Psychotherapy Therapy (evidence based)

Mandatory for Children who were sexually abused as children (CSA)?

Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash

From Trauma to Strength writer, Leon Macfayden, and I have had a collaboration idea since December. December.

The topic: Is healing from trauma possible without therapy? He did his part, and wrote a great post about his worst therapy experiences--which was a guest post on Paperdolls.Today in December:

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And, I...I have vacillated. I so want to say that Leon and Betsy @ SAPREA are right: One can heal from complex PTSD without professional, evidence based, psychotherapy.

But I can’t. I can’t say it.

I believe them. I believe that they have faciliatated and helped those suffering form CPTSD. But, I think it would be easier for me to turn into a tree¹ than to say you don’t need professional, evidence based therapy.

I know there are crappy therapists. My first encounter with one came in 1990, I went with a woman to her survivor group facilitated by her therapist. The therapist was addressing my friend and said, "XXXXX, I think we need to explore your past lives to get to the source of your pain."

I tried to be polite. I tried to give this therapist the respect I felt the title deserves. I couldn't.

I spit out, "How about we stay on this earth and in this time period? I'm sure if you unravel some layers of XXXXX past, in this lifetime, you'll find more than you need."

Of course, there are the infamous "therapists" from Utah. I heard about a group killing a survivor by suffocation in some bizarre "rebirthing" technique. I'm aware of the horrific story of the vloggers, Jodi Hildebrandt and Ruby Franke. I wrote about 'em in my post about the Wolf in Sheep's Clothing.

And, there's an old cliche that many get into counseling to try to solve their own problems, without actually doing the work themselves. They simply learn about it, and think they are good to go. Hint: they aren't. But, some can still be helpful therapists, because therapy is about the patient/client--not the therapist.

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I also know there are hundreds, if not thousands of really good, competent therapists.

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So, I'm not naive about this. I know there are incompetent, even abusive therapists. I also know there are hundreds, if not thousands of really good, competent therapists. Those therapists can expedite a survivors healing. I stand by it. I am lighting my stance, a smidge, but still strongly encourage survivors of sexual assault to get professional, evidence based, psychotherapy.

My post which goes into greater detail and depth about that, is going to be sent to Leon this week. Look for it on his publication, "Trauma to Strength."

1. I like trees, don’t get me wrong, but turning into one? I hope you get the jest of my light-hearted analogy.