Psychotherapists - anyone seen one?

[ETsmum]

Without getting into a lot of detail, has anyone seen one for themselves as opposed to their kids? I have been seeing someone for counselling and she siad she might be able to get me an appointment with one that she says is very good if I want. My initial response is positive - the more help the better. Wss just wondering if anyone had seen one and if so what happened at the appt? And did you find it helped?

[crimbocrazydazy]

Didn't work for me but I was paying for mine privately at £50 a session and after 4 sessions I felt no different but my bank balance did!!!! I gave it up as I just couldn't afford it but if it was available on the NHS would give it another go definitely.

[beansprout]

It all depends on what you want. There are a lot of different types of therapy that deal with different issues in different ways. The thing with psychotherapy is that it tends to be suggested that you attend a lot of sessions. It is quite normal to go maybe 2 or 3 times a week over a long period of time. It is fairly unstructured and can focus on childhood, dreams, all sorts of things.

I went for a bit (but only once a week due to financial reasons). It helped, I would like to go again but circumstances (ds) and finances don't allow.

[EliBeentoSantasGrotto]

Yes, and its helped enormously: don't think I'd have been able to cope with the journey into motherhood (which has been rough, for me) without it. How the initial appointment is depends hugely on who the therapist is, what orientation he/she subscribes to, etc....mine asked very few questions, told me about her fees, available times etc, and left most of the session free for me to say what I wanted from the therapy.
I saw mine once a week for ages, but have been going twice a week for a while to deal with some specific issues. Frequency of sessions, along with a ton of other specifics, depends a lot on who you choose to work with and to some extent your own needs.
I think personal recommendation counts for a lot - sounds as though you have that, from someone you trust, which is great. Good luck!

[sansouci]

wow, you mean the nhs doesn't cover psychiatry?

[EliBeentoSantasGrotto]

Yes, I think it does, to some extent - but waiting times are pretty bad, and what you get depends on area etc.

[ETsmum]

Thanks so much for all the opinions. I'm lucky in the respect that I live in Guernsey in the Channel Islands and we don't have the horrendus (from my limited experience) waiting times of the NHS. The help I've had so far is throught the local NSPCC (simply for the reason that I go to their drop in with my ds and got chatting to them about things.)

EliBeentoSantasGrotto......a rough journey into motherhood just about aums it uo for me I guess. My ds is nearly 2 1/2, but bad birth experience followed by PND have left me feeling pretty shakey sometimes. Returned to work about 3 months ago and found it 1 thing too many to cope with I guess (other stuff going on too, involving buying property etc etc....)

And OMG, hearing about the fees, it better be god This therapist apparently has her own "practice" and wants to "give something back" to the community so to speak, so is offering a few sessions free, so I'll be lucky if I get 1. Think part of my keenness is that I'm a big believer in "talking" thereapies, but couldn't get any previously - the counselling I've had so far has been immensly helpful.

Thanks again for the replies, and I think if I do manage to get a session I'll try to go in with an open mind

[kitegirl]

Hi, good luck, you are right I think it does help if you go in with an open mind and believe in the possibility of achieving results - and you also must be willing to put the work in. personally, it did not work for me, I was referred to by a councellor about 10 years ago who thought I could benefit (childhood-related issues) and I went privately for a couple of months, twice a week, but then stopped. I did not have the patience to see through the endless unstructured sessions - literally me arriving, lying down on the sofa and the therapist sitting there silently, waiting for me to speak, I don't know if it's the boredom that is then supposed to make you speak out or what . Personally it was not right for me, but that does not mean it will not work for you. Hope you will find the help you need hon.

[ETsmum]

Oops, reread post from last night and god should be good