counselling/therapy advice

[lillylop]

Is it possible to get private counselling by email or some type of non face to face therapy? Don't think I would ever get myself to an actual session and don't feel I could organise my thoughts well enough to benefit.

[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle]

I've seen some counsellors offer skype appointments... Would that work for you?

[lillylop]

Thanks for reply, not sure I could do Skype. Do you think its the norm to give a therapist a written account of things on first meeting? I feel I could be more honest and open in writing, initially at least, whereas face to face with a stranger I know I will play things down and feel to overly self conscious to speak out.

[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle]

When I was having counselling I would sometimes write things down during the week and read allowed. When things were really bad I would tell my counsellor what I wanted to discuss in the future but couldn't face at the time. That helped too.

[TeenageMutantNinjaTurtle]

Aloud, not allowed. Stupid phone!

[ashamedandalone]

I am in private therapy and email a lot in between sessions.

It really helped to develop the trust in the relationship in the beginning, and even now when I go quiet and can't force many words out because they are too disturbing, I have the option of putting more details in an email, so my therapist can be informed and then more able to help me.

Find somebody who allows out of session contact, it sounds like your problems stem from attachment, and you need to learn how to attach healthily. Imo that's very hard when it's one lone hour a week in isolation.

[LastingLight]

I always write things down and give it to the psychologist/psychiatrist when I go and see someone new. It's just so much easier as you can think of everything you want to say when you're not stressed and under pressure.

[CaulkheadUpNorth]

I've seen my therapist for three years. It took a year for me to open up enough to her and to trust her.
We have had phone contact between sessions and that helps, but she doesn't offer just phone contact.

IMO good therapists are trained to deal with pretty much however you present. So if it takes you six weeks to open your mouth, that's ok. Mine always reminds that it's "my" time while I'm there to spend how I want/need. So if I chose to talk about the redesign of tescos that would be ok, and what we started talking about isn't always what we end talking about.

Finding a good therapist is incredible. There is nothing wrong with speaking to a few and seeing if you click or not. A is my fifth I think, and she is right for me.

[lillylop]

Thanks everyone, I would like to eventually talk to someone openly but at the moment I'm not sure I could do this. I feel really self consious and embarrassed about feeling like this. My family are very much of the 'just get on with it' mindset which makes me feel like a total failure. Would anyone know how I go about find a therapist? Are there any recommended websites or any qualifications I should look our for? Thanks

[CaulkheadUpNorth]

Google finding a therapist in uk or something like that.

You should then have a link to
Counselling directory (where I found my therapist). Have a look on here at different kinds of counselling and therapy. Find out there what qualifications they should have and who they need to be registered with.
You can also look under their professional bodies. One is something like British Counselling and Psychotherapy (bcp).
If you decide you want a certain kind of therapist you can search online for that professional body and then find someone through there.

It's simpler than I've made it sound! My therapist is an Integrative Psychotherapist. This means her training covered lots of different things so she can adapt to me, I'd that makes sense.