So I had some councilling...

She said the same old stuff; "Yeah, uh-huh, and how does that make you feel?", "Can you visualise it or are you better at explaining it?" etc etc etc. I thought I was going to up and strangle the poor woman at one point.

I don't feel much better/worse for going, has anyone found councilling to be effective?

[Hidden]

i was supposed to get some but i am still waiting i think 6months now

but give it time it was only the first one it is always awkward the first one you need to get to know each other so first one is always standard questions

hopefully it will get better and better for you

[cat3]

The point of counselling is for you, not the therapist, to do the talking and she will have been trying to put you at ease and build up a sense of trust on this occasion. So please don't expect too much just yet DanJenn ; successful counselling usually takes months.

There's no mystery involved. It's simply a process of inducing the brain to accept, and grieve for, a traumatic event. And that has to be done by you, in the form of talking over & over your feelings and fears, however intimate, until they are reinforced and fully accepted in your consciousness.

It can be exhausting and traumatic in itself, but please persevere because, although its success usually triggers some heartache, it can, ultimately, provide peace and stability.

Cat x

[Alice5]

I've had counseling and found it really helpful! I remember thinking, I don't like this counsellor, she's nothing like me, I can't relate to her.

However I persevered, talked to her completely honestly about everything, even when it was embarrassing. I listened to what she said and I cried buckets. She became someone I understood and things began to click into place.

I think you have to give it time and believe it will help. She gave me 'tools' to help and they did and still do even though I still struggle at times.

Everyone of us has different issues to cope with and your situation was tragic. It will take time but I think you'll benefit in the end.

Don't fight against councelling or strangle the councillor but give it time.

Take care x

[amateurwriter]

I'm currently seeing a psychologist and she's great with me even when I suddenly stop talking and stare in to space, don't know why I do that but I've got used to it, so when I come back to earth I apologise and just carry on talking, I see this woman due to a various reasons, and like Cat has said I do most of the talking, I can tell her anything and as long as she doesn't think I'm going to hurt myself everything stays between me and my psychologist,

I hope the counselling helps you in time at first I was a bit weary about talking but I'm finding it to help me think if you give it some time it will help you in the long run,

Take care,

Siobhan x

[angelite in reply to amateurwriter]

Hi Siobhan,

When you mentioned that you sometimes stop talking and stare into space it put me in mind of absence seizures.Has this been investigated? x

[amateurwriter in reply to angelite]

Not that I know of never really mention it to doctor's but it has happened in front of a few doctor's in the past, to be honest I hate to be a burden because I'm already under a few departments due to a few problems with my legs,

I do have an appointment to see a neurologist start of next month though,

Take care,

Siobhan x

[angelite in reply to amateurwriter]

Do ask about this and if you are anything like me (memory of a goldfish ! )write down any symptoms/questions you have prior to appointment.You are not a burden-never feel that you are.

Take care, Angela x

[amateurwriter in reply to angelite]

Thank you angela,

I have been trying to write down any questions or symptoms but I forget, so I've gone and bought some little notebooks because people on here suggested I carry a notebook around with me so I can write down something straight away without forgetting what I was going to write if I wait,

Take care,

Siobhan x

[Hidden]

First counsellor an icy cold scheming cow, how she treated me, her interrogation of me, what she said and her obvious bias (given false info about what happened to me by the hospital that injured me) still replays. Hospital was client, I was subject to be investigated and brainwashed: she tried VERY hard. Hospital (I think) had contract with the providing firm. I wasn't given info or choices but was told (a lie) that it was 'independent from the NHS'.

Next 2 (2 sessions) were similar but disguised in 'warmer' tone of voice. They had read my feedback about first counsellor. But the brutal interrogations were similar and line of questioning so rigid, felt like it'd been planned/set before. NO interest in why I was there, the fact I was a mum not even mentioned. Shocking. Then computer tests to tell them if I was faking or telling the truth (the tests try to catch you out I found out later) and their SO obvious disappointment when they said (you could hear sigh in voice) 'they are valid tests.' Still replays. Then dumped after all their 'assessments' of me.

And here, last week, psychologist told me I was being 'over dramatic' because was EXTREMELY overtired and upset and overloaded and crying. How DARE she? And she refuses to give me a receipt for money paid. Is she a psychologist? Why would she want to upset me like that by denying how I WAS, not a CHOICE? Hurts.

And NHS psychiatric nurse was rubbish, just wanted to send me to expert patients, put me on antidepressants and gave me CD relaxation that didn't help at all, silly and NOT addressing WHY I was so anxious, depressed and desperate for info/help. And he read my medical GP notes without asking me if he could (NO coz my letters not there = ONLY bits I wanted him to read, easier than saying it all), staring at PC and not making eye contact with me, SO odd. Maybe there ARE good counsellors out there? I haven't found one.

My experiences hurt me far more than if I'd never had contact with them.

PTSD telephone help from ASSIST was the best: at least she BELIEVED me: that was SO healing - nobody else did, I was branded a liar, malingerer or needing attention,or something, dunno, they never told me but 2nd lot of counsellors made me think they wanted to make out I was faking/a malingerer). But her (ASSIST counsellor's) idea of putting a hammock swing up in my lounge was impossible, impractical and (in my opinion) bonkers! Maybe if you had a handyman in the house, a MASSIVE lounge, no kids and nobody ever came over? Wonder if she'd actually THOUGHT about her suggestion (she didn't ask how big my TINY lounge was) or had just learned it and spouted it out?

Anyone had GOOD experiences? Need a list/feed-bavk of GOOD counsellors? And a black list for those who injure us more? Oh but we are't allowed to (nor for docs/teams/specialties): privacy, data protection, opinion, libel & defamation (but docs et al defamed me in notes and letters and to others) etc. Can for other trades though... Why these services treated so different? I think we need to know. With pace for person written about to explain what went wrong and why, try to remedy anything that went wrong, try undo best can. ?

[Hidden]

I found that the first counselling was a waste of time

I was the referred to a cognitive therapist who introduced me to mindfullness technique

Retrospectively I am not sure how successful the therapy was as I have difficulty relaxing at the best of times