If you’ve had nhs mh therapy how many sessions?

[granadagirl]

Also posted on mh board
I live in greater Manchester

I had to wait 10 mths on mh waiting list for what I thought was to see a psychologist

Turns out I’m seeing cbt therapist
They put me on step/level 3-4
And cbt therapist when talking to me refers it to trauma!

2 weeks ago I found out she is retiring end of October that gives me think 12 sessions I’ve had and not all one after another some weeks she didn’t have any the following week.

I told gp on my last appointment that I thought this wasn’t enough and I haven’t even taken hardly anything from it. She’s ringing them tomorrow to speak to manager.

I think because she’s winding down her last week tomorrow she’s not arsed
She’s mentioned different things in the sessions like timeline, eft, schema but nothing materialised

Because my very main problem are thoughts that have massive impact on me. ie mood, going out, eating
She’s just said
There thoughts there not real and nor are they true

I know this, it’s not rocket science
I just expected I’d get more practical
Strategy help

If your on similar level nhs

Have many sessions did you have?
What therapy did you receive?
And did it help?

As I get older, now 61 things are much harder to cope with and I don’t feel as strong.
I’m on meds for anxiety and depression have been for last 30 years

I have care coordinator and she keeps putting me on the list and taking me off it. The most my trust offers is 12 weeks at a time which simply not enough.

To be truthful I have thrown in the towel with the NHS and are attending private therapy.

I’m having high intensity CBT, and we are looking to finish after 15 sessions.

I had very intense CBT via NHS and privately . NHS it was weekly, then fortnightly for two years so a very long time . Privately it was monthly for a year , I think that was about 12 sessions . The NHS therapy helped a great deal at the time but I think CBT is the sort of thing you need to revisit regularly , or I do at least , I find I can apply the techniques in simple situations eg buying a coffee or using a bus but if it’s harder stuff (accepting personal crisis or upset) I can’t apply the CBT then and go back to unhelpful coping methods of apathy, self harm, binging etc .

I do take medication daily for maintenance as well though (Prozac).

Ditto not enough, u know they are stretched to capacity but if we got the therapist for longer maybe! We wouldn’t keep on having relapses
12-15 sessions for intense therapy is just not acceptable.

I’m in two minds if to go for my last one tomorrow as I don’t think I’ve partially learnt anything, as you know an hour goes so quickly and it takes about 3-4 sessions to tell them about yourself.

I feel as if I’m just holding it together sometimes when my thoughts seem to get control over me. I know there thoughts, but when they’ve put it into you head and it’s changed your mood to go down or bring anxiety higher thinking “ it’s only a thought doesn’t cut it”

I also think each trust should have a crisis house, and not just some area’s
There is nothing in my area you can contact when your in the mist of acute anxiety/depression other than a&e and if my case 4 different times have been a total waste of time waiting about for 2 hours then be told to go home and take diazepam and keep yourself safe.

Think I’ll write a post
What are your coping strategies, when anxious, down scared of going out etc