Been in psychoanalysis/psychotherapy?

michael downing

Being a dyed in the wool Northeasterner means I have certain proclivities:

A love of smashmouth NFC East football and an abiding affection for underachieving baseball teams
The ability to find Woody Allen films (nee' Woody Allen himself) exceptionally funny
An uncontrollable desire to drive 4 miles out of my way to go to the place with the better bagels
No aversion to psychotherapy/analysis

I went under psychotherapy for about 8 months; not near long enough to get the kind of depth thats needed but it was still insightful and liberating in its truncated form. Resistance is a huge factor in the process and I fought it like most, maybe with a subconscious disadvantage stemming from an inbred fear of "the world". Ironically, this is Freudian and Witnessian simultaneously!

Initially I went under analysis for adoption related issues (anger etc.) but of course it became clear that my religion and the battle raging in my head and heart over my disbelief took center stage and never let go. The sessions became even more stressful when it seemed clear that I could not make any true progress until I let go of "the truth" and accepted one simple incontrovertible truth about myself; I am apparently capable of thinking for myself and I am not in need of redemption. To quote Patti Smith: "Jesus died for sombody's sins, but not mine".

So, I gave up the analysis, telling myself 'I'll go back if things change'. I want to, but right now I don't need any more pressure. The weight of coming to terms with knowing I have to end this twisted relationship between me and this illogical belief system once and for all is enough for now.

Has anybody else had a psychotherapy/analysis experience?

Mysterious

Never experienced it, but learning to practice it.

bernadette

The sessions became even more stressful when it seemed clear that I could not make any true progress until I let go of "the truth" and accepted one simple incontrovertible truth about myself; I am apparently capable of thinking for myself and I am not in need of redemption. To quote Patti Smith: "Jesus died for sombody's sins, but not mine".

How liberating it is to let go of a huge concept like that.

Have been for 12 sessions of counselling/psychotherapy - Had to consciously decide not to shy away from discussing my JW life and beliefs and its impact on my ability to function as an individual.

bernadette

jwfacts

I went for Cognitive behavioural therapy and found it had a tremendously positive affect on my life, though as time goes on I am getting lazy to put into practice the positive thinking excercises necessary to keep happy and relaxed.

Initially I went under analysis for adoption related issues (anger etc.) but of course it became clear that my religion and the battle raging in my head and heart over my disbelief took center stage and never let go.

I know of a JW that was adopted who has extreme issues. He has been attending councelling but it has not been helping. I have always felt it could not help him unless he let go of the religion, so find your above comment to be of great interest.

cognizant dissident

I have been in counselling for over a year now. It's actually more of a teacher/mentor relationship now. My counselor stressed very strongly to me that he wasn't a "therapist" but a counselor. I asked him what was the difference? He said, "therapy is for sick people and there is not a damn thing wrong with you!" What I have learned over the course of a year is there is not a damn thing wrong with any of us really except that we have been taught over and over and over again, and had it pounded it to our brains by the JW system that there is something very wrong with us and if only we worked a little longer and prayed a little harder we would be "fixed/saved/perfect".

It is a radical concept to think that we are actually OK just the way we are and it is religious teaching that is making us feel guilty and bad and wrong and depressed. Once you embrace the idea, though, it is very enlightening. Literally, you feel lighter, freer and happier. No weeping and nashing of teeth required when you leave the JW's. Suffering is optional.

Cog

monophonic

[To quote Patti Smith: "Jesus died for sombody's sins, but not mine".]

i'm sure you know this already, but just in case you don't, patti smith was raised a jehovah's witness.

therapy, i had my first taste from a witness therapist, who was an incredible help to get my family to realize how f--ked up we were and to start dealing with issues. she was great when it came to instant crisis and dealing with children in crisis. but, she sucked as a therapist. therapists shouldn't have agendas. she was a black jehovah's witness, totally cool w/ me, but she had this thing about pushing how hard it was to be black and also pushing how important it was to get back into the jws. then, to my surprise, she had me sign a document, passed it off as, 'i just need you to sign this', and it was a document acknowledging that she wasn't a therapist, but that this was life coaching.

