Tag Archives: DBT

Monday Evening Ramblings

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! I don’t have much to say in this post or at least I don’t think I do at this current moment in time. I say this as I don’t know what I have to say at the moment.

I have been watching the Stanley Cup finals as I am sort of a fan of hockey. My team may not be in it to get the Stanley Cup but I am rooting the for the underdog; Las Vegas Golden Knights. I love the fact they weren’t even suppose to make it to the play offs much less to the actual Stanley Cup games.

As I have mentioned in my previous post I had my job interview today. They have two job openings open. One is full time while the other is part time. I hope I get the part time job as that will be best for me to do.

I figured out what I am going to do my DBT homework on. Part of the homework that is due is to do a chain analysis. I am going to do a chain analysis on my behavior in Day Treatment today. Granted it wasn’t all that “bad” however I feel like I need to a chain analysis.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Group facilitator training

Monday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Job interview
  • Art group
  • Workbooks

Tuesday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Hear voices group
  • Workbooks

Wednesday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Workbooks
  • Relax

Thursday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Therapy
  • Vocational Service’s Appointment
  • Workbooks

Friday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • DBT Group
  • Workbooks

Saturday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Workbooks
  • Volunteer

 

A Full & Busy Friday (Late Post)

Posted on by Gertie

Good Saturday Morning, World!!! This post is a day late as I wanted it to post it yesterday. I went to my doctor’s appointment yesterday morning. We had a heart to heart discussion about my suicide attempt late last week. We discussed a safety plan and called my therapist who was surprisingly available to answer his phone. So the three of us discussed the safety plan and the fear I had on stricter med moderating. My therapist informed me that it will need to be a discussion that need to be continued. He did think the ideas my doctor and I cam up with were great idea’s.

I also went to my Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) group. It is going to be challenging as we will be doing chain analysis but I am looking forward to doing this. Other members don’t want to do it has “its too hard” and it is but I am all for being accountable to my behavior. One person is thinking about dropping out because “its getting too hard.” I look at if this way if you don’t do something difficult that you won’t be able to grow as person.

Thanks you for reading. Have a good weekend. Peace Out, World!!!!

My Cat Thinks She Is Human

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I have notice a few things about Lil Gertie the last couple of days. It started when Lil Gertie took a Cheeto out of my hand the other day and just ate it. Then the other night she was more hyper than usual so I put on one of my favorite bands, Black Sabbath and she calmed the hell down. Who knew Black Sabbath would calm down a hyper cat. Last night she got on my lap and started eating my strawberry ice cream right from the bowl. Then as I was attempting to eat my doughnut she grabbed a piece and ate that this morning. I swear my cat thinks she is a human.

I go see my doctor in a couple of hours. She is just going to check up on me after my suicide attempt last week. My doctor is an awesome person. She wants to make sure I am doing alright both physically and mentally after last week.

I also start back up in DBT group today. I am so looking forward to DBT group this afternoon. I love being able to focus using my skills and being a “leader” in the group according to the group facilitators. I don’t know about being a leader but I do the skills and share my experience on how well the DBT skills work for me.

Thank you for reading. Have a great Friday. Peace Out, World!!!

Good Morning, World

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I got some sleep last night and woke up on this god awful hour because Lil Gertie woke me up form a nightmare. She woke me up with a like on the nose. With her waking me up from the worst part of the nightmare from happening she has done her job and I didn’t have to train her to do that.

I have quite a lot planned today. First I go see my doctor a ten this morning. I am looking forward to seeing her as she has been my doctor for nine years. She is going to do a check up after the attempt to take my own life last week. My doctor is awesome.

I will all so be starting Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) back up today. I am looking forward to this as it gives me the structure and skills I need to help myself. I love being able to help myself with the skills I know how to do has well as the ones I will be learning.

I emailed my therapist about the PTSD stuff and how Lil Gertie has been helpful for me. I attempt to only email him when I think he needs to know something soon. As someone who worked in the mental health field I know from experience that I am more likely respond to an email verses a voicemail.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

 

 

It’s Been An Overall Good Day

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! Today, overall has been a good day despite not getting any sleep. I even attempted to take a nap when I got home from day treatment and seeing my therapist.

