If you've had therapy that helped, what kind of therapy was it?

[ValancyRedfern]

I've had so much therapy but never really change. I'm feeling despairing but I have to keep trying if I'm going to live for another 40 years (horrible thought!)

I have eating disorders, depression, anxiety, insomnia and ocd. A clinical psychologist thought I might have bpd but didn't diagnose, which I'm relieved about after reading more about it. I've had 2 positive therapy experiences, one cbt based and one focused on my eating disorder, but I still feel suicidal a good 6 months of each year and I'm just sick of it. Is there a wonder therapy I haven't tried? Or do I need to accept this is life?

Schema therapy is the one that works best for me; ultimately though I think it's the relationship that I have with my therapist which has helped more than the type of therapy. I'm sorry you're struggling

I had a few years of psychodynamic therapy, which was more frustrating than anything, but I did end up in a better place by the end of it, at the time.

I also have a variety of issues (eating disorder, depression, anxiety, insomnia, ocd traits, c-ptsd and a bpd diagnosis), and I have personally found that the most useful kind of therapy for me is just to have a stable, longterm therapy relationship with someone flexible, who takes a person-centrered and a somewhat integrative approach to things. I don't really know how to describe my current therapy in any better terms, although we initially tried things like a more structured schema therapy.

Thank you both

I have had therapy with probably half a dozen people but I think there is more to it than the type of therapy.

Right time.
Trusting the person and having faith they know what they are doing.
Willingness to put in the work, open oneself up, be honest.
Be less scared. Be brave. Have faith.

I have had a few different types of therapy, for different things with people who were different personalities.

I'm sorry you are finding things hard. Sometimes life is shit but I hope you find peace.

I’ve had EDMR therapy for ptsd and it was life changing for me.

Thank you. I've heard good things about Emdr therapy. Is it only for ptsd? I don't think I have that but I do think I'm affected by traumatic experiences in childhood.

Can anyone tell me a bit more about what schema therapy involves?

I had integrative therapy with a specialist charity for pregnancy and birth issues after being diagnosed with PND and PNA with symptoms of PTSD following a traumatic birth experience and medical negligence of me and baby. What helped was the specialism around my main issue but also because it was integrative the therapist explained that she could select the best 'tools' for me from her 'tool box'. She was also very funny, blunt and to the point which I need. I had 3 sessions of CBT on the nhs which were crap. The guy was a wet lettuce and then bragged about his own poor parenting. It didnt work for me. I now attend a community group for women experiencing similar issues which helps to.

This is a relatively good explanation of schema therapy:

www.harleytherapy.co.uk/counselling/what-is-schema-therapy.htm

I have had EMDR and it was truly life changing.

Thank you @mynameiscalypso that is really helpful

I have had Cbt 12 weeks, psychotherapy 1year and ACAT 16 weeks I have bipolar and schizophrenia and found the ACAT the best but I've never heard of anyone else who has had it.

Acceptance and commitment therapy - ACT. I had it in a group setting. The drop out rate was high because a lot of the group members struggled with leaving their house to get to the sessions. But those who did it benefitted greatly.

I had EMDR also for PTSD and it was very helpful. Wish I’d known about it 15 years ago when I was in an earlier stage of the trauma.

I know suggesting a book is going to seem ridiculous.. But after 10+ years of severe depression, anxiety and BPD, 3 suicide attempts and countless different therapies, the only thing that has helped me for more than a few seconds was "Feeling Good" by David Burns.

I'm not cured entirely but I've now had extended periods of feeling ok (which hasn't happened since my mental health problems began) and when I do feel low, I manage to work through it to come out of it quicker and it all feels a lot less intense.

Obviously it's not going to work for everyone but it might be worth considering.

It's a cognitive therapy book just to add.

Jungian psychotherapy with a wonderful therapist. Life changing.

I've heard other types of therapy as well but the jungian psychotherapy that had the biggest impact by far

I found cbt really helpful. It taught me where my thinking was distorted and how to confront that with more balanced, rational thoughts.

For specific issues, I liked hypnotherapy.

Run!
That and good counselling turned me around.

Cbt changed my life.

My ocd was so bad I was convinced the best thing to do was to kill myself, thankfully I got help.

Integrative therapy has been and is helpful for me. I have quite clear goals though, I wanted to survive traumatic bereavement and to avoid stumbling into another relationship with the same patterns as my two marriages.

Thank you everyone. Lots of ideas to look into. I have a phone appt tomorrow with someone who provides several of the therapy types mentioned here. I feel pretty rubbish about going back into therapy but I will try to approach it with an open mind!

Good luck *@ValancyRedfern.

I did Psychodynamic for 3.5 years.

I have bpd and struggled with depression since I was 14.