Lorelei
- Date posted
- 4y ago
WhatATrippWhatATripp
- Date posted
- 4y ago
For the first couple of sessions, my therapist went over the basics of mental health and exactly what OCD is doing both mentally and physically in my body. We went over the questionnaires to determine just how much OCD, anxiety and depression are affecting me. Talked a bit about my life (I have close to half a century of tales to tell), and over the next couple of sessions, made a list of my fears/obsessions and resulting compulsions. From there, she taught me some mindfulness exercises and gently moved to ERP (Exposure Response Prevention) therapy. We discuss how I feel when I'm doing the ERP exercises, and when I can do one with little to no anxiety, we move on to the next fear/obsession. It's not easy, especially when she calls me out for ignoring anxiety instead of sitting with it. But I'm learning how to stand up to OCD as a result, and she's gentle in her calling out. We also celebrate the victories and talk about everyday life, for me. As is appropriate, we don't discuss her life :) Just mine.
IcePenguin19IcePenguin19
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Yes I forgot to mention in my response that my therapist gave me a handout and had me fill out a few questionnaires to figure out the severity of my OCD, anxiety, and depression. He gives me homework too like to keep a journal and record specific things every week
WhatATrippWhatATripp
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@IcePenguin19 And I forgot the journaling! I have to do that between sessions, too.
IcePenguin19IcePenguin19
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@WhatATripp He gave me a list of "thinking errors" with explanations and examples and I have to record when I experience them
Lorelei Lorelei
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@WhatATripp i feel like i would cry if i had to tellher about my life
Lorelei Lorelei
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Lorelei i cry easily and over trivial stuff 2 🤡
Meof3Meof3
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@WhatATripp What kind of journaling do you do? I think I should start jounarling about my OCD.
WhatATrippWhatATripp
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Sunflower 1234 I really don't like journaling, so this has been my least favorite part of therapy. I'm supposed to journal my exposures, planned or not, my anxiety levels, and how I dealt with them.
WhatATrippWhatATripp
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Lorelei Crying is okay. I don't like to do it myself, but I feel better after I do. We keep being told to buck up and deal with the pain. That real men don't cry. That big girls don't cry. Don't be such a crybaby. No sense crying over spilled milk. But crying is one way our body physically gets rid of stress hormones (our tears). It's a time to acknowledge grief and pain and trauma. Sometimes even our joy. It helps let it go. And what better time to begin to let it all go than in the safety of therapy?
Meof3Meof3
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@WhatATripp Thanks for the reply. Journaling is probably very time consuming but might provide insight on how you are triggers and how you handle anxiety. What are the reasons your therapist recommends journaling?
WhatATrippWhatATripp
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Sunflower 1234 For the reason you gave :) and for me, it also becomes a record of how far I've come.
Meof3Meof3
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@WhatATripp Yay. I am glad to hear you have made progress. ❤️
Meof3Meof3
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@WhatATripp I just read your profile. I am also a christian, a mom and a wife. My children are the main reasons I want to get better. I want to be my best self for them. 🙂
WhatATrippWhatATripp
- Date posted
- 4y ago
@Sunflower 1234 Thanks :) My kids are grown. One married and one stuck at home with us until her university open up campus. Poor dear has had to put up with me since spring break! I just want to be able to be around people again without being afraid of their germs. You are showing your kids some great examples of how to take care of themselves :)
ocdillustratedocdillustrated
- Date posted
- 4y ago
It's different with every therapist. Much of how a therapist runs sessions depends on which theoretical perspectives and specific therapies they are trained in
IcePenguin19IcePenguin19
- Date posted
- 4y ago
Usually the first and maybe second sessions are focused on basic things about you like where you grew up, your home life, how you do in school, and a basic overview of what is bothering you. My sessions usually start off by him asking me how my week has been and anything stressful that might've happened. When I tell him about things that make (or made) me anxious, he'll ask me how I'm feeling while I retell the story and how I felt at the time it occurred. He taught me a bunch of ways to be more mindful and ground myself when things get to be too difficult. We did some breathing exercises and meditation as well. He gives input on why I might be feeling the way I am and he gives alternative ways of thinking about each situation
Related posts
P73
- Date posted
- 24w ago
Losing my mind
I just feel so lonely with my thoughts. I want someone to sit next to me for hours so we talk and I cry and I open up fully. I tried therapy but it just isn’t enough. I am extremely scared that I lose my mind any second and not be able to function normally like be hospitalized for the rest of my life. I can’t anymore. It’s too hard. I cannot open up because my thoughts and concerns are all sexual like about my sexual orientation or if I want to have threesome or what happens after and should I do it or not. I have this urge to ask my 23 yo sister about it but deep down I am afraid she would not understand me and judge me. it’s so scary to live my life. I am zoned out all the time. I am tired and scared and lonely and stuck. I cannot get anything done.
Endlessly Po...
- Date posted
- 23w ago
Switching therapist
Has anyone switched therapist before? How did that conversation go? I really like my current therapist, but my psychiatrist got me into a OCD center at one of the top hospitals in the country. Now I have to tell my current therapist that I can no longer work with them. Looking for advice on how to handle this conversation.
Anon56
- Date posted
- 11w ago
I am confused now, please help
I went to a therapist, I told her about the doubts I was having related to my orientation and the continuous compulsion to check again and again and the thoughts. I told her about my resources -podcasts by Ali Greymond, Chrissie Hodges 's videos, and the books I read to overcome and control myself. She said a couple of things that confused me: 1> Her daughter once asked her "what if she liked girls?" As a mom my therapist said, "Start exploring", and the daughter said naahh. I wonder if the daughter had a thought or was it a chain of intrusive thoughts that plagued her day and night like in my case. 2> She said my sources are right, but I should forget that and not think that I have ocd. 3> She also said if there is any chance I am straight, I should walk on that path- because she has seen lesbians and gays have no feelings for the opposite sex. She said she could see that I was not gay or lesbian in any way. 4> She was interested in my education and masters degrees wasted a lot of time talking about that. 5> She said all these thoughts are causing me anxiety disorders (but I don't have ocd, doc?) 6> She pointed out that being happy and in the present removes these thoughts totally but I am causing myself unnecessary distress. I was doing well before this talk with the therapist now I am triggered a bit. Please share your thoughts.
Be a part of the largest OCD Community
Share your thoughts so the Community can respond