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Wondering if anyone has had any progress with SE techniques. I've had quite a bit of talking therapy over the years and now at a crossroads of where to next. It's definitely up until now a case of being more concerned to avoid these huge feelings of overwhelm and it makes sense that being able to experience them more fully may go some way to help discharge them.

I've read some of Peter Levine's stuff and about to read Janine Fisher and beginning to understand that it's important to build in some resilience before embarking on this type of work. Firstly, in times of covid, is it possible to do SE over Skype with a therapist or is it a therapy that doesn't really lend itself to Skype?

Wasn't sure if this is better placed in books section but directly relates feelings of anxiety and depression.

Have reduced my reading around CPTSD for the moment while reflecting on Pete Walker's understanding of depression and anxiety. I'm tempted to go with a simplistic understanding and my reading of Pete's work seems to offer this, if I've understood correctly. I'm wondering if anyone familiar with Pete's work or similar has reached the same conclusions. My understanding may be too narrow though so would welcome anyone's thoughts on this, as he's a bright light in recovery writing, both as a clinician and someone with direct experience of recovering with CPTSD.

When our developmental relational needs aren't met by caregivers, we can experience abandonment depression. We become overwhelmed by having no one and no place to turn for safety and these feelings will come up for processing again and again. 

If we can allow ourselves to feel this depression rooted in the original abandonment, then it can help transform depression. It will require us to sit with those feelings and acknowledge both the original fears (reassuring ourselves we are now safe), and express grief at the loss of not experiencing loving security at a stage when we needed it. It will often also require us to become angry at the injustice of the situation and with the caregiver who couldn't/ didn't provide. The anger is one way we re-establish boundaries and a sense of ongoing safety and the tears help with processing and release.

Just wanted to check with others..is Pete saying that anxiety is the next stage up, when experiencing depression is something we would rather avoid and so feelings of anxiety develop as a defence? As though it's easier to experience anxiety than go back to re-experiencing the original feelings of abandonment depression, which can feel the most difficult, both originally and now.

I was always struck by Pete describing how even now, he gives himself space to cry at those moments of reconnecting with the original abandonment rather than using strategies to avoid it - like being busy, spacing out etc. Of course the pacing of all of this is different for everyone and everyone's recovery journey is an individual one. It's just got me thinking about things differently. If anyone's wondered the same, would be happy to hear from you.

Peer support, social groups, training, c-ptsd experienced counselling/therapy service, outreach workshops and campaigning :

https://www.theechosociety.org.uk

hello, happy to have found my way here. I'm new to the site and the forum and new to recognising that I'm affected by cptsd.

I'm in the U.K. and have started therapy with a counsellor who understands cptsd.  I'm trying to get my head around different types of therapy available in the U.K. - are there reasons why people may opt for NHS psychology services, or psychiatry or psychotherapy or counselling? I've gone down the private Skype counselling route and early days but so far so good.

It's just that I made the decision myself without GP or anyone else's involvement and before I get in too deep, I'm starting to wonder about what the benefits are of other types of therapists.

Have people found that their recovery journey hasn't been a one stop shop in terms of therapists?

If this should go in the therapy section then please move, sorry. I'm an adult child of Narc parent.