Therapeutic Communities

[Aztec]

Hi,

I have been referred to a residential therapeutic community (Henderson Hospital), and am currently waiting for a funding decision. They may argue that as there is a non-residential TC in my city, that I should go there. But I feel that in order to go thru the process on in-depth therapy on some really painful stuff, i would need to be in a safe, supportive environment 24/7. Especially as I have a history of impulsive self-harm and suicide attempts.

I am interested to hear of people's experiences of TC's, both residential and non-residential. or if anyone has decided not to go, what were your reasons? How has being in a TC helped you in the Long Term? Many thanks,

Claire

[lucy]

sorry i havent been in a T/C, But i think for me i would like a day place as you still have your own place I self harm also. I hope they decided soon,

Good luck in getting what will help you best

Lucy

[Ulrica]

I haven't myself but my boyfriends sister did a non residential TC and she's doing really well now. She's so much better, working nearly full time and everything. She seems much happier and more stable too. Another person from the same course as hers is also making good recovery. I'm waiting to hear about funding for a residential myself and am hoping for it since to me it's my last resort since nothing else as worked in the past. All in all, the people I've met have done really well with it though it's really hard work apparently but worth it too. Worth trying for sure.

Good luck with it if you decide to give it a go!

[pain-dance]

Hi,

I have been referred to a residential therapeutic community (Henderson Hospital), and am currently waiting for a funding decision. They may argue that as there is a non-residential TC in my city, that I should go there. But I feel that in order to go thru the process on in-depth therapy on some really painful stuff, i would need to be in a safe, supportive environment 24/7. Especially as I have a history of impulsive self-harm and suicide attempts.

I am interested to hear of people's experiences of TC's, both residential and non-residential. or if anyone has decided not to go, what were your reasons? How has being in a TC helped you in the Long Term? Many thanks,

Claire

I don't like the TC where I live one bit (in Oxford). The therapists simply bear-bate vulnerable people, playing them off against one another. I know some people who have been badly hurt and emotionally abused by group therapy. I would would think extra carefully about going onto a residential programme: just because a therapist has a few letters after his/her name doesn't mean his/her intentions are wholesome and honest.

[Aztec]

Hi,

I don't like the TC where I live one bit (in Oxford). The therapists simply bear-bate vulnerable people, playing them off against one another. I know some people who have been badly hurt and emotionally abused by group therapy. I would would think extra carefully about going onto a residential programme: just because a therapist has a few letters after his/her name doesn't mean his/her intentions are wholesome and honest.

I'm wondering, is that the Ley community you are in? A friend of mine went for an interview down there, and decided against it.

[bibiddi]

I've been to a TC,and found it very difficult,but worth it.

I noticed that it depended where you were in recovery as to how much it helped.

[carla1983]

Hi,

I have been referred to a residential therapeutic community (Henderson Hospital), and am currently waiting for a funding decision. They may argue that as there is a non-residential TC in my city, that I should go there. But I feel that in order to go thru the process on in-depth therapy on some really painful stuff, i would need to be in a safe, supportive environment 24/7. Especially as I have a history of impulsive self-harm and suicide attempts.

I am interested to hear of people's experiences of TC's, both residential and non-residential. or if anyone has decided not to go, what were your reasons? How has being in a TC helped you in the Long Term? Many thanks,

Claire

i went to the henderson hosp frm feb was ment 2 do year but stuggled and left in may it is hard but wroth it im trying again 4 selection in nov and currently goin outreach at vaxhall selection is hard i wish u lots of luck and mayb cu there!

[pain-dance]

Hi,

I don't like the TC where I live one bit (in Oxford). The therapists simply bear-bate vulnerable people, playing them off against one another. I know some people who have been badly hurt and emotionally abused by group therapy. I would would think extra carefully about going onto a residential programme: just because a therapist has a few letters after his/her name doesn't mean his/her intentions are wholesome and honest.

I'm wondering, is that the Ley community you are in? A friend of mine went for an interview down there, and decided against it.

No, it's the Complex Needs Team. I've been in twice and walked out twice: so far, I'm doing fine without those smug assholes.

[Aztec]

I saw my CPN today, and she seems to think it unlikely I'll get funding for Henderson Hospital. I don't think I can cope with YET ANOTHER empty promise from the mental health services. I feel really despondant.

