Tag Archives: Therapy

Got Some Good Sleep Here in Seattle

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World!!! I feel like I got some good sleep here in Seattle. I love it when I get good sleep. Granted I didn’t sleep more than five hours and had nightmares but at least it was good sleep overall so I am going to try not to complain. I am surprised that I got good sleep as I took two naps yesterday due to not sleeping very well that night before.

I mentioned in past post that I recently experienced a trauma. A trauma that caused my PTSD to act up especially from past traumas. Anyway, my therapist is helping me through the trauma is willing to stick with me as I know I can be challenging. My session with my therapist yesterday went well. My therapist is beyond awesome.

When I had my session with my therapist yesterday, I wish I would have remembered to tell her something. Something that helps with my PSTD nightmares. That something is reading one of my favorite genres of books which is horror books. Horror books help me not remember my own horrors especially if I read them before bed as I end up with nightmares from the horror books which are so much easier to deal with than PTSD nightmares.

Another thing that I have found that is helpful dealing with my PTSD is mindfulness meditation. It helps because I feel like it calms my mind down. That is why I do my very best to start each day with a mindfulness meditation practice as well as end my day with one.

On to other things that are helpful to my recovery is doing some form of fine art and listening to music. This has been one of my go to’s since my early days in recovery with a mental health challenge. I love art and I love music.

Speaking of recovery I went to the grocery store yesterday to buy some much needed food. One of those food items was ice cream. I got a pint of Baskin Robins mint and chip ice cream. I ate about a quarter of it and plan on having some later today.

Something I started doing in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic was attending a twelve step meeting for adult children who dealt with parents who are alcoholics. I loved attending and I really wish I didn’t stop attending. I am hoping to start regularly attending again as I found it helpful to my recovery.

I do not have much more to say in this particular blog post. I do want to say thank you for reading my blog. If it was not for you the reader reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World from Seattle, Washington!!! This week has been quite a week for me emotion wise especially when it comes to depression and PTSD related to recent traumas that triggered past traumas. Traumas that were brought up in therapy which will be discussed later in this blog post.

Anyway, I went to work last Sunday and did crisis coverage. I continued to due crisis coverage on Sunday night despite vomiting most of the night. Thankfully, I only received one crisis call that just needed some resources. Due to vomiting most of Sunday night, I didn’t go to work on Monday. I did go to work on Tuesday and Wednesday. I struggled both days with PTSD related shit which sucked. I missed work on Thursday due to being in the emergency room most of Wednesday night.

I was in the emergency room of a local hospital most of Wednesday night due to self harm reasons which is why I missed work on Thursday. The self harm act was that of me punching a brick wall several times. Thankfully, I didn’t break anything. All I ended up with was a very bruised and swollen hand. I am also thankful that I was not suicidal in anyway and was able make a solid safety plan. I was also able to have a telephone check in with my therapist later in the afternoon for about a half an hour.

As Friday goes, I dissociated a lot due to reasons I’d rather not discuss but I did inform my therapist what happened via email and during our session on Friday. Therapy was fucking hard yesterday (Friday). We discussed what happened yesterday morning and why I was dissociating a lot. I also shared a lot of scary shit as far as trauma goes that I experienced as a child. Shit that has been brought up by the recent trauma of being raped. My therapist showed a lot of compassion and empathy. She also allowed me a lot of space to share that hard shit which meant our session lasted an hour and a half instead of an hour.

As far as today has gone, I haven’t done much to report. I did go to the U-District Farmers Market and got an awesome breakfast sandwich which I have been doing every Saturday for the last four or five Saturdays now. I think I am going to make it a weekly thing for me every Saturday since the U-District is every Saturday year round.

As far as what I have been for myself self care wise this week since it has been quite challenging has varied. I of course have been spending some time with my beloved cat, Billie. I have also been doing daily mindfulness meditation practices. In fact, last week, I have been doing at least four a day. I have been using the Calm App for at least two of the daily mindfulness meditation practices while other practices have been on my own or with others. I also have been doing a lot of art work. I have been doing various forms of art work such as coloring and diamond art. I also have been doing various types of crafts which include latch hook and cross stitching. I also have been doing a lot of reading books. Reading has been quite helpful with dealing with my PTSD.

