Sunny,

 

This sounds a lot like the way we did the Grief groups that I went to..I really liked it and it helps me a lot.  Thanks for sharing your experience with me..It really helps to have input from others..

 

Your friend,

Red

Dizzy,

 

Thank you for sharing you experience with me..and I do love your sense of humor about it..It does takes the edge off of the idea off of getting involved a group out side of the house. I do like the idea of face a face to exchange in a group setting..I do have a lot of what if's to challenage about it thats for sure..I was thinking that a live group would also help me with my Agrophobia..The online group has helped me a great deal but it is too easy for me to sit here behind a computer screen  and I do not have to do the face to face interaction plus I do not have to leave the house to do it. So in that aspect I am not getting enough exposure with my Agrophobia issues..I do take some classes at the adult school where I do a bit of social interacting..On the outside I appear ok but on the inside it is a little overwhelming at times being in such close contact to people. Listening and responding to there problems brings back lots of tuff memories for me..Even so I do like the interaction..It would probably help me to be in group face to face with others that have anxiety,panic or agrophobic and I do like the idea of having material to read that we can discuss and having a  instructor or person leading the group..This is very hard to acheive in a online group..Anyway you have given me a lot to think about in a postive way. I want to thank you for the camaraderie and for taking the time to share your experience with me..I really appreciate your help and input..

 

Your friend,

Red.

Hello everyone:  Yes, I have been in a CBT Group.  We started with a short relaxation exercise every time.  Usually some breathing to relax.  The facilitator would introduce a new topic - following the workbook chapters - as on this site.  It would be read out with hand outs for our own binders.  Then an explanation of it, any questions about it followed.  After this a short 5 minute break - as some still needed a smoke break outside - then the facilitator would ask how the week went and anyone who had a problem with something could talk about it.  Afterwards, with the facilitator guiding, the group could add their take on the this problem, offering advice or insights.  Before leaving, another longer relaxation exercise would be practiced, such as a progressive muscle relaxation or visualization.  Hope this helps.

 

Your friend, Sunny

Red

 

I go to a live group of CBT (but most of us are dead at the time). What happens is we use a book that everyone reads, we read a chapter from it. Then three members give an example first the situation, then the symptoms they produced, then what tools we used to change our thinking. Then the remainder of the group comments on the example given using what we call spotting (alternative thinking) on the firsts persons example. Not to judge or to say what the person giving the example was wrong but to reinforce or own thinking patterns and give insight to the other persons example (something they may have mist). A new member came from another group where they sat around and gave examples of situations they had a hard time in and (as he said) the group tries to console the person and tries to help. Our new group member did not find this group particularly helpful. To each as our own.

 

Things that I get from the group are camaraderie with other people suffering from the same problems and a feeling that you are not alone. As we tend to do when we have a mental illness we feel isolated partly becuase of society stigma that does not allow one to talk about it and partly are own fault. Einstein said the moment you say I had a panic attack you are identifying your isolation becuase you are making it yours. If you can say my body is having an attack, tension, or anxiety you have taken the you out of the equation and become a member of society. I do not know if you are far enough along to know that our fear reaction of anxiety to situations we are confronted with is far in excess with the facts of the situation. For me going into a building where I have developed an association with attack. My response that is happening in my body far outweighs the threat. In fact I cannot think of a threat going in to the building other then I do not want the sensation of an attack. I think many people have said it's not the situation you fear it is the sensations.

 

One thing that also comes from the group as we recognize similar traits in or selves. Like perfectionism, imagination on fire when in a new situation, do not like change, we think that people are staring at us when we are panicky, when the majority of the time that do not know or could care less. You would be surprised how much people do not think about you, but we think about everyone else as if they think like us.

 

So if I were to give advise go for the group experience it helps you feel less isolated but if there are a few groups around then find the right one for you. That does not mean going once and deciding it is not for you, you have to give it a chance. You will also find that there is anxiety to going to a group becuase there are a lot of what if. The only thing I can say is everyone who went to the group for the first time had the same problem, you could use the challenge your thoughts sheet. Or face you fears and your fears will go away.

 

Dizzy 

Dizzy

Great discussion topic Red.

 

Member, please share your thoughts and questions also!

 

Hugs,

Thanks for sharing your experience with me..It has been very helpful..In the groups that I attended they handed out literature at our weekly meetings. We had two trained professionals leading the group one was a intern in training working towards a degree..They would go over the material and we would discuss it as a group and how it related to us personally..This was a on going drop in group that you could repeat as you moved forward..Everyone was at different stages in there road to recovery...Anyway I am looking for something like this to do to move me along with my CBT. Thanks so much for your help.

 

Red

Red,

 

In my live CBT group we all had our own CBT specialized professionals, who were medical doctors, and the group, similar to this online "virtual" group, was only a "support" to the individual meetings with our professionals in CBT, who expect homework to be done.

 

I've done tons of other groups, but not with the structure of CBT.  Success depends on a lot of things though: maturity, rapport with helping professional, homework commitment.

Hugs,

rob,

Thanks for the input..

I was really looking for information from someone who has been in a live CBT group before. I am  really not interested in seeing a therapist one on one at this time. I did have a excellent experience attending live Grief Groups in the past and am interested in getting input from other members in the forum who have been in a live CBT Group before...I think a live CBT group might be very helpful to me..

 

Red

Red, T3,

I'd go through your person medical professional, who will eventually find one.

In the UK, there are dozens of websites, so there have have to be groups.  Maybe your Cbt person will start one, if there's enough interest.  Universities, hospitals, clinics are a close second, and there could be waiting lists.