Nervous about therapy?!
Question: I am soon going to therapy, run by a charity that helps rape victims. It will either be 1 to1 or group, Im not sure which I prefer. I am no good at talking to people, about minor things, never mind what happened to me. I would like to talk to people who have been through the same thing, but at the same time, im scared they will all hate me. I dont know what to choose, I have been diagnosed with PTSD, and i know groups meant to be good with that.
Answers: I am soon going to therapy, run by a charity that helps rape victims. It will either be 1 to1 or group, Im not sure which I prefer. I am no good at talking to people, about minor things, never mind what happened to me. I would like to talk to people who have been through the same thing, but at the same time, im scared they will all hate me. I dont know what to choose, I have been diagnosed with PTSD, and i know groups meant to be good with that.
They won't hate you. If it's a group, they've all been through the "first session jitters." Just introduce yourself, maybe say why you're there, and usually they move on to someone who's been there longer and is more comfortable with the group.
As you get used to it, it'll be easier to talk and to share. Don't worry, you'll do just fine. For PTSD group is usually best though 1 on 1 is also encouraged too, to get you the most benefit in the least amount of time.
From work I've done for my own issues and talking to other people going through it, meditation sometimes helps, to retrain your mind to just sort of empty itself and thing about nothing. You might consider taking a class, or even just getting a library book and trying it.
Best of luck, but as I say, you'll do just fine.
dont be nervous ........ just dont push ur self
In your case , one-on-one will be better till you can build up self-esteem and then go into group.
It might be easier to start out 1 to 1, then move on to a group. Going to a therapist is not like having a social conversation. You don't have to make small talk and a good therapist will know how to guide you to help you talk.
Be honest with your therapist; no matter how bad you think something might sound to him or her, therapists have heard it all. No one in a support group will hate you; they all have fears and problems or they wouldn't be there.
Take care.
1-on-1 is better than a group setting. Group settings are stressful because everyone has a story to tell & they tend to cut across u if they have something that relates to what u have said. That's going to make u angry because u have so much to let out & it seems that u won't get another chance because while they're talking, someone is going to cut across them to make their point. And it goes on & on from there. The first time u go into a group setting, u're going to feel alot of pressure. The people's eyes feel like their burning into your skin because they're staring at u so hard. I just couldn't deal with it. And also there are too many differences in opinion in group settings. I've done both & now I'm getting therapy in my home. There are companies that do offer home based therapy to make u more comfortable about having to do therapy in the first place. Stress adds to your symptoms & u want to eliminate as much stress as possible when it comes to getting help. So, what I've done was simplify everything to get rid of stress.
first off i'm proud of you for seeking help. i waited years before i gave in to counseling / therapy. i regret the wait since it robbed me of years of my life. i applaud you. i agree with kim. you need to be more comfortable with counseling / therapy before you move on to the group discussions. take it slow, baby steps are best. once you look back at all the baby steps you've taken, you will see just how far you have really come.
try to open up. groups are ment for heeling.
If your not sure and have the option, Sit in on a group, it helps with shyness.
One on one only works well after you have established some sort of comfort zone.
The advantage to sitting in group is you find that others are going through the same fears you have about being judged or hated by your peers.
You can observe until you are ready to talk. you will not be pressured to speak in a group, they will give you room until you ready.
It may really help your comfort level to see that you have lots in common with most of the folks in group.
They aren't going to hate you, they are hurt too and you may be surprised to find someone who's situation and fear is very much like yours.
The shame that invades us after rape can really cause us to isolate and feel like our reaction is wrong and different from a normal person.
I know you are a normal person it is just easy to see yourself in a falsely negative light because of the trauma and shame that hold us emotional hostage.
One on one is a great thing but may need to wait until you feel ready to just tell you story, the internal story that is breaking you spirit at present.
After seeing that the group won't judge you, you may be comfortable enough to reap the benefits from the one on one time.