Reddit reviews Mind-Body Workbook for PTSD: A 10-Week Program for Healing After Trauma (A New Harbinger Self-Help Workbook)

Hey, that sounds really hard and really frustrating. I'm sorry you went through that.

I commented on another post awhile ago where someone was having trouble dealing with fear while lead climbing, and I suggested seeking out a counselor who could help them work on techniques for managing the fear and negative emotions that come up while climbing. I think a good counselor can help with climbing related trauma as well.

I've struggled a lot with anxiety and obsessive compulsive disorder over the last year, and working with my counselor has been a life saver. The technique we mainly focused on is called mind-body bridging, and it's one of many mindfulness-based stress reduction approaches out there. Many of these same techniques are successfully used to cope with trauma too.

Of course non-mindfulness-based techniques are great too, like cognitive behavioral therapy and rational emotive behavorial therapy. They're all good tools in your psychological arsenal.

If this sounds like something you'd be interested in trying, a useful starting place is Psychology Today, which has a "Find a Therapist" menu at the top. In a counselor's bio, I might look for keywords like evidence-based, results/goal-oriented, and maybe mindfulness-based. This shows that they're interested in therapy approaches that have been shown to work for a lot of people, and in helping you develop practical, useful skills for coping with difficult emotions and situations.

The book I've been using for anxiety is this one, and this one is the version that's geared more toward trauma.

I hope you find things that work for you, friend. I think it's always possible to heal.

edit: I know my bias is in the direction of learning practical techniques rather than a more conversation/unpacking oriented style of therapy. I don't mean to suggest that my way is the best way or the only way. It's a way that has worked for me. Others might find the greatest comfort in more psychoanalytical or conversational therapy, or something else entirely. What I mean to say is: if you go the therapy route, just follow your instinct and find the person who's the best fit for you. yer gonna do great.

edit 2: and please PM me if you want to!

Though a completely different case, your panic attacks and feelings sound similar to my PTSD symptoms from a terrible car/motorcycle accident I was severely injured in. My therapist recommended this book for me, and it's been pretty helpful (and I don't even use it like you're supposed to), if you're interested. I'm really sorry that this happened to you and I'm sending you all the good vibes I can!

I would suggest starting slow, maybe even just with a sponge bath or baby wipes in your room. Then maybe try washing your hair and your face in the sink. After that, you could try moving on to a sink bath in a t-shirt and shorts, and go where you are comfortable from there.

If this is interfering with your life to the point it’s affecting your basic needs like hygiene, I am really not sure why they would tell you you’re not eligible for therapy. I would argue that’s grounds to put you at the top of the list. Therapy is to give you coping techniques and tools to make stuff like showering easier. In my (fairly extensive and repeated) experiences with intake workers, whatever they have on your file is not you, or your life. You know best what you need.

Would you be comfortable speaking to your family doctor (not necessarily in detail) about your anxiety/PTSD and asking for a referral? Sometimes doctors can help fast track you to support services. Would you be comfortable bringing someone with you to advocate for you and try to get in to see someone again?

If you’re having a very difficult time with access and cost is a factor, workbooks can be helpful. The wait list is only as long as it takes to get the book, you can go at your own pace, repeat steps, and when you do find a counsellor you can work through some of the exercises with them too. You can find them online or at bookstores like Indigo and Coles in the mental health section. This is the one I have, it’s focused on skill building, distress tolerance, emotional regulation, and self-acceptance. I also have this one that’s trauma specific. There are many, many others and I recommend that if you haven’t had a lot of experience worth different types of counselling that you should try going in person to find one that you like. These books are kind of like therapists themselves, there’s lots to choose from, some of them are exactly what you need, and some of them aren’t.

You’ve got this. You can heal, you can access the tools you need to feel better, you can move forward, and you don’t have to listen to some awful intake worker who doesn’t know you. You deserve the best that life has to offer.

Mind Body Bridging Workbook for PTSD

This has helped me so much. It teaches you mind-body bridging practices that help lessen the intensity of PTSD symptoms. Highly recommend.