[Lily-Bee]

Im so sorry to hear this. Don´t despair just yet, wait and see what happens.

If you really can´t do the TC then ask what other options you have.

Lilly

[carla1983]

i was very lucky 2 get funded for the henderson when i was there they had big debt and alot of ppl lost funding my cpn said that i may get funded 2 go back there for 6 months and not 12 but she said the pct are very tight with their money and not 2 get my hopes up.

pls let me kno how u get on im goin 2 outreach in end of the month

[dpb]

Ive only recently moved out of a TC. Not that I was in there much, I spent more of the time at home since the TC was based very close to my own home. I didnt find it a good experience at all and now disagree with the whole ethos of 'letting it all hang out in the open'. Time is the greatest healer of all and that will quite obviously occur if you are in a TC for long enough, and that is what they are designed for.

The level of provocation and confusion as to where your problem starts and anothers ends is, in the short term, non condusive to recovery. I found it actually bordered on abuse at times and felt that i had to bear the responsibility of pointing out the obvious - like shouting at someone for 15 minutes in a monologue during a group meeting is NOT therapeutic. I had to leave when I was being harassed by somebody, and I was expected to put up with it because it is in there interest for me to do so (thats what is implied by group therapy). What about me?

I now wish I had listened to my therapist, psychiatrist and psychologist who advised me against it at the time. I should have spent my time and money on some nice smelling candles instead.

[Aztec]

Hi,

That's interesting to hear. Can I ask which TC you were in? It doesn't sound very therapeutic at all. Sounds like you were possibly at a different stage of recovery to the others there. Did you talk about these problems with the therapy staff? What did they say? As professionals it sounds like they could have done more to help you.

Carla - good luck with the Henderson thing. Apparently they used to have a central funding pot specifically for the Henderson, but now its the local cash-strapped PCT's which do the funding, which is why it appears to have got more difficult.

I've got an assessment today for a local TC, which is non-residential and 3 days a week. As I said before, I have my reservations about a non-residential TC but am trying to go with an open mind! (What open mind???? I have BPD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!) They will also schedule a full assessment of what PD's I actually have. I have self-diagnosed the BPD, but only because its the most common one, and I fit all 9 of the diagnostic criteria! Oh joy of joys.. It will be interesting to see what other maladies I have. I suspect a bit of avoidant PD in there.

Claire x

[dpb]

Id rather not say what TC, but Im guessing that it has a different structure to the others talked about here. I think if you are avoidant and have mood instability problems, it can be a tough place to be in. Of course it depends on the people in there too, what their needs are. Its very easy to get lost in the background, trying to pick up the pieces and all the while forgetting what you are really there for, and that is you. That shouldnt be a problem if the house is staffed well, its just a possibility to be aware of. I hope it all goes well for you, just be ready for a steep learning curve!

[OL1K]

[color="#8B0000"]I went to a psychotherapy day unit which was like a day TC for 3 years. It was hard=groups every day etc and one to ones as well. However itchanged my life. I no longer self harm, have crises or abuse food. My moods have stabilised and i manage relationships much better. I also am less dependent on psychiatric services than I was before.

It was very hard work-initially i ran away but went back after therapist worked with me to come back-and peased i did . My life is not perfect-and I have been seeing my psychiatrist from there monthly for last ten years -but overall I am doing better than ever thought possible.

I shifted from illness to wellness in a way. recovery is achievable however finding good treatment and support is crucial.

take care

Fenella <_<

[Aztec]

I went for my appointment on thursday, and left there feeling very despondant. The service sounds ok, not as good as a full-time residential TC but a reasonable alternative.... but the waiting list means I cant start until about next July/August. And that is dependant upon me being fully clean and sober, yet my CPN has blocked me going into the Priory clinic, even though I had an admission date. I completely lost it on Friday and took a large paracetamol OD with a bottle of vodka. Just come out of hospital, my liver has been rescued, but still feel just as suicidal and desperate. I was completely out of control. I just cannot see a solution.

[wolfie11969]

hi

i havent been in a TC but did consider it for a short period of time. problem for me would be no escape from ppl (and i dont much like them). suppose thats why i only thought about it and didnt go through with it

good luck to u!

