focus on these little successes because I think if I do, the lesson is more firmly planted in my mind.
I wonder too about the cognitive impairment. I find sometimes that when I'm successful in changing my thought patterns, I start worrying that I'm too self-aware and WHY do I have to, in addition to all the other crap I obsess about, be hyper-aware of all my negative thought patterns? Does this make sense? I guess it's pointless to allow myself to get to that point but if I could control that kind of thinking, I wouldn't be in therapy, would I? :-)
I'm giving myself a headache!!!
oy.
Mik
poster:mikhail99
thread:2500
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20030203/msgs/2508.html