pSyCoThErApY | Arthritis Information

 

Understanding that I am treading on the thin ice of forum members patience and tolerance for my self-absorption and ME ME ME posts, none the less I am proceeding with recklessness and making this post.


Part of my home-based care includes two or three ‘talk therapy’ sessions each week. Today was the introduction to the therapist and deciding on a course of action and intervention.

The Ph.D. is about my age, very approachable, kind but no nonsense, determined to be helpful in finding the limits of my new normal, and, perhaps best of all, she too has RA and a host of comorbidities.  She is dynamic to a degree that belies her age, passionate about the benefits of talk therapy for the bereavement of chronic illnesses, and very well-informed about RA, available treatments, and ancillary therapies.

I am pleased to have agreed to these sessions and am certain I will benefit from an impartial participant.

Does anyone else have a therapist and what are your experiences?
I don't have a therapist, but I'm sure it would help a lot. To find the time is hard with kids, working f/t etc, as I'm sure eveyrone runs into...  This therapist sounds perfect! To have found someone that has RA as well, truly will understand what you're going through. I would think it would be much easier to take advice from a person like that , then someone who hasnt gone through what you're going through before. Good luck!!That's good news. Hopefully she's going to be a great tool for you as you make this transition. So glad to hear you are doing well. After my husband had a heart attack, we saw a therapist for several months.  He specialized in helping patients with chronic illness - cardiac patients in particular.  It was great help for both of us. Well for all you have been threw having someone to talk to would be of great comfort. However I must say I do NOT consider your post to be self centered. We appreciate your post and still want to know all about you. This forum is a place for us to vent. It is a sort of therapy for all of us. Also it is important for us to be honest in sharing our experiences with others. Really I used to go. I can not say that it helped me with my me me me issues. LOL I guess my therapist left and I did not like the new one so I quit going but have been thinking of trying a new one. There is one not to far from me and it is on my things to do list. Life has many challenges and sometimes talking about them is a good outlet. We are all simply human and can only take so much. We love you just the way you are. It is a good way of grasping ones inner piece to have someone to let your demands out on. Your experience has been no less than terrorising. So if it is a good therapist that you can connect to it is a smashing wonderful idea. We are all still here for you also and we enjoying hearing about you you you because we care. This forum is great for people that are stuck in bed or in the hospital so they have a place to vent and people that understand. I think we could all benifit from psycotherapy yet we are not all so lucky to find someone that truly understands. I am glad you found someone that does. Just remember that we love you and we do not judge people for having good days and bad days on this forum. This disease reakes havoac on every part of our lives and body and none of us should have to go threw this experience alone. I have had days where my  brain was nearly completly useless until my prednisone kicked in. Our new normal is a continuing revolving cycle that requires us to need a network of others to lean on and share. It gets down right scary at times. So it is a great idea. Remember that therapist are people also and if it feels to be helping wonderful. I find that if I can connect to a therapist it is great. If I do not I simply find one that I connect to. I usually go at diffent times of my life when I feel over whelmed by lifes challanges.

Correcting a major brain fart that gave the wrong meaning to my post. milly2009-08-07 16:23:54 [QUOTE=milly]Well for all you have been threw having someone to talk to would be of great comfort. However I must say I do consider your post to be self centered.[/QUOTE]

Gottcha. I will do my best to keep away from self-centered posts and my participation more moderate.

I appreciate the honesty.

Cheers. Shug
I need to correct that I am a space Cadet I meant to say I do not find your post to be self centered. I really do make alot of stupid typos. So not what I meant to say. I will correct as soon as possible. My whole point is that it is not self centered to post about our feellings please forgive me it was a brain fart and not my intention at all. I left out the not. My brain said do not my fingers left it out. That is how horrble my mind is. Sorry. Correcting and sorry I will have to read things ten times before I post. What an embarassing typo so sorry. milly2009-08-07 16:33:52Absolutly my post was to say to everyone. Please let us know truely what you are experiencing. That is what makes this forum what it is. That I do Not consider anyone to be all about me. Certainly I post all about me all of the time. I would never mean to say that. I am just a scatter brain. I have been suffering from low potasium and dehydration and please point these things out to me. I heart felt meant I do NOT feel that anyones post especially Shugs are not self centered. I want people to share there true feellings always. Happens to the best of us! Don't worry Milly, we know you by now, and you could tell from your post that it was a typo!    Shug, you are a great poster and even if it was self centred(which it is not) I am sure it would not bother your friends on here.  Regards Janie.
Shug,
I haven't seen one but could really use it. Too afraid to open the flood gates though.
Milly, no biggie, mistakes happen you're among friends. Goodnight all [QUOTE=milly]I need to correct that I am a space Cadet I meant to say I do not find your post to be self centered. I really do make alot of stupid typos. So not what I meant to say. I will correct as soon as possible. My whole point is that it is not self centered to post about our feellings please forgive me it was a brain fart and not my intention at all. I left out the not. My brain said do not my fingers left it out. That is how horrble my mind is. Sorry. Correcting and sorry I will have to read things ten times before I post. What an embarassing typo so sorry. [/QUOTE]

No problem. I understand.

Cheers, Shug
Hi Shug, [QUOTE=CathyMarie]How did your first session go, Shug? CathyMarie2009-08-08 11:35:47[QUOTE=CathyMarie]How did your first session go, Shug? [/QUOTE] Babs,  I can't figure out how to post my photo!  Do you know how?  Joonie did it when she showed us her swollen hands so there must be a way. CathyMarie2009-08-08 12:33:20 Try follow one of these tuts.
http://www.stevesnovasite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=27716
Bodak2009-08-08 14:47:38 [QUOTE=CathyMarie]How did your first session go, Shug?[/quote]
Basically, we just got to know one another.
To add images, compose your message as normal. Put your cursor where you wish the image to appear.  Above the dialogue box are a series of formatting buttons, font, size, B I U etc, above that row is another with first spell check, the cut, copy, paste, etc.  See the button with a tree on it?  Click that.  It brings up a little box in which you enter the address for your image. Once entered into the box your image address will look  something like this:
http://www.imagewebsite.com/pets/mypict.jpg

Or you can skip the box and simply enter the img tags manually: that simply means that img and /img are enclosed in brackets [---] and [/---].

Images should be in either a .jpg or .gif format.

 I do not know any of you yet, however I hope to. I just found this site a few days ago and you folks may just have saved my sanity!! I was diagnosed in o7 after my brother passed, I started having pain in hands and feet, soon it was everywhere dr sent me straight to my rheaumy and she has me on mtx folic acid loracet I was on plaquinel but she felt a more agressive treatment was needed. I am still trying to work full time and am on fmla but the fatigue is overwhelming and I am a technical support rep and must be on my game or someone can get  hurt. Until I found you guys I thought I was going nuts!!! I know what you all are going through and do not feel any of you are self centered. The posts that you shared are very educational, Also finding someone else that is going through same/similar issues I do not feel as alone. Family and friends are trying to be supportive but just don't understand fully that some days I just can't do anything. I did not mean to ramble here I just wanted to say thank you for sharing...it helps Welcome Earnestwife :) [QUOTE=ernestwife] I do not know any of you yet, however I hope to.... Glad to hear it Shug.  Probably most of us could use therapy at least at some point in our lives.  It's good to hear that you took the initiative and are finding it to be a valuable experience.Glad you found a good one Shug- it is my experience that there are a lot of not so good ones out there....
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