Jump to content
VA Disability Community via Hadit.com

VA Disability Claims Articles

Ask Your VA Claims Question | Current Forum Posts Search | Rules | View All Forums
VA Disability Articles | Chats and Other Events | Donate | Blogs | New Users

  • hohomepage-banner-2024-2.png

  • 27-year-anniversary-leaderboard.png

    advice-disclaimer.jpg

  • donate-be-a-hero.png

  • 0

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

Rate this question


Buck52

Question

  • HadIt.com Elder

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 by Buck52
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recommended Posts

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

Roger That Ms T

Thanks for your support ,

I thank all of you..I am going through a very bad time right now  my thought process is liking or something?

  I can't concentrate and if some old memories are going to come back..I am not so sure how to handle them?   this new way of CPT Therapy has me on edge...but I will give it a try and see what happens.

I start the 26th and I am ask to bring my written statment in on this below

''Please write at least one page on why you think the traumatic event occurred. You are not being asked to write specifics about the traumatic event. write about what you have been thinking about the cause of the event. Also, consider the effects this traumatic event has had on your beliefs about yourself, others, and the the world in the following areas: safety, trust, power/control, esteem, and intimacy''

I am having a hard time understanding this quote above?

I had a very hard time letting the  VA Phyistrist Know about my trauma in Vietnam when I filed my PTSD Claim & now I got to bring it all up again eh!

  I just refuse to talk about any of it.b/c when I do my anxiety goes to a#100 and it takes me days to get it under control or back down...its painful...although I realize it won't kill me but the feelings sure seems like it will and that by itself is a very scary feeling.

I do realize I have a behavioral problem and I work through it the best way I can, seeing the VA Therapist helps but it don't seem to keep my anxiety down and that's what I want and to be more social.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

Another question that's been hounding on me and my stress

If I show Improvement from this therapist  and they are the wolds worst exaggerating   their medical opinion.

I have a 70% Chronic PTSD/Anxiety rating...As to which I don't have the 5 full years in.

will they send me a proposal reduction on benefits?

I want to get better and start to feel better but It would hurt us if they took away the comp.

I just don't want to have to go to another C&P for this crap.

Edited by Buck52
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

Hey @Buck52 good questions - I tried to message you my email ..........................but can't so if there is a way let me know - I would be honored to help you through the process. 

I have my statement here - it is simple and straightforward - Why you think...... I wrote that the  Sailor/"Rapist" thought I was an easy target when he knock on my barracks door and saw I was alone. et al 

1. Break down each one of the things she wants you to write about - say...... Trust as a paragraph. 

2. Then look up the definition of the word and write how you think it relates to your trauma situation- even one or two words. 

3. This is one page, so it does not have to be long- take each of the above and piece it together as a full page. 

I think @broncovet @Berta will chime in about the rating situation -

I do not believe,  a decrease can be accomplished with one successful therapy program.

Must be sustained improvement - even though I completed this and when on to get the 100% - my "emotional" rollercoaster with my panic attacks tells me it is not all over and not a cure. But did it help ?  Yes 

 

Edited by L
grammar
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0

I did the VMC MH Dept PTSD Group Therapy sessions back in 2010, headed by a VA MH LCSW.

about 13 of us Nam Vets met with her twice weekly for about 21/2 years. once a month, each group member would also do a 1 on 1 with her. Group members that were under a psychiatrist care also had to attend their regular sessions.      The "Homework" you mention sounds the same and was probably the least enjoyable part of the Group Sessions. Practicing the different Coping Skills can be very helpful.                                                                                                                  If your PTSD 70% Award is less than 5 years old, the VMC MH Treatment Notes completed after every session, could become problematic for a C-File Diary Dated PTSD Review.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
4 hours ago, Tbird said:

@Buck52 the homework does suck, but frankly I would have swung a dead chicken around my head naked howling at the moon if they told me it had a chance of helping, so with that in mind homework didn't sound to bad LOL

The only way to the other side is through the muck. But you will have a guide and can take a break when you need it, it is safe, You will have obstacles but you will have tools to overcome them and facing those obstacles and overcoming them will empower new and old parts of you. And of course we will be here for you.

Amen -@Tbird  except for the chicken lol 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 0
  • HadIt.com Elder

Gastone, I don't think I will improve or show improvement because its in-bedding in my mind and it will always be in my head  'so-to-speak'  but I can learn to cope and deal with it as to where it  may improve my anxiety  from the coping skill I learn from this therapist.  this don't mean I shown improvement   when I learn the coping skills and breathing techniques!

  she said that I should try the group therapy  with about 12 veterans most Iraqi vets from the gulf war  a lot younger than me.but trauma is trauma no matter how we get it..

she has group  for an hour at 10:00 am and then 11:00 is my session with her...I don't think I am ready for group therapy because of my  lacking social skills..I am bothered in a crowd of people even with other veterans.  I don't know why  but people give me anxiety.

I realize other veterans had it 10 times worse than me  especially the 1st marines up at quang tri province Lost my best friend from the 68 Tet..that bothers me today and that's been 50 years ago

I don't think we will ever forget what Vietnam did to most of us.

Edited by Buck52
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Guidelines and Terms of Use