[feistymiss]

Ive only recently moved out of a TC. Not that I was in there much, I spent more of the time at home since the TC was based very close to my own home. I didnt find it a good experience at all and now disagree with the whole ethos of 'letting it all hang out in the open'. Time is the greatest healer of all and that will quite obviously occur if you are in a TC for long enough, and that is what they are designed for.

The level of provocation and confusion as to where your problem starts and anothers ends is, in the short term, non condusive to recovery. I found it actually bordered on abuse at times and felt that i had to bear the responsibility of pointing out the obvious - like shouting at someone for 15 minutes in a monologue during a group meeting is NOT therapeutic. I had to leave when I was being harassed by somebody, and I was expected to put up with it because it is in there interest for me to do so (thats what is implied by group therapy). What about me?

I now wish I had listened to my therapist, psychiatrist and psychologist who advised me against it at the time. I should have spent my time and money on some nice smelling candles instead.

hi there

i was in a therapeutic community for a year and i too found it too intensive, as did 5 other ppl who left too !!

i was physically attacked twice, and verbally attacked many times, despite the community sessions which are meant to be for everyone to have a chance to pinpoint and offload, i didnt find the staff to be supportive, they kept putting the emphasis on the group themselves to support each other, both in and out of the group, and i found this was abused

there were ppl there who had clearly been in the system and knew what to say and how to react and there were others who were sitting ducks, i approached it all honestly and was ostracised for my views and opinions

at the time i didnt have the diagnosis of BPD and i found i was being thrust in the situation of being under fire, as PTSD and domestic violence, yet there was no help for this, all i kept hearing was it was good to open up, to grieve and to let it all out, there was so much i never got to talk about, stuff from childhood, which is where the damage was done, that i felt it was a case of having to keep your head down to avoid being attacked, or offload later out of hours

i couldnt trust the members with my issues out of the group as this was abused where cliques were formed and (female) members became very bitchy and slagged others off, i hated every minute of it and in the end i said i could no longer cope as it was affecting me physically, exacerbating other health conditions

i was told this was normal and to stick with it

but there is nothing about the memory or experience that has remained with me as a positive so i feel it was no appropriate for me

i went in saying i didnt enjoy groups or ppl and i came out with saying and feeling the same

[summersun]

Thats interesting about the Oxfordshire Complex Needs Service as I am in it too, can't say where though as it would give my identity away. But I am wondering if it is doing me any good to be quite honest. It almost seems like psychological punishment some weeks. I am beginning to think that its just the local CMHT's way of getting as many people off their books at once, especially as they seem to keep diagnosing everyone with BPD in the area !!!

[Catwoman]

I went to a residential TC at Highcroft Hospital, Birmingham from March 1977 to May 1978 and then from May 1979 to April 1980. Although it was no picnic it was the most memorable thing I ever did. The people I met there were like family to me and I am still in touch with a few people from there even after all this time. When I went there it was before the diagnosis of BPD was used in this country and I was labelled a hysterical psychopath!! (among other things). I currently still have all 9 characteristics of the DSM IV criteria for BPD, but although you could argue that the TC didn't do me any good, it was long before subjects such as sexual abuse were talked about, and therefore most of the roots of my problems remained buried until I got help from a church leader (after becoming a Christian in 1982).

Last year it was suggested that I should go to another TC (Main House in Birmingham) and my first reaction was "no way", as I have my own flat and a cat to look after. I thought about it and, if I did not have elderly parents who need my support (Mum had a severe stroke last October and is now in a nursing home and Dad has kidney problems), I would seriously consider going if I had the opportunity. I have been told that Therapeutic Communities would have changed a lot since the days when I was at Highcroft. I had an interview at the Henderson before going to Highcroft but they turned me down as there "was not enough supervision" and I was a lot more emotionally immature than I am now.

As others have said, it depends where you are in your recovery journey. Someone said to me that our lives are a bit like an onion (!) and that our problems come off/get dealt with in layers (something like that). The thing about onions is that taking layers off makes you cry!

In my opinion, grab whatever help you can. There is something to be said for a Day TC if you have one locally, especially if you already have a flat. Otherwise, I would recommend the residential option if it is available.

Wishing you all the best. x

[aussiebabe]

I've heard that the Henderson is going to close due to money. Someone at a psychotherapy group i go to had been there a few years ago. She said it is a shame because it was very good.

