CAT / EMDR

[Serendipity.]

Hello my lovelies,

I've just had an assessment with a psychologist to see about starting therapy, and she's suggested either CAT or EMDR. We have another appointment next week to talk about what each of them would involve and I'll be able to ask her any questions I have. She's said to do some research into both of them in the meantime, which I obviously will do (I've already started!) but if anyone has any experience of either of these, it would be lovely to hear your experiences (did you find it helpful? Pros and cons?)

Thanks :)

[Youngkody]

Sorry I dont have any answers for you but just wanted to say I love your quote in your signature

[Eska]

I did CAT and found it very helpful.

[Fire Fly]

I haven't don't CAT however I did start EMDR and known people who have done EMDR. My partner did it for his phobia and it has really helped, I've seen a major improvement. For me I think my therapist wasn't great but I did benefit from it but stopped due to cost. It's about trusting your therapist and being able to go through the trauma or the reason why you're going through the therapy over and over again whilst being in a safe environment. On a way it helps you to desensitise from the memory. But you always start and end in a happy safe memory and when it gets too much your therapist will bring you back to the safe place. They are very good at noticing when you're very distressed.

I think one thing to point out is that in my opinion it's good at treating one trauma at a time and it's hard to treats lots of them in one go and that's what your brain will take you to. So can be difficult if you have over two or three different traumas.

[Serendipity.]

Thank you both! :)

R, that is interesting, thanks.

Eska, I'm glad you found CAT helpful. If you don't mind, would you be able to say any more about what you found helpful about it? No worries if you'd rather not!

I think at the moment I'm leaning towards going with CAT.

[Eska]

I really liked that it's based around mapping things out. Being able to have things on paper in front of me made it much easier to talk through the different dynamics and relationships in my feelings and behaviour- I always found it difficult in other kinds of therapy to unpick things when so much was tangled up in my head, I ended up struggling to talk properly.

I also liked the degree of structure - it gave some sense of guidance without being overly prescriptive.

[Serendipity.]

Thank you Eska, that was helpful :)

I had basically decided I wanted to do CAT but when I saw the psychologist today she said she'd thought about it and felt that EMDR would be the better option. She was really good about it and said it was my decision but we've decided on starting with 6 sessions of EMDR and then if it isn't going well we'll stop and try something different.

[lostdalek]

I'm a bit late here, but I'm starting EMDR this wednesday.