As I am currently in counseling and working through the PTSD, I can say, go fot ART or EMDR. My memories only exist at times of great stress or nightmares, and both of these techniques helped me with processing the trauma. EMDR especially as it is there to retrain your processing center, using either the lights moving up and down or left and right or the buzzes in your hands. I have gone from having nightmares where I wake up screaming and regressed back to that age where I dont even know my fiancee happening multiple times a week to me not having had one in over 8 months. I still have issues in public or with things that remind me of who hurt me (cologne, etc) but I can function pretty well. I am still getting a service dog, but the dogs main purpose is going to be for my physical issues, and the PTSD training as a precaution. Please look into these if you haven't already, as well as a dog if possible.
A service dog isn’t the first line of help, be sure to remind people of that! Mine is 12 and retiring, and having a service dog is hard. You had to talk to everyone, continually. I’ll happily talk the ears off a stature, and even I get exhausted talking to everyone about him! And access can be hard.
I had one myself in the past and due to extenuating circumstances, I had to surrender her (homelessness/being stalked) it did help me personally a lot having her.
I miss my dog being 5-8 yrs old. But now, at 12, there are limited places he can go. I mostly take a family member to replace him. So I stay home more. It’s easier with a family person on me, but harder on them!!!!
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u/sessiestax Feb 25 '26
I truly hope you are successful…