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| | Notices | Welcome to PTSD Forum. Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a life threatening, debilitating disorder that can break down a sufferer’s body through anxiety and stress. Further it poses a significant suicide risk resulting from the brains neurological imbalance and chemical depression. Sufferers often live in denial, thus this community is aimed at helping PTSD sufferers help themselves through others experiences, guidance and education. We are here for the sufferer, spouse and families surrounding PTSD. Spouses and family are too often forgotten in this equation, and often they receive all the worst that PTSD has to offer. If you're involved in any way with PTSD, get registered and help yourself now. Non-active members will eventually be deleted. If you are not a sufferer, carer or someone within the mental health industry, and active, then there is little reason for you to be a member of this forum. Non-active members with zero posts are deleted periodically during the year. |  | | 
29-11-2007, 03:59 PM
|  | Administrative Editor PTSD | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,429
| |
Great... that is what you need... trauma specialist, not just any old day to day therapist. You will typically find a therapist will specialise in one specific area, and whilst they cater a broad range of topics and information, like any job, you find a specialist who knows the most about a given area.... ours being trauma; not PTSD. Trauma is the cause to PTSD. You need to first heal your trauma before you can even begin taking on how to manage your PTSD uniquely. |
29-11-2007, 04:56 PM
| | | | Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 9
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Well it went pretty well I think - we got on well and she seemed to know what she was talking about. She said she wasn't a trauma specialist but had dealt with domestic violence victims before. She also said CBT was the approach she'd take to try to reduce the symptoms (eg. distrust and edgyness). |
29-11-2007, 05:14 PM
| | Administrative Editor PTSD | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,429
| |
That is great. Yer, I think that would be the best for you being diagnosed with multiple trauma. CBT is the preferred option for your case IMHO also. Great to hear you have found someone you like though presently.... hopefully they will push you, as that is what PTSD needs; it must be pushed then empathised, never sympathised with. |
29-11-2007, 05:57 PM
|  | | | Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 427
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Quote:
Originally Posted by anthony  hopefully they will push you, as that is what PTSD needs; it must be pushed then empathised, never sympathised with. | Sorry if I'm seen to be taking over the thread but just curious (perhaps I'm a bit thick) but what is the difference between empathy & sympathy?
Good luck Comatoze (interesting user name by the way). |
29-11-2007, 06:38 PM
| | Administrative Editor PTSD | | Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 7,429
| |
Empathy: Identification with and understanding of another's situation, feelings, and motives.
Sympathy: A feeling or an expression of pity or sorrow for the distress of another; compassion or commiseration. |
30-11-2007, 01:18 AM
| | | | Join Date: Nov 2007
Posts: 9
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I'm trying to work out how a therapist would express empathy. Surely it'd be unprofessional to talk about their own traumatic experiences (if any) to try to show that they know how you feel, but how else would they identify with it? |
30-11-2007, 02:14 AM
|  | | | Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Netherlands Antilles
Posts: 1,836
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Comatoze, I am a retired therapist and am a carer rather than a sufferer; I have never been through anything traumatic enough to cause PTSD. It is possible for a therapist to have empathy for a client without having total understanding of what said client is going through. It is similar to, a doctor may have empathy for his patient, without having to experience the patient's physical pain and suffering. Empathy does not mean one must identify totally with the other person. Even in the case where two people have experienced trauma, they will never be able to fully relate to one another as everyone's experiences are different; we are all unique individuals. | | Thread Tools | | | | Display Modes |  Linear Mode | 
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