That’s it for my weekly check in. Have a great weekend!!! Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is Saturday evening and I am starting to do my weekly check-ins again. I just want to keep you the reader as engaged as possible. I know it sounds silly especially since I just talk about my boring life.

So, this week I went back to work after being gone for about a month due to medical reasons. Well technically I was on leave due to a trauma. A trauma that hit me to my core that sadly triggered some severe PTSD symptoms from past traumas. Traumas that I personally don’t really want to deal with especially things I thought I already dealt with.

Enough with discussing trauma and back to discussing work. Being back to work is a bit weird. I am happy to be back to work but it just feels weird. I love my job and am grateful to be back and only had to take my extra break once.

Part of my work week I spent two days at the Peer Pathways Conference. It was a huge growing experience for me. Hell, it was a growing experience for many in attendance for many folks who attended the conference this year. It was also great to meet in person again. I did have some sensory overload during the conference however I enjoyed myself.

I also had a session with my therapist which was hard but hard in a good way. My therapist is awesome and appreciated what she has to say. I also had an appointment with my psychiatric nurse practitioner. We of discussed meds and one of them was increased to help with my PTSD symptoms.

It wouldn’t be a weekly check-in without discussing my awesome cat, Billie. I love my cat and am grateful to have him in my life. It is hard to think about life without him. He is a very good and loving kitty.

I don’t have much more to say. I do want to thank you for reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Work
  • Dinner with neighbors
  • Art (Color)
  • Spend time with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Art (color)
  • Work
  • Spend time with my cat Billie

Tuesday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Work
  • Art (color)
  • Spend time with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Peer Pathways Conference
  • Art (color)
  • Spend time with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Peer Pathways Confernce
  • Dinner with my grandpa to celebrate his birthday
  • Spend time with my cat, Billie
  • Art (color)

Friday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Lunch with a good friend from high school
  • Appointment with my therapist
  • Appointment with my psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Art (color)

Saturday

  • Walk
  • Mindfulness Meditation
  • Farmers Market
  • Art (color)

Struggling with Recent Sexual Assault but Using Coping Skills & Self Care Techniques to Help

Posted on by Gertie

Good Morning, World from Seattle, Washington. It is 1:11 in the morning Seattle time and I am unable to sleep. I am unable to sleep mainly due to a recent rape I’ve experience within the last few days ago. I am dealing with some very intense emotions regarding the sexual assault.

As I am tired and sleeping I am hoping to get some sleep tonight and I hope the coping skills and self care techniques I use will be helpful. I of course am planning on doing creative stuff. I will of course be doing work on diamond art as well as doing some coloring. Of course I will be doing some crafting of Latching Hooking which I am still trying to get the hang of doing the proper techniques. Now as the crossing stitching I am getting better at it and learning the various stitches.

I don’t have much more to say in this particular blog. I just want to thank you for reading my blog even though it is a little on the depressing side.Peace Out World!!!

Weekly Check-In

Posted on by Gertie

Good Evening, World!!! It is officially that time of week where I do my weekly check in. This past week has been a pretty good week. My current work schedule changed and I now work Sunday through Thursday. I have mixed feelings about it but once I get used to it, I know it will work to not just my benefit but the benefit of the clients I serve. I really like my job. I am, however, wondering if I am doing a good job as well as if I am a good fit for the team I am on. I know I am being self conscious about how I do at work. My supervisor says it’s “imposter syndrome.”

I may not be sure if what my boss says about the imposter syndrome thing, I know that I am doing well overall in regards to my mental health challenges. I, saw my therapist on Tuesday. It went well. She also emailed my psychiatric nurse practitioner stating how well I am doing mental health wise.

Speaking of my psychiatric nurse practitioner, I saw her yesterday. She too thinks I am doing well. So well that if I continue doing as well as I am doing, she is going to reduce my antidepressant to a lower dose. A lower dose that will make it, the lowest that it could go that will work effectively. I am excited about this.

