psychotherapy

Arianwen · 15-07-2009, 07:13 PM

So, I appreciate that there are lots of different types of psychotherapy but I just wondered what your general thoughts on it are?

I've been waiting on the NHS for 8 months now, and the waiting list is well over a year so I'm going private as I'm ready now and am concerned that I might not be by the time my referal comes though. I'm going to be dealing with things in my past that I've never discussed before and it's taken a lot of courage on my part to get to this state.

Does anyone have any experience of going private? What's it like? How long does it take?

Thanks,
Luce x

tamobhuuta · 15-07-2009, 08:19 PM

i'm seeing a psychotherapist at the moment, have been for about a year. it didn't take long to start because it's a friend of a friend. i've found it really helpful, i don't think this is necessarily the case but for me it's been like a more intelligent version of counselling. we did go into the past at first but since there was nothing of interest there we soon moved on. obviously as you do have stuff in your past it will be different for you. good luck anyway, i hope it helps you.

Snow Leopard · 15-07-2009, 10:14 PM

Hi I went private for psychology rather than psychotherapy which I found unhelpful for dealing with complex trauma. Now the NHS are paying for my private sessions! Can't quite believe it still. I had to fight for two years but eventually after 3 appeals I won. It has been life changing and for me it doesn't matter in a way what the therapy is the crucial thing is to be with someone you can connect with and who you know really cares and then you can make progress. Well that's my experience anyway.

_plastic · 16-07-2009, 01:50 PM

I was in pyshcotherapy for a year and it was crap.

And , it was a privet service,sucked anyways.

That doesn't mean it should all go bad,hope yours go well.Good luck !

_plastic · 16-07-2009, 01:54 PM

And to add more..

I went into the psychotherapy quickly cuz i was an urgent case.

Going a bit ranty sorry.

Arianwen · 16-07-2009, 02:27 PM

Thanks for all the advice guys.

Bitter_Angel · 17-07-2009, 06:39 PM

I found it helpful while i was in there but you have to work at it. Unfortunley here you only get 16 sessions which was no way long enough for what i needed.
good luck with it.

charliotta · 17-07-2009, 09:47 PM

I got trainee psychologist appointment on the nhs as I had urgent issues that matched up with what the trainee wanted to specialise in. She is already a qualified psychotherapist which I like because it's very much more practical and existential whereas seeing a clinical psychologist is more based on a medical model which treats the illness and less the person's problems.
So basically it may be worth asking psychological services if there are any trainees (doctorate level) who are being supervised but need clients to work with.

Arianwen · 17-07-2009, 10:13 PM

Ah, that's good advice, thanks.

I'm already being seen by my local mental health team and a psychiatrist but only every 8 weeks. It's not enough, hence I'm trying to go private.

silencehurts · 19-07-2009, 07:35 PM

I've been having dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for about 11 months and it has helped me LOADS! There are loads of different types of psychotherapy out there. I had cognitive analytic therapy a few years back, it didn't really do much for me apart from giving me someone to talk to. Good luck, I hope you can find something that works for you.