PSTD Therapy from the VA

2015-02-23T17:29:09-05:00

EDIT: Thanks for all the responses. I think I will give him one or two more sessions and mention something to him about it. If it does not improve I will just ask for someone else. Thanks all...

So long story short I have my first real therapy session for PTSD at the VA. Without trying to get too much into it I went for my wife and not because I think I have PTSD...

Anyways, the therapist I saw is really why I am coming to you all and your wisdom today. Maybe it is too many movies or something, but I expected to do the majority of the talking, especially today being my first session. After initial profiling questions I think I was there for like thirty minutes or so and spoke maybe for a total of four or five minutes.

He also threw me off by speaking kinda like a baptist preacher (the hand gestures, flow, and tone not the context) and maybe even kinda like it was a speech from cue cards (don't think I have ever tried to spell cue cards before haha, hopefully that is right) and he had given the speech a million times.

He also used a lot of "military/combat" references (analogies of middle east conflicts and such), spoke this kinda poem like deal about how "I don't see you, I see a gray or blue dressed soldier fighting in the civil war/ I don't see you , I see a frozen fighter in Russia/ etc.

Kind of like he assumed I had PTSD and the only thing I could relate to was the military. I have thought about what I would tell him for a few weeks leading up to today, about how I wasn't sure I had PTSD, thought it was more of a "life" thing, etc. but I did not have a chance. He told me he'd heard this before, gave me those analogies, told me I should join some cognitive therapy group, and that was it.

I guess my big q is has anyone else experienced this, should I say something to him, should I wait it out and see how the process works...

I think I was really hoping to spill my thoughts out on the table over a session or two and let him sift through to see if my thoughts led him to PTSD or if I just needed to get me stuff together...

Any ideas/thoughts/experiences/etc. welcome...

Response by Sgt Kate Ross made Feb 23 at 2015 6:33 PM

2015-02-23T18:33:27-05:00

Ask for another therapist. Ask for one who specializes in PTSD. Trust me, even though every VA therapist should specialize in PTSD they don't all. Nobody needs to be subjected to speachify-ing about PTSD.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2015 11:00 PM

2015-02-24T23:00:42-05:00

Some therapists have a problem accepting PTSD. My first and not my last therapist, was an idiot. He loved getting us pissed off. After I threatened to kill him, I was sent to another therapist. She was ok, but she didn't listen when I answered her question. She finally left the VA. The one I have now is awesome. She listens, writes it down, asks me questions that matter, and gives me suggestions. There's a difference in true therapists and psychologists. Real therapists take care of your medical needs and psychologists ask questions, try to explain what PTSD is, and answers questions you ask. If you get an asshole, ask to be transferred to a different therapist. If they are too slow about moving you, get pissed off, raise some hell about it. The last thing they want is a pissed off PTSD patient. I've been going for 17 years and I will always be going because not all wounds can be seen. Good luck. Need help? Ask me or someone questions. If you do have PTSD please get help.

Response by SFC Collin McMillion made Feb 24 at 2015 11:18 PM

2015-02-24T23:18:22-05:00

My psyciatrist know I will not even speak to any therapist who talks to me after reading a book. If have not been there, leave me alone!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 24 at 2015 11:21 PM

2015-02-24T23:21:46-05:00

There are three things about therapy that you need to understand: 1) The therapist is there to provide you with answers that help you deal with your issue 2) you have to like and to believe your therapist is helping you, 3) you have to believe they are helping.

If neither of those is happening, then you need to change therapists. IF you know outright that this person is NOT the therapist for you, request a new one immediately. If you're not sure - maybe they just seem off or odd, give them a couple of sessions... then, if you still don't know after three or four sessions, definitely switch.

Response by SPC Michael Golden made Feb 25 at 2015 12:56 AM

2015-02-25T00:56:00-05:00

Therapists some good, some not so good and some bad. Switch to someone else.

Response by SPC Lukas Jones made Feb 25 at 2015 7:41 AM

2015-02-25T07:41:02-05:00

I had a session with a therapist at the VA because I admitted to feeling depressed. I was in great debt, living with my mom and her emotionally abusive (now ex) husband, I was unemployed and just in a bad place in life. So this session started out with the counselor talking to me about PTSD and journaling my thoughts and focusing on positives and doing happy activities and trying not to think about my combat time. I stopped him to explain that I had not deployed, but was at the VA to relieve treatment for a back injury I sustained while on training orders. I threw him for a loop and he basically dismissed me with no real care plan. I ended up going to the Patient Advocate and she was able to resolve my issues and gote in touch with another counselor who was much more equipped to handle my needs.

So my recommendation to you is go see your VA Patient Advocate any time you feel that your treatment is anything less than you deserve.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Feb 25 at 2015 7:52 AM

2015-02-25T07:52:35-05:00

I'd say one of the most important things is to have someone who actually listens to you. That helps a lot. I echo people who suggested requesting a new therapist, but if you don't feel its emergent maybe let it play out a little and see how it goes.

One of the most helpful thing can be sharing experience with fellow brothers in arms who can relate on a personal level, once you've established some trust.

Response by LCDR Rabbah Rona Matlow made Mar 15 at 2015 3:16 PM

2015-03-15T15:16:21-04:00

Cpl Michael Strickler How counselors approach you is as varied as there are counselors. Did you specifically tell this counselor you were concerned about your wife?

Is your wife also a vet? Is she an MST survivor? etc. etc. etc. It is really impossible for a counselor to treat someone by proxy. So, if your wife is having problems, why won't she see someone?

Also, how many tours did you do, and what did you do? You could very well have PTSD and not realize it. If you want to continue on the premise that you are healthy (I'll give you the benefit of the doubt), then DO NOT try to fix your wife through your counseling sessions. Your counselor can help YOU cope with how your wife is doing, but he cannot help her.

Also, it is impossible to counsel someone without first doing extensive interviewing and examination, to see what's going on.

Imagine you go to your PCP with a sore throat. You don't let him look at your nose or throat, but demand anti-biotics. Do you have strep? Do you have post nasal drip from allergies? Do you snore? etc. It's impossible to treat anything without first diagnosing the problem.

Please contact me offline and we can discuss your needs more. I want to help you and your wife cope, but first, I suspect both of you need to do some introspection and figure out what's going on.

I do meet with people over Skype, so if you and your wife would like, be in touch....

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jun 7 at 2015 3:18 PM

2015-06-07T15:18:58-04:00

That is odd as most therapists ask you questions to feel you out. Do you have hyper vigilance, depression, anxiety, inability to sleep, stress, and a pit in your stomach?

Response by Beth J made Jan 22 at 2016 11:27 AM

2016-01-22T11:27:30-05:00

I'm not sure where you're living, but perhaps flotation therapy is an option? It's self-guided, no referral necessary, and studies show it helps immensely with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Please let me know if I can help you find a good float center near you (they're not all made equal)! It's worth trying, for certain.

This type of therapy has been around for a long time, but few understand exactly what it is so it's not widely being offered as a resource. The LIBR (Laureate Institute for Brain Research) has been spearheading studies that show vast improvement in a variety of stress/anxiety induced conditions. We are opening a flotation center near Camp Lejeune for this very reason. Please let me know if/how I can help. Truly not trying to sell you - it's a great resource, whether you live anywhere near us or not!

I'm happy to send any articles, blogs, references you'd like or to answer any questions you may have.