Does not fit all. I studied PTSD for over 15 years now. I am noticing a growing trend towards one therapy should work for everyone. Hogwash. If I went to an eye doctor he would not give me the same prescription as the person before me. The one thing really awesome about my first counselor he used a mixed set of tools and modalities to help me. My sister and I went to the same counselor for several years. We compared notes. We did NOT get the same treatment. What worked for her, didn’t necessarily work for me. What was awesome for me, was counter productive for her. We were different and we were treated differently. I watch online with survivors asking which medication/counseling/treatment work for someone else and are basing their decisions off of someone else’s 3 sentence comment. I am seeing a real problem with this. I am also noticing that insurance companies are only covering certain types of treatment as a “standard treatment.” Every year I signed a paper with my first counselor stating that I was fully aware that he did not use only one method of treatment. Hallelujah. I need a variety of tools and coping techniques. Sometimes one works better than others. Can you imagine a business being told they can only be run one way? Or a medical doctor informed that a proven new treatment cannot be used because the old way is the only one supported by insurance? I’m not alone in this opinion….
5 Be familiar with a number of different therapeutic tools and models
It is important to adapt the therapy to the client, rather than expecting the client to adapt to therapy. This requires the therapist to be familiar with several theories and treatment models (Rothschild, 2003). Rothschild (2003) explains that competition regarding the superiority of one method or model over another is fierce in trauma therapy. This trend puts clients in a difficult position: Should they prioritize choosing a method or is it more important to find a practitioner who is a good fit? Too many trauma therapists offer only one technique and this limitation can compromise client commitment when that particular method fails. It is important for therapists to be trained in several treatment modalities so that treatment plans can be tailored to the needs and tastes of the client.
I am thankful that I had a counselor that understood this principle very well. I was blessed by his eclectic treatment that was tailored to fit me. It is not common amongst counselors. Reminder that each of us is ultimately responsible for our own healing process. Counselors can help, but if a counselor seems like a bad fit, maybe they are not the right counselor for you. Counselors are key players in the team but each one of us is our own best advocate, believe it or not.
PTSD - Accepting, Coping, Thriving 