Decades later

[MountainGirl]

Hi folks, I'm a Mountain Girl in Southern California, still reckoning with emotional abuse, parentification, and sexual assaults that happened decades ago. I wondered if anyone here knows of in person groups in Southern California that might offer some support as I try to navigate this recent diagnosis of C-PTSD.

I was unaware that such experiences could actually change the structure of the brain. and I wonder what techniques might help to mitigate the damage. I have read about EMDR, and my therapist mentioned that as a possibility, but it seems to be a somewhat controversial technique even though apparently very very effective for many people. Just wondered if anyone had any experience with that, or what else people have tried that could be helpful.

Thanks for any input.

MG

[Desert Flower]

Hi Mountain Girl, well, I can certainly relate to where you came from decades ago. Same here. I also recently really got into how the brain is responding to these forms of abuse. It is certainly something to be reckoned with.
I'm not from California, so I cannot help you with that unfortunately.
But I just wanted to say I don't think EMDR is that controversial, in my country it is actually part of the standard practice for trauma issues. Although it will not work for everybody. And I do not have much experience with it, but the experience I do have is actually amazing. It is very promising I have to say.
So I hope you will find a good and safe practicioner for yourself as well. (Apologies, I'm tired, my English is a bit off.) There is a lot more information on the forum about EMDR. If you type 'EMDR' in the search field at the right hand side top of the page I'm sure you'll find it.

[Papa Coco]

Hi Mountaingirl,

Welcome to the forum.  I agree with you that it's mind-blowing how abuse can reshape the brain. For me, the path to healing is a multi-pronged approach. I do talk therapy with a DBT therapist. I do Ketamine Infusions when things are especially dark. I've done EMDR, Hypnotherapy, hundreds of self-help books...I joined this forum as part of my healing path. Mostly everything I do brings a little bit of comfort. Together, these various treatments are rebuilding in me a sense that I can handle my memories and triggers better than I've ever been able to before I got my CPTSD diagnosis.

EMDR was just me following my therapist's thumb with my eyes while talking about my traumas. And it brought a profound and lasting improvement in how often or how deeply I dissociate in the face of trouble.

I hope you are able to find the set of tools that work best for you. A lot of members are happy to share their experiences with most any of the tools that the world is offering us. We're all a little different. Just enough so to mean that not every healing path is one-size-fits-all. But they are all worth looking into, because they do help a good percentage of people with trauma-triggers.

Welcome.

[Armee]

Hi MG

I don't know of any groups in SoCal but wanted to say hi and welcome.  I'm in NorCal.

I don't think there are many in person CPTSD groups. But there are often groups for sexual assault so I'm sure you could find something through that lens. And SA often accompanies other types of abuse and CPTSD so you'd probably find support that way.

I've used EMDR for a few years now. It's not as straightforward for dissociative disorders and CPTSD as for simple trauma but still helpful. Along with somatic approaches and Internal Family Systems. I find for me and others too it takes several different therapeutic approaches woven together and a good trauma therapist will learn several of these tools to help their clients.