Posted by lucie lu on October 19, 2008, at 13:23:59
In reply to Re: it crept up on me when I wasn't noticing... » twinleaf, posted by Phillipa on October 19, 2008, at 12:52:12
Twinleaf,What a wonderful story! I'm glad you decided to share it. I admire your resilience in not giving up on analysis after your first analyst had a (psychotic?) melt-down. You described those times rather matter-of-factly but they must have been devastating and frightening at the time. Your new analyst sounds wonderful (must Daisy's T move over in my crush list?), and I'm very glad that you are having the corrective experience you were denied before by your previous analyst's breakdown.
I am convinced that therapy potentially does remodel the brain. I believe that may be the major way in which LT therapy of any sort works. Thinking new ways or experiencing new ways to relate to others, or a new type of primary relationship is bound to rewire circuits. Maybe you also heard as I did that LT untreated depression also remodels the brain and, of course, not for the better, shrinking the hippocampus etc. And that early treatment for depression can prevent these structural effects on the brain, whereas the untreated depressed people have a much greater risk of having subsequent episodes. I found all this to be perfectly reasonable and understandable when put in the context of therapy, the therapeutic relationship, and corrective experiences. Good grief, how did I get started on this?? I guess I just want to see therapy validated in terms of its effectiveness and to justify the considerable investment many of us have put into it.
Anyway, thanks so much for sharing your story, which I found to be very moving. And most of all, I'm glad to know you are feeling so much better these days.
Best,
Lucie
poster:lucie lu
thread:858205
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20081018/msgs/858243.html