My first counselling session.

[T T T]

So I went to the doctors, for the second time, and they have finally got me an appointment with a councillor.

It's in over a weeks time, but i'm really nervous about it. I have no idea what it will be like, what they will ask me or anything.

Has anyone here had any experience with it that they could share with me? What was your first session like?

Thank you.

 

[Nanita]

You might be asked about your childhood, parents, youth, school, interests, social life. Typical question: "How would you describe yourself?"
I have been in therapy with 2 different therapists, and I´ve had shorter meetings with about 5 other therapists/psychiatrists.
Usually I´ve had good communication with them, except for one psychiatrist who was really weird and judgemental.
I hope you will have a good experience with that first appointment.

 

[upndwn]

By Councillor do you mean a psychiatrist or other specialist?

I remember my first session. I was extremely nervous. All kinds of scenarios went through my head. I was afraid they wouldn't take me serious or that they would force me into a psyche ward. I didn't want to tell a stranger about my life and my feelings and I was scared to death that I had to start taking medication.

My first psychiatrist was an old school elderly man who was obsessed with my relationship with my mother (I know it sounds clichè but it's true). At first I wouldn't tell him anything, I was giving him a really hard time and I would skip sessions as often as I could. Eventually he wanted to force me into group therapy, as this was when my SA was at it's worst I bailed on that and went without therapy for nearly three years after that.

But I realized later that I couldn't function without some kind of help and eventually got back into therapy. As I was older and a bit wiser, I realized that my problems with my first psychiatrist was of my own doing. I decided to be more compliant this time and eventually we became good friends.

He sadly passed away a few years back and since then I've had two more psychiatrists. I'm currently not in therapy any more, but I will eventually go back into treatment.

If I had one advice, don't be afraid, don't be antagonizing, be honest and sincere and give your Councillor a chance. Counseling can really help, but only if you allow it to.

 

[T T T]

Thank you

I really hope they don't put me forward for group therapy, especially not yet. I keep thinking that i'm going to really struggle with telling them how I really feel, and end up waisting their time. But I guess they're there to get it out of me, it's their job and they're professionals, so I will just have to wait and see what happens.

 

[pakistan]

do post here bout it once its done

 

[Waybuloo]

I was more intimidated by the receptionists and the waiting room than the actual counselling sessions. I still am to this day and this is because I trust the therapists will be knowledgable, experienced and understanding with regards to my issues, but I don't have such expectations of receptionists etc.

I've had more counsellors than I can count on one hand, and on the whole they didn't help me much. I think I either need a really domineering counsellor who knows the exact answers and the right way to make me change, or a psychotherapist to go into the deep dark void with, perhaps to do regression or hypnotherapy, you know more serious stuff.

I've tried group therapy for social anxiety and it was rubbish. Everyone has SA for different reasons and for a lot of people it is a symptom of a bigger problem. I have been later diagnosed by a psychiatrist to be a complex case with personality disorders (and a complex early childhood), so to solve my issues within a group environment where we just tackled the surface did not work and isn't going to work again. Also some people there were working and clearly articulate and chatty, whereas people like me couldn't even talk to people and had intense anxiety facing anybody whether they had the same problem or not. But perhaps some people might find it helpful if all they have is something bordering on shyness.

About the actual session, they usually start by asking about the general nature of your problems. They want to know about your whole life history. This is where it's useful to tell about anything which you feel would be relevant in causing your problems. For instance my parents were absent during my childhood with a mother who left me with different carers. Because I didn't know what normality was like in a family setting I didn't mention that and wish I had as i've realised how important that was. Mention family relations, early childhood, friendships, major events. Usually the therapist will lead the questions and if you don't feel comfortable talking about something just tell them so. They won't pressure you to say anything. I am guessing that your therapist will be lightweight (a psychologist). A psychotherapist is a heavyweight who will go deeper with you. A psychiatrist prescribes you meds and diagnose conditions.

I used to always cry on my first sessions because it felt overwhelming to talk about all my issues, but I have grown more detached over time.

 

[pakistan]

touche to people with easy access to therapy/counseling

 

[T T T]

I've had two sessions now, and I feel worse than before. I just feel pathetic now for believing it might help, and all it has done is make me think about how I feel more which amplifies it.

My counsellor himself, I don't like him. Not only does he look at me weirdly, but one eye goes off in some other direction, and it's just a bit off-putting. He seems to understand the problem, but he doesn't seem to understand me; if that makes sense?

I hope it gets better. Since my first session I haven't been on here because I've been too intimidated by it. I'm going on holiday with my family tomorrow, euch. I just want to stay at home and feel sorry for myself.

 

[Mickery]

It'll pass. You have to get to the bottom of your thoughts before you can understand them.

 

[Waybuloo]

I saw my psych ( a child psych) for 2 years on a weekly basis because I was too complacent to stop, and also because I felt too helpless and hopeless to do something else. It hadn't occurred to me that my psych at the time freaked me out a bit and he was weird and unhelpful, not because I was the one at fault. I saw other therapists afterwards (women) who seemed more intuitive, more personable and were more on my level, and I felt that they understood me better.

If you are in England I think you could just stop seeing him and goto your Doc for referral to another one.

I understand that it gets you thinking about your problems way more. I used to feel very intense and emotional after a session. I went to The Priory (privately) and forked out for psychotherapy with a woman who made me less depressed (but not less anxious). I ended up dwelling on anxious situations less as well. She had piercing eyes and I felt like she could see right into me. I also saw her as good exposure therapy lol.