Dear Nickname,
Welcome, and I’m sorry to hear about the situation with the psychologist. Do you think maybe they were waiting for you to contact them? It might still be worth following up with them if you liked that particular psychologist and felt it was going well. Perhaps they were also making reference to the GP Mental Health Care Plan if you had one and were waiting for a new referral from your GP?
I have complex PTSD too and did eventually find a very good psychologist who I trust. I’d had a few not so good experiences previously, apart from a uni psych I saw who was good but only had limited sessions there. Over the past few years I did a lot of my own research into complex PTSD. I personally really connected with somatic approaches, especially one called somatic experiencing, and felt I wanted to do it. I looked for practitioners who did it and tried a few. Eventually I found one who sounded like the right fit. She was and I now see her via Telehealth as she’s in another state. So I did have to search a bit to find the right person for me.
If you are not able to reconnect with the current psychologist, or want to try someone different anyway, it might help to do some research into approaches for complex PTSD and see if there’s one that resonates with you. You could then look for people practising that kind of approach. You could even email or phone potential psychologists to see if they seem like they would be a good fit for the things you are wanting to work on. I would think most would be open to a brief discussion in that regard.
In the end I found going with recommendations and referrals from others didn’t really work for me. I had to do my own research, find approaches to C-PTSD that resonated for me, then search for practitioners with those approaches. I finally found someone and it makes a difference as I actually feel safe with her which isn’t an easy thing for me to do with people. So I really understand how you feel vulnerable with the complex trauma history. I would say trust your intuition and make sure whoever you see next that it feels right. If it doesn’t it is totally ok not to keep seeing that person and look for someone else.
I hope you can find someone or reconnect with the psychologist you were working with previously if you want to and they’re available. Remember you can call the BB helpline too and always chat here on the forum. Plus I just thought of the Blue Knot Foundation who specialise in helping people with Complex PTSD. They might be able to advise you on finding the right help. Their phone number is: 1300 657 380 and website: blueknot.org.au
Take care and hope you can find some good help soon.