she thought of herself as the black woman jesus. yes, she challenged local congregations with their prejudices against seeking therapy since 'the bible is all you need', in fact, the bible can do chemotherapy to cancer patients as far as the borg is concerned.

when i realized she was pushing her problems onto me, i got out quick. unfortunately my mom still goes to her and i keep trying to let my mom know that she's NOT a therapist and what she's doing is NOT therapy, it's being mentored by someone with a huge agenda.

when my agoraphobia and panic attacks became too horrid to deal with i made calls to about 15 therapists until i found one who seemed like she could help. she's been great. she has her own issues with religion, which we've discussed that i still believe there's a chance the bible could be inspired scripture, but i'm pretty pissed off at god for keeping a lot of things vague so people like the jws can focus on certain things for power.

i've been seeing her for four years. things have been up and down. right now they're at a down, but in recovery there are times when it's two steps back and the shit just needs to be gone through.

80% of what we discuss is spirituality and jw and elder related. i had to get her up to speed on jws and she actually went and did research herself.

there are times i take a week off b/c i just don't feel like talking about things and would rather be in denial...there are times i go twice a week b/c i need the support.

the main thing i've learned is that it's ok that my identity includes growing up and being a jw...that there was a time i completely bought into it. i used to feel shame about that and i don't feel shame anymore.

she gives me coping techniques. i've written a novel and part of it was accelerated b/c i was in therapy and felt ok to really put my humorous digs into the wtbts.

i'm going to be in therapy for the rest of my life....not just b/c of the jws, but b/c suicide and depression has run deep in my family even before the jws got to them. being a jw just complicated matters.

i'm also considering finding a meditation group near me, something kind of based on Buddhist technique w/o the Buddhist dogma...which seems to be readily available in my area and might even be something my doctor can prescribe so i can get into a class w/ health insurance.

DJK

In 1979 I resorted to a bullet to be my psychoanylist. That failed so it was court ordered psychotherapy from there. It was immediately obvious the anylist wasn't going to tell me directly right from wrong. No, "do this, don't do that" in our sessions. All discussion was aimed at getting myself to make those decisions.

In the end it seemed like selfanalysis helped me to move on. I just needed the professional help to get me into that mode.

Gill

Yes! Off and on for nearly four years!

I was weaned off the JW thinking gradually! One of the funniest things the counsellor taught me to do was to do something 'bad' everyday. Something that I would never have done as a JW!

Now I am a master of BAD!!!

I have one more session to go! I will miss the dotty instructions I used to receive on being 'normal'. But, I am 'verging' on normal and sadly no longer need of a psychiatrist. I will miss her. Apparantly she will miss me! She says I am the most interesting person she has ever met.....

She has taught me to stick my hand out and stop buses and then walk off......just to annoy the bus drivers!

She has taught me to be a 'naughty' person! I have become 'me' and escaped a whole lifetime, (nearly forty years) trapped in a crazy cult with crazy relatives! I've come out of it happy, free, and thank goodness still tainted with my own crazy character rather than the Watchtower slave personality.

After four years I can say it is the best thing I have ever done and recommend it to all former JWs if they can find a therapist who knows about exit counselling!!!

To me, the Watchtower Society is one of the biggest jokes on the planet!

tim hooper

Resistance is a huge factor in the process and I fought it like most, maybe with a subconscious disadvantage stemming from an inbred fear of "the world".

Exactly!

I've been seeing a therapist for several months, and I've only just finished playing silly mind-games and started to make some headway at last!

The very same issues as a lot of people here too.

tim

Hortensia

I saw a therapist for about a year when I was fading out of the JWs. It was extremely helpful. I am seeing one now, not sure I like him, but it's early yet. This time it's for post traumatic stress syndrome, anxiety, all that crap from the crazy husband. I kind of think that I just need to pull up my socks and get on with life, but I'll try the therapist for a while.

Been in psychoanalysis/psychotherapy?

Share this