One of the things that has been helping with my mental health challenges is volunteering at PAWS Cat City. Due to my work schedule changing, the day, I volunteer changed as well. I now volunteer on Friday mornings. I miss volunteering on Sunday mornings but I will get use to Friday mornings.

In between, working, volunteering and attending appointments, I have been reading. I have been reading a book on tarot cards. I am wanting to learn how to read tarot cards so it can help me with my recovery. I also hope that one day I can help others with their recovery with learning how to read tarot cards. I am slowly learning about tarot cards and am finding it fascinating.

I do not have much more to say about my week. Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Monday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Tuesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Therapy
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Wednesday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Thursday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work
  • Work on a recovery related workbook
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Friday

  • Mindfulness meditation practice through the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Appointment with psychiatric nurse practitioner
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Saturday

  • Mindfulness mediation practice with the Calm App
  • Walk twenty to thirty minutes while listening to a podcast
  • Work on a recovery based workbook
  • Clean apartment
  • Cuddle with my cat, Billie

Plans & Hopes for the Near & Far Future

Posted on by Gertie

Hello, World!!! It is just barely after twelve thirty in the middle of the night here in Seattle. I just wanted to tell you my hopes and plans as well as how I plan on doing all this, specifically for my future. A few months ago I ordered what I thought was a set of two journals from Amazon which turned out to be a set of six journals. So, earlier yesterday (Sunday) afternoon, I figured out what I am going to with the journals. So, I am going to start the day writing a journal entry with what my hopes and plans for the day will be. At the end of the day I will journal as well regarding what I accomplished for the day regarding my plans and if my hopes for the day were what I hoped for.

My hopes and plans coincide with each other as it is not only recovery related to my mental health recovery as well as just everyday stuff. So my everyday plans are to go to work when scheduled and to clean my apartment as my apartment is a disaster area as well as continue to go to therapy. Now my hopes that I plan on becoming plans is to learn about tarot cards and do a specific tarot journal on what the tarot cards tell me. Another hope that I plan on becoming plans is to do workbooks to help with my recovery. In all actuality, I think my hopes and plans will ultimately help with my mental health even though my mental health is doing quite well at the moment.

It is getting late and I am getting tired so I am going to end this particular blog post. Thank for reading my blog. It is greatly appreciated from my end of things that you the reader, read my blog. If it was not for you the reader, reading my blog, I would not be writing my blog. Again, thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading my blog. Happy Holidays and Peace Out, World!!!

Weekly Plans

Posted on by Gertie

Sunday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City
  • Blog
  • Spend Time with my cat, Billie
  • Read Book

Monday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Blog
  • Spend an hour cleaning apartment
  • Read Book

Tuesday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Blog
  • Read Book
  • Volunteer at PAWS Cat City

Wednesday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Read Book

Thursday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Therapy
  • Read Book

Friday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Blog
  • Work
  • Read Book
  • Watch Movies

Saturday

  • Daily Calm on the Calm App
  • Daily Walk
  • Blog
  • Spend an hour cleaning apartment
  • Read Book
  • Watch Movies

Recovery Looks Differently for People

Posted on by Gertie

Happy Saturday from Seattle. I am going to discuss how recovery looks differently for people. For me I go to therapy and see a psychiatric nurse practitioner who prescribes my psychiatrist nurse practitioner. Going to therapy also helps me with my recovery.

Another thing I do is mindfulness and meditation. I do this by doing mindfulness workbooks as well doing the Calm App; Both are helpful with my recovery. I also do recovery related workbooks. Workbooks help a great deal along with mindfulness and meditation.

I am going to start doing tarot cards to help with my recovery. I even have a recovery tarot journal that I will do whenever I do a tarot reading. I will do normal journaling

And of course Billie my cat is an Emotion Support Animal and has helped me a great deal with my depression. Having an ESA is quite helpful for me.

So this how I work with my recovery.. I want to thank you for you reading my blog. Peace Out, World!!!