My new referral request

Hi @wellwellwellnez

I just wanted to reach out to say well done on advocating for the resources that you need to support your care and recovery

As I read through your post, I got the sense that you’re trying to find a professional who uses trauma informed care, as well as some information that you can share with the people in your life so that they can also support you in the way that’s important and meaningful for you

As such, I just wondered if you’re aware of an organisation called Blue Knot? Basically, they have trauma informed counsellors who can provide short term counselling, support, information and referrals for adults who have experienced childhood trauma.

If you would like to contact the Blue Knot Helpline to talk with one of their counsellors, their telephone number is: 1300 657 380.

Or if it feels more comfortable, you can contact them via email at: helpline@blueknot.org.au

The helpline operates Monday to Sunday between 9.00am and 5.00pm AEST.

Blue knot also provides a Webchat service for people who need some support to find referrals to trauma informed health professionals

They also have a great website which provides a wealth of information and resources about trauma and trauma informed care! As such, I’ve copied the link to the section that talks about trauma informed care in the hope that it may be helpful for you

https://www.blueknot.org.au/Workers-Practitioners/For-Health-Professionals/Resources-for-Health-Professionals/Trauma-Informed-Care-and-practice

I hope that this helps you a little bit

Take care,

ShiningStar

Thankyou. I will give them a look.

I went out last night. Went out for the first time using the new lenses I've been getting. So same. So different. I think that years and years ago, I used to be able to turn it off, but maybe I also should of also allowed myself to turn it back on again. 3+ dimensional regulation. Wellness as goal but more as a value. That sort of thing. I've already been interracting with this all my life, with varying degrees of effect, just with a pretty considerable blindspot.

I think, at least for now, I do want to keep going with the people I got for working out the next step. They're, maybe a little over-worked, but pretty alright. My trauma is more centered around, early adult, looking for help in all the wrong places, sort of scenarios. Now that I'm looking through this new lens I'm seeing the strings attached to the triggers. I am making mountains out of mole-hills, but that actually makes sense, because all this time, there's been a giant mole politely trying to get my attention.

Hi @wellwellwellnez

It’s great to hear from you

You’re very welcome and I hope that the information helps

One of the things that really helped me when I was still finding my way around the forums was that if you would like to chat with another forum member, or reply to one of their posts, place @ in front of their username just like I did at the start of my post to you i.e. @wellwellwellnez That way, they will receive a notification that you have contacted them

Take care of yourself,

ShiningStar

Hi @wellwellwellnez

I just wanted to reach out and reply to your last two posts I thought that it might be a little bit easier if I responded to you in the one post - I hope that it’s not too confusing

I just wanted to say thank you so much for sharing a part of your story with us I noticed that you mentioned that you’re living with ‘APD’ which from my understanding is an auditory processing disorder I must admit that my understanding about this is fairly limited, however I would imagine that no two people experience ‘APD’ in exactly the same way and as such, everyone’s experience would be unique to them

I would really like to understand what living with ‘APD’ means for you and so I just wondered if you would feel comfortable sharing a little bit about this? Please don’t worry if this doesn’t feel ok there’s absolutely no pressure or expectation for you to share anything that doesn’t feel safe or comfortable

Going out last night sounds as though it was a little bit of an adventure for you! Are there any places in particular that you enjoy visiting?

It also sounds as though you’ve made some really important decisions in terms of the people who you would like to be in your care team and that for the time being, you’re going to stay with your current team Having people that we feel safe and confident with to help us is just so important and I really hope that your current team are able to support you in the way that you need

Towards the end of your last post, you mentioned that you’re ‘making mountains out of mole hills’ and I just wondered if you meant in relation to your experiences of trauma?

Take care of yourself,

ShiningStar

oops. Thanks @ShiningStar I should of said a.v.p.d. Avoidant Personality Disorder. Or as I like to call it "clinical shyness". Funnily enough I also have significant audio processing deficits (makes me wonder if that says something about my spectrum) but shy disease has been my core issue. Shy disease and complex issues largely stemming from shy disease. I recently discovered this term in the process of avoiding talking to my psychologist about wanting to avoid just about all the people al the time, in ever-shrinkening circles.

Good news is, the traits don't have to be a disability. Don't even need to be a disorder. You can have all seven traits and still make it work. By being you even. You can also (sort of) override it (temporarily). It mainly just needs some techniques and attentions.

The disorder is a bit under-researched. But people actually noticed people like me. And that is .... I can't really express how that feels. Like a great un-winding.

Hi @wellwellwellnez

Thank you so much for your reply post - it’s great to hear from you

Oh no! I completely grabbed the wrong end of the sick - I’m so sorry for my misunderstanding! I had a feeling that maybe I’d misunderstood something, as I noticed that in your first post you spoke about clusters, (which as I understand it) clusters group and classify personality disorders - which of course makes so much more sense to me now!

Thank you so much for sharing a little bit about what AVPD (‘clinical shyness’) means for you I also really like how you’ve decided that living with 'clinical shyness' doesn’t need to define who you are as a person, or place limits on the way that you participate in your life

Absolutely! The feeling that can come when other people ‘see us’ and ‘get us’ can be really hard to describe - but when it does happens it can feel really amazing!

Take care of yourself,

ShiningStar