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My EMDR therapist is not listening to me

queer_autistic_enby26298

I got diagnosed with PTSD during the first lockdown due to me being abused into being more neurotypical in school and college, homophobic behaviour from a sexual health professional and other types of abuse in school and college (both special school and mainstream).

I am currently having EMDR therapy but I do not enjoy it, I always dread the sessions and I find it really hard even though I have agreed to 4 more sessions as I've already had 6 and already want to stop. 

Why? Because the therapist is denying I have an intellectual disability (when part of the abuse was to get me to use advanced language skills that I still don't understand), they are giving me 'function labels' when they should know that is damaging, saying I don't appear autistic when I don't even mask and saying I'm very good at 'processing' when I'm really struggling with it . I am very disgusted by what they have been saying, I feel let down, not listened to and I never thought a therapist would be so judgemental. I feel they are not helping me. 

I might be made redundant from my job due to covid which I did tell them about but they said supported employment services are 'not appropriate' because they're denying I have learning difficulties  and truth be told, Mencap's employment support services helped me get my current job so I personally don't agree with them. 

I really don't want to do it anymore, maybe I'm being 'function labelled' because I am too nice. I maybe need a different therapist, all they're doing is making my life so depressing. 

Please help, I don't know what to say to them. 

Parents

  • I am not a medical professional but i have done my own research into autism and other neurodevelopmental disorder and specific learning conditions, it became a special interest for me, since discovering i have autism.  

    Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing Therapy is apparently really good for people on the autism spectrum but it has to be tailored and adapted for autistic individual on an individual bases. like most therapies just like cognitive behavioral therapy the therapist needs a very good understanding of autism and specific learning conditions that may make the typical mechanisms typically used on neurotypical individuals uneffective or uncomfortable for patients with neurodevelopmental disorders.

    The problem with the United Kingdom is that neurodevelopmental disorders are treated as mental health disorders and medical professional such as cognitive behavioural therapists and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapists are not required to take specialised training for neurodevelopmental disorders and specific learning conditions which is honestly dangerous for so many reasons.

    I would suggest you make a formal complaint on the grounds of malpractice for the reason of the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapists inability and lack of responsibility in recognizing their own limitation in treating patients with neurodevelopmental disorder and specific learning conditions without necessary training and basic understanding of patients with neurodevelopmental disorder and specific learning conditions as well as reporting the therapist for the unfair and unjustified discrimination and dismissive, ableist and incorrect and unprofessional understanding of autism spectrum disorder.          

  • in reply to Blue

    yes i was reading up on it and was very skeptical. I hadnt even heard of it. It claims to have had successes in treating PTSD in the military.

    But if i was being treated with it i would be asking a bucket load of questions.   First does it work on an autistic mind that has  PTSD ? is there insurance against them harming you ?  Medical and financial insurance. 

  • in reply to aidie

    A scan reading of medical papers suggests "it is worth a try"  it is used to treat anxiety depression PTSD and autism. 

  • in reply to aidie

    Thanks for this, this makes me feel a bit better. I had a feeling they haven't had any kind of awareness training. 

  • in reply to Blue

    Have you got a link for this? Before I go and do EMDR which I was planning to do and got recommended one only Weds. Ta.

  • in reply to aidie

    i am still skeptical after reading an american article on how they use Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy is used to distinguish between patients who have early childhood post traumatic stress disorder and Autism spectrum disorder. Those who said Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy was effective were misdiagnosed with autism. Those who said it was Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy was un effective was found to be on the autism spectrum.

  • in reply to aidie

    then i find  this

    • Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 March 2020

    www.cambridge.org/.../3276144DC6447E352FDF6E7A48EB1953

    which says more research is needed

    "Conclusion

    To our knowledge, the effects of EMDR in adults with ASD have not yet been studied, except at case level. A study protocol will be presented to assess the efficacy of EMDR treatment for trauma related symptoms in adults with ASD."

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