Posted by Dinah on October 17, 2008, at 21:55:20
In reply to Re: I'm not sure what to do » Dinah, posted by lemonaide on October 17, 2008, at 21:41:44
Unfortunately EMDR just didn't work for me. The therapist got pretty fed up with me the last session and pretty much told me we were wasting both our time. She then switched to EFT, I think, but neither had the slightest effect on me.
I'm not entirely sure why something that works well on others should be so ineffective with me. My therapist thinks my observing self is just too strong and keeps me from fully committing to the process or allowing anyone else to have influence over me. That may be true.
What he is proposing is what was suggested at the emetophobia website.
http://www.emetophobia.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=1925&PN=1
Systematic exposure. Not at all pleasant, no. And I question the premise, to some extent. I can watch an episode of House without running screaming from the room. It's not pleasant, but it's nothing like having someone in the house ready to throw up any second.
Sigh. I think that the key would be to keep me present with him. Keeping from using my dissociative skills. Those skills keep the fear very strong and healthy even as they provide some short term protection for me from the fear.
I know he could do that, if anyone could.
But it would take a very long time. It's not really amenable to flooding, because flooding just retraumatizes.
poster:Dinah
thread:857976
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081005/msgs/858018.html