has talk therapy helped?

[wombatclay]

heyla all...

Has plain old "talk therapy" actually been beneficial to anyone with PPD? I was recently "dumped" by my therapist (I'd seen her once a week for ~3.5 months) and she told me she didn't think therapy was helpful for me and that if I wasn't willing to take an anti-depressant then I should just "accept that this is what life is like and get over it". :

My dh takes anti-depressants (as does my dad, my brother, and many of my friends) and I have in the past but since I'm nursing and not (in my opinion and that of my dh who knew me the last time I hit a major depression) to the point where I need medication to function I'd rather avoid taking a prescription medication.

So...has therapy been useful to anyone? Are there therapists out there who really are willing to work with someone with ppd who WONT push medications? I live in a really crunchy town and this therapist was recommended by a lot of people, but I actually feel worse now than I did when I first met with her. What should I look for in a new therapist (if I decide to try again)? Any good questions to ask in the first session? My insurance covers only a few more sessions (only 5 more sessions) so is it worth it to try again?

I'm honestly having a lot of trouble holding myself together so I'm willing to give this another go if people have had positive experiences...and if anyone thinks someone could help in just 5 sessions.

It's just that right now I can't see how a therapist could help me if I'm not willing to take their medications...

[Nursing_Nate]

sounds like you have an HMO problem

unfortunately, therapists who take HMOs have to agree to 'dump' a patient after a said number of sessions, or they can't accept HMO patients. Sad, but true.

I had PPD with my first and I didn't go to anyone but took zoloft and it really helped. But if you don't like taking meds, YES, I think talk therapy really helps. Especially if you've had any sort of trauma or abuse or something in your past that could be potentially the cause or a factor in your PPD now. Find someone else to talk to and talk. It does help.

I'm actually seeing someone right now that I might not be able to keep seeing (HMO problem...) but if I can just get a few sessions with her, it will be soooo good. I don't want to have a huge PPD with this new baby (due in May) and even after 2 sessions with her I've found the source of my PPD with my DS. If you can get just that far you can talk with your DH or a friend or even to yourself, keep a journal and it can all help, be cathartic and lead to some healing.

I took zoloft when I was Breastfeeding and my midwife said something that made me feel better about it. She said, "It's better to have a little zoloft in the milk and a working mother, than perfect breastmilk and a mother who can't even keep it together to hold her child." Just make sure that whatever you tak e is OK for nursing moms.

[kaydee]

I did both meds and therapy, and found the combination very effective. PPD (and depression/anxiety in general) are characterized by unrealistic, repetitive thought patterns, so a therapist skilled in cognitive-behavioral techniques might be able to help.

CBT is “talk therapy,” but is very goal-focused, the goal being to reduce harmful thought patterns and/or harmful behaviors. You will not spend a lot of time talking about your past, delving into emotions, etc. It’s not for everyone, but I found it really helped me learn how to manage my anxiety, and I still use the techniques I learned in therapy, even though my PPD passed long ago.

[mirandahope]

After my baby died, I did art therapy, and it really helped me I am still doing it, as it helps with feeling okay with this new pregnancy. (i'm not in the states though, so can't offer advice on how to work within that system to get a good art therapist)

[jmreinke]

I would suggest finding another therapist. I do think that even with 5 sessions, if you find the right one, it can be helpful. Do a phone interview with several before making an appointment (you interview them,not them interviewing you). As to what questions to ask, you might ask "how do you feel about medication, or someone who just doesn't want to take meds". Also, google "finding a therapist" and there are a bunch of sites on how to find a good therapist.

I took Zoloft for my PPD (w/o any talk therapy), and it helped. Now, I am in therapy and really don't want to take any antidepressants (mainly because of the side effects), and so I am finding just doing "talk therapy" to be helpful. But, I do have a really good therapist.

Hang in there!

[MommyMine]

I have found sucess with only talk therapy and chocolate. I found a therapist who specialized in PPD and I did get a perscription but I never took it. My therapist supported my choice to not take the drugs. I would have if it hadn't worked I think...but every morning I would decide that I could make it through today and I would decide again tomorrow.

The talk therapy was HUGELY important. Also reading the book "the myth of the bad mother" helped a lot too....I don't know if that book would help anyone else but it is abuot how the job of nurturing changes you as a woman and it helped me to feel not so alone- just knowing my feelings were normal helped me.