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New Member
Member Since Jun 2019
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4
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#1
During last week's session, we revisited some traumatic stuff I've worked on before. I felt like I handled it well and didn't get upset. Out of nowhere, my T said: "Lourdes, where are you right now, are you O.K.?" I responded with yes I'm fine and my T started making small talk about the weather and other trivial things. What happened here? It was near the end of the session, but I've worked with her for two years, and she never asked me this or ended this way.
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Grand Member
Member Since Feb 2010
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#2
My therapist asked me something similar when she was concerned I was dissociating. Maybe that’s why she asked?
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feralkittymom, Lourdes22
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Jan 2014
Location: n/a
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#3
I wonder if she suspected you were either disasociated or at least on the verge. Maybe she wanted to keep you grounded and make sure you were really okay? Did the small talk include her asking you questions?
Once Emdr did this and started talking about chocolate cake.we ended up with a strange conversation about snack foods. __________________ |
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feralkittymom, Lourdes22
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Grand Poohbah
Member Since Jul 2017
Location: Neverland
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#4
Yes, I feel fairly sure she was concerned you were dissociating. I never though I could learn not to do that, but over the years my T taught me techniques to stay present. She sounds like a well trained T.
__________________ Living things don’t all require/ light in the same degree. Louise Gluck |
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feralkittymom, Lourdes22
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Magnate
Member Since Oct 2013
Location: CO
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#5
My T asks me this almost every session when I go blank. He knows I tend to shut down and zone out, and asks where I went and what is going on for me.
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feralkittymom, Lourdes22
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underdog is here
Member Since Sep 2011
Location: blank
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#6
I also vote for dissociating.
__________________ Please NO @ Selfishness is not living as one wishes to live, it is asking others to live as one wishes to live. Oscar Wilde Well Behaved Women Seldom Make History - Laurel Thatcher Ulrich Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional. |
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feralkittymom, Lourdes22
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Wise Elder
Member Since Mar 2009
Location: 8CS / NYS / USA
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#7
Quote:
example one time my treatment provider and I were talking about something traumatic and instead of looking and responding with sadness or anger that most people would have responded with, my reaction was to look past her at her book shelf, read the titles and continue talking as if I was ok. to me I was ok. as a survivor of trauma I had lack of affect. (in other words a PTSD reaction when discussing the trauma.) just like one who was in a domestic violence situation or a recent sexual abuse can talk about their trauma as if it was talking about a favorite book or last nights dinner over coffee with a friend. I wasnt dissociating (feeling numb, spaced out or disconnected) I was aware of the conversation and the topic being discussed. I was fully connected to what we were talking about, I just wasnt showing the typical appropriate reactions (lack of affect) since we are not able to tell you what is what inside your body or your therapy sessions or what your therapist was asking that for, my suggestion is to ask your therapist the next time you see her why she asked that. |
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FearLess47, Lourdes22
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Member
Member Since Apr 2018
Location: US
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#8
My therapist has asked me this a couple times. As others have said, it happens when I stop talking, zone out, or go blank.
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Lourdes22
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New Member
Member Since Jun 2019
Location: Arizona
Posts: 4
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#9
Thank you, everyone. I don't know anything about disassociation. Is this something that can happen when dealing with trauma? Is it possible I wouldn't realize it was happening but my T would?
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Magnate
Member Since Jun 2018
Location: Canada
Posts: 2,285
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#10
I wouldn't be really upset about this as it is an indication your therapist is genuinely concerned about you. I would be more upset with a therapist who did NOT do this as I would think they didn't care about me at all. You are more than just a number to this therapist. They are more than just showing up for the pay cheque so to speak. You are a person to be responsible for and care about your welfare.
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Jan 2014
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#11
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It has happened a few times with EMDR T that I have completely shut down, so it is obvious. __________________ |
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Wise Elder
Member Since Mar 2009
Location: 8CS / NYS / USA
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#12
Quote:
here in america we have two different terms.... Disassociation (the word in your post) means to purposely stop doing something...example I disassociated from participating in an event. which means I purposely stopped watching the event and I went to do something different. I disassociated from doing the dishes last night means I on purpose stopped doing the dishes last night. where as ... Dissociation (no a between the two S's) means a normal reaction to a positive or negative trigger. symptoms feeling mentally numb, feeling mentally disconnected, feeling mentally spaced out , mentally feeling like one is floating or sinking, mentally feeling like one is watching not participating, mentally feeling like the people places and things outside ourselves is not connected to ourselves, mentally feeling like everything outside my body is moving at a different speed, all the while knowing everything is actually normal and not because of any other medical mental disorders or drugs (prescription or other wise) or alcohol use. your own treatment providers can explain more in detail the differences between the two terms. |
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Grand Magnate
Member Since Aug 2012
Location: yada
Posts: 4,415
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#13
Disassociation is an alternate form of the word dissociation. Maybe this article can help you:The Gift of Disassociation | Psychology Today
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Magnate
Member Since Mar 2017
Location: Underground
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#14
Because you talked about some heavier trauma topics I think the therapist was just checking you were grounded and present before leaving the office. It's important they do that when trauma has been "activated". It's part of doing trauma therapy safely.
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