[summersun]

Its nice to hear some positive stuff about therapeutic communities. I think it does all depend on how stable you are when you go into it. I am beginning to think that I am not stable enough yet. All the mental health professionals really rave about it in this area and say its the only way to help BPD.

[Aztec]

Hi,

Just to update: I am going ahead with applying for my local non-residential TC: I was unable to get funding for the henderson. however, I was offered a residential TC from the drug and alcohol services, but in the end i decided I'd rather stay at home: I did get to the Priory last october, but left a week early because of bullying/aggressive people in groups, and the therapists did NOT keep the groups a safe place. so that convinced me to try this local one. If you have conflict with people, its a complete nightmare being locked up with them 24/7! I was cutting myself and making myself sick daily. I also realised how much I need my freedom and my own space.

Now I am clean and sober (5 months on Tuesday!!) this has sped the process up. I have just had my visiting week, and will have my case conference end of April, hopefully. It went very well, and the TC members seem very friendly and welcomed me. I am terrified, however, of getting rejected at the case conference (TC members and staff vote on whether to accept you or not) which I think is a particularly cruel method for people who have experienced a lot of rejection in their lives. I'm afraid to say I am formulating some fairly concrete suicide plans if I don't get in. This is my last hope. I know therapy will be painful etc, but I know that I will have that hope of longer-term change to cling on to.

xxxx

[icu_baby]

I went for my appointment on thursday, and left there feeling very despondant. The service sounds ok, not as good as a full-time residential TC but a reasonable alternative.... but the waiting list means I cant start until about next July/August. And that is dependant upon me being fully clean and sober, yet my CPN has blocked me going into the Priory clinic, even though I had an admission date. I completely lost it on Friday and took a large paracetamol OD with a bottle of vodka. Just come out of hospital, my liver has been rescued, but still feel just as suicidal and desperate. I was completely out of control. I just cannot see a solution.

What is a priory clinic? Did you OD because your CPN blocked you out of it? I am so glad your liver made it through, if not you would have been a gonner. Does your CPN know why u did this? She is not meeting your needs? How long were u in hospital for?

[yorkiegal73]

I attended a non residential therapeutic community for a year. Depending on how I feel day to day, it was either the best or the worst decision of my life. Before I went there I was able to hold down a full time job most of the time. Ok I was unhappy and turned up at the gp's every year or so asking to go back on anti d's, and numerous short term treatment with psychologists hadn't helped, but I was functioning more than I am now. I'd not attempted suicide in 13 years and hadn't self harmed for a long time either. Now I'm unable to work at all, frequently self harm and spent a month in hospital following an overdose. I think about suicide every day and the smallest amount of stress sets me back. I think the reason is that being there made me learn how to feel again and now I can't ignore those emotions. I also moved away from blaming everyone else for my problems to having to accept responsibility. I basically spent a year learning that I'm a bad person and that any failure to cope on the outside world is down to me. So when I couldn't cope with the responsibilities in my new job, when i stopped being able to concentrate, when i couldn't face opening my mail etc, i blamed myself entirely and i couldn't cope with that.

Therepeutic communities aren't nice safe places where you get lots of sympathy and get to talk about your past. They couldn't care less about my abusive childhood and told me to let it go. It was very confrontational. They basically break you down and build you up again in the mold they want you to fit. You are treated like a naughty toddler and praised when you act maturely. I learnt to give them the answers they wanted and left with everyone thinking i was fixed. Now I'm limited to pills and gp visits because i've had my quota of free therapy on the nhs. When everything started to fall apart a few months after leaving the main programme, I pleaded for help. But they like to focus on self responsibility so I was turned down. That's why i tried to end my life. I was told to choose between having a social worker or continuing to go to the follow up leavers group once a month at the community. I knew i needed the practical support of a social worker or cpn more because i was about to lose my home due to not opening any mail. I was forced to drop out of the group and the therapist then told the community mental health team not to let me have a social worker either so i was left out in the cold. They don't like failures. It messes up their stats. I wish I'd never gone there. The only positive is that it helped me to re-establish contact with my family and that i made friends amongst the other group members whom i still see now, although that's strictly against the rules. I know from those other group members that i'm not the only one who's struggling.