As I stated I saw my therapist today. We discussed my suicide attempt on Wednesday and talked about it in detail. We discussed how having a cat helped me make the decision to live and carry on with my life. We talked about the three groups I plan on attending especially the DBT group I start back up tomorrow. We both agree that DBT group will be extremely important for me to attend. I showed him my scrap book and he appeared surprised that I was will to share something “so personal” with him. We talked about how arts and crafts have been helpful to me. In fact he wants me to continue to attend art group as he “feels like it helps” me express my emotions. He is going to sit in on Art group on Monday.

I see my doctor tomorrow and my doctor called me today to check in on me. We talked a little about my suicide attempt. She just wanted to make sure I was doing better and to make sure I’ll be going to see her tomorrow. I confirmed that I would be there tomorrow. We will be discussing the suicide attempt even though it was more than a week ago.

I am grateful that I am not suicidal and that I have a good support system that checks in with me. My therapist, doctor, and psychiatric nurse practitioner all agree that I am doing okay at the moment. They are talking with each other and agree that me being out of the hospital for psych reasons is a good thing.

Thank you so much for reading. It is greatly appreciated. Have a great evening. Peace Out, World!!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Blog
  • Read (specifically books on Buddhism)
  • Print out photos of my cat, Lil Gertie
  • Paint (a picture of Lil Gertie)
  • Scrapbook
  • Relax

Monday

  • Blog
  • Read (not sure which book yet but I will read)
  • Scrapbook
  • Paint
  • Relax
  • Workbooks

Tuesday

  • Blog
  • Hearing Voices Group
  • Read
  • Workbooks

Wednesday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • Paint
  • Scrapbook
  • Relax
  • Workbooks

Thursday

  • Blog
  • Therapy
  • Read
  • Workbooks

Friday

  • Blog
  • Read
  • DBT Group
  • Workbooks
  • DBT Homework

Saturday

  • Blog
  • Training to be a co-facilitator at a Peer Run program.
  • Workbooks

 

 

DBT Skills Helping Me Through A Rough Moment

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! I am struggling a little right now. I am struggling with anxiety and PTSD. A struggle that I know I can get through. I can get through with the use of my skills. Specifically, DBT skills.

One of those skills is painting. I will be painting to help express the emotions that I am feeling at the moment. Emotions that I have trouble verbalizing out loud or even on paper or computer screen.

Another skill I can do that is helpful to me is mindfulness. Mindfulness helps calm my anxiety right down. Mindfulness also gives me a sense of peace. A peace the Buddhism is giving me as I look into it.

Looking into Buddhism is giving me a faith and hope that I have been searching for. A faith that has been a long time coming.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!

Thankfully, Not Hospitalized

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! There was an hour or two where I thought I could be hospitalized due to hitting a brick wall with my hand and thankfully it is NOT going to happen. Everyone was in agreement with me that the hospital would not be beneficial to me this time around. So, with everyone in agreement, I am not going to be admitted to the hospital.

My therapist and I discussed my self harm actions this morning and did what is called a chain analysis. If you’re familiar with Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) then you know what I am talking about. It is hard for me to describe what one is but it is extremely helpful. My therapist and I also discussed my family. Specifically, my parents and their addictions to drug and alcohol. My dad is in active recovery while my mom is not in recovery whatsoever. We talked about how I learned from their mistakes and chose not to drink or use drugs. I told my therapist that I don’t need more issues on top of the ones I already have.

I’ll write more later. I am just really tired and in pain from hitting a brick wall. Thank you so very much for reading. It is very much appreciated. Peace Out, World!!!

Having A Tough Evening

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! As the title of my post suggest, I am having a tough evening. An evening full of depression and grief. I’m still grieving over the death of my grandma. It hasn’t even been a two months since she passed away and I miss her so much, more and more everyday.

Something that I have been doing to help myself is my DBT skills.  Specifically, I have been reading. Reading Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb. I am really enjoying the book. If you are a Fantasy and/or Science Fiction fan, you would enjoy the book. In fact it is the first book in The Liveship Traders Trilogy. 

I am a huge fan of book series. I am a fan of series because I really get into the world the author created as well as the characters. Sometimes I cry at the end of a series because saying goodbye to the world and character of the author’s creation is difficult for me to do. Yes, I know it is not real however sometimes you spend more time with the series than your own family.  Or at least for me it is true.

Thank you for reading. Peace Out, World!!!