Had to sign a PTSD Contract today at my VA Therapist LCSW S-4 Anyone familiar with it?

[Buck52]

I have had Chronic Combat PTSD for years, Just won my claim for it about 3 1/2 years ago.I been going to my VA Therapist ever since twice a week for a year and now its bi weekly the last 2 years. and staying at the bi-weekly  beings I live about 62 miles from the VAMC.

Went to my regular sessions today.

Ok today  my VA Therapist she ask me about the CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) And she ask me if I wanted to do this therapy? I ask what is it? & I said yes if  it will help me with the Anxiety/Depression  and Cope Skills and help me feel better for me and not put my family through a lot of un- necessary crap from me.

she said she could not promise me that it would but statistic shows it will help  it just depends how I react to this type therapy 

She ask me to sign a ''Contract''

Anyway I don't understand why I had to sign a'' CONTRACT''

Perhaps a commitment to come to the sessions?

I went ahead and signed it  to see how this will work out? 

she says I can opt out of it any time or if I feel its not helping me I can opt out of it and we would do a different type therapy 

she gave me some hand outs to read over  about PTSD Symptoms and stuck points.

Recovery or  Nonrecovery  from PTSD Symptoms Fowling   Traumatic Events

In Normal recovery Intrusions and emotions decrease over time and no longer trigger each other

Anyone ever heard the word (Autobiographical)

The CPT is a cognitive processing  therapy is a cognitive -behavioral  treatment for PTSD And Related Problems

Anyway I'm going to try it for 14 weeks and longer if it helps  she said If I don't feel its helping me  we can change to another form of PTSD Therapy at any time.

Anyone else trying this and did you sign a Contract?

Now my ''HomeWork'' is to write out a one page statment on why you think your most distressing traumatic event occurred, you are not being ask to write out specific details about the cause of this event......I thought Huh??

Also consider the effects this traumatic  event has had on your beliefs  about yourself, others,and the world in the following areas: safety,trust,power/control esteem, and Intimacy..

Bring this statment with you to the next session. Also please read over the two handouts I have given you on PTSD Symptoms and Stuck Points  (HANDOUTS 5.1and 5.2 so that you understand the Ideas we are talking about.

 

Anyone doing this type therapy?

Edited July 12, 2018 by Buck52

[LongTooth]

There are a couple of things I do when my anxiety is ramping up into chest pain territory, yeah I get it bad too. I do live in a medical cannabis state so it helps I can toke a bowl of high grade indica to calm myself down. I also dive into video games that don't require a large time/money investment. I call them time wasters because their good for small blocks of time where you need to put yourself on auto pilot and chill. There are plenty of genres out there and they can be as complex or as simple as you like. I also like to doodle around on my guitar. Without knowing your financial situation cheap plug and play home guitar recording direct to pc is also a nice outlet. Let me know if you want to talk further I can point you in some directions.

[ArNG11]

Buck, my friend, the VA professionals love to put those few steps of progress as giants leaps and bounds when it comes improvement.   Not that I have to remind you or even state this fact, as I believe you and the rest of us fully understand this.  " Marked and sustained improvement"  For me in my opinion you never really get rid of the demons, however, you do learn to mitigate, deal, and at times keep them at bay, however, this is far from being "cured" or "sustained improvement".   In my opinion learning to sometimes mitigate your symptoms is not being cured, I will argue that fact till my last day.

If it helps great, keep going with the treatment, but be aware of the possible ramifications.  You are past the 5 year mark if I am not mistaken, so VA games can't sever service connection or anything like that.  I would keep going especially if it is providing some results.   If and when the time comes, a proposal for reduction that is, then battle the issue when it arises.   Remember " sustained improvement"  there can still be off days, hopefully not, but VA docs can't guarantee that everything is all hunky dory.   

I can not recommend stopping treatment if the treatment is showing results, whether permanent or just temporary.  The more tools you have to battle your condition the better you will be in the long run.   That in my opinion is worth the hasel of possible VA shenanigans.   But alas that is just my opinion.   Silly some may say but worth pondering.   

P.S.  The leaf for me has been helping more than not.  But dosing is tricky.  I understand that I don't use VA medical care and I live in a state now that it is legal.  I still recommend a well rounded approach to dealing with your symptoms.  If you are ever able to go that route please keep that in mind. Using everything in your arsenal to your advantage yields the best results.  

 

[Guest L]

4 hours ago, Buck52 said:

 I got my home work all written out to turn in on my next session &The darn therapist cancel our session  said she will reschedule   eh!  rats

 Next session is scheduled for Aug 9th...if its not cancelled ??

 

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

Hey @Buck52 Keep all of your papers as you go through this process, I was going to shred mine and the therapist hold onto them for a while trust me... I did and he was right - amazing how my thinking changed. Yes Tejas... but farther south ....

Proud of you!

I just completed my next Victim Impact Statement  for the Parole board emailed it off today for the hearing soon. Must send in early the prison system is similar to the VA in the slowness of processing.  Retired Navy Seal Don Shipley and his..... Also Veteran wife Diane, have helped me tremendously in putting this together and featuring my MST story in a Podcast on June 5, 2018 -

https://videos.extremesealexperience.com/

It is a $10 a month subscribership,  I have already had some very helpful suggestions to assist in blocking  and over 3800 views... The camaraderie and support has been amazing. .......Grateful 

Edited July 30, 2018 by L
clarity

[Buck52]

Thank you Mr A I hear ya buddy.

Thanks L  but I'm not sure I wrote out the right things or what she wanted to hear?

I guess I won't know until I go see her again the 9th of Aug?.I might wrote out some thing she may not be expecting?

..Although I know I can go into the MH Clinic if I need to at anytime , so for Just taking it day to day.

[Guest L]

2 minutes ago, Buck52 said:

Thank you Mr A I hear ya buddy.

Thanks L  but I'm not sure I wrote out the right things or what she wanted to hear?

I guess I won't know until I go see her again the 9th of Aug?.I might wrote out some thing she may not be expecting?

..Although I know I can go into the MH Clinic if I need to at anytime , so for Just taking it day to day.

Nothing is wrong @Buck52- just an honest assessment of how you feel - she needs something to go off of....

 If you figure or allowed to msg me this forum - I will give you my email. but at this time - I am unable to msg you.. 

 

 

[Guest L]

see if these links help... @Buck52   https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=VA+CPT+therapy

 

Here is my favorite you can subscribe to her podcast many topics on MH - 

 

Edited July 30, 2018 by L