overwhelming feelings after counselling

[bats22]

Having counselling, and it has left me feeling horrific this week. The counsellor said that it is common to feel awful as it rakes up old feelings, but I don't even know what I am feeling, let alone how to cope.

Feels like my chest is burning. I'd like to hide in bed for a few days, but can't. Need to get a grip, work on Wednesday is going to be stressful and I need to be sorted by then.
Any advice much appreciated.

Hi there, I have had counselling and it is quite common to feel worse before you feel better, the counsellor should over the next couple of sessions give you ways to cope with these feelings that have bubbled up to the surface, in my experience they don t let you bring all of the raw emotions to the surface and then leave you with no way to process them, so my advice would be to stick with it , I had 12 sessions recently and felt shitty for the first 7 but then I turned a corner, my counsellor also recommended a couple of good books which I got second hand on amazon that were relevant for me, yours will probably do the same as you go along.

Just wanted to add if possible book your sessions for your days off work or at the end of the day, counselling can be draining and emotional as you've discovered and its not a great idea to do counselling in your lunch break then try to return to work, sometimes I didn't want to talk to anyone after a session and would sit in my local sainsburys coffee shop and just people watch for an hour.

Hi

I haven't got great advice as have only had relate counselling but it changed my life. You should feel really proud of yourself for going as it's a big thing to do, but remember this: what comes up now may be difficult to deal with but you are working things out and will benefit hugely from this for the rest of your life. Write down your thoughts and keep a diary of the main points you are thinking about and review it every few days. The truth will set you free but first it will piss you off, (can't remember who said that but it is true)

Try to let your thoughts go after you've written them down & get a good nights sleep. Probably not helpful but people will have been through worse. As long as you can meet your basic needs just spend a little time eating, drinking and sleeping. You will get through and will be a better person at the end of this and more able to cope with all that's ahead of you. Good luck and take care

Do you feel the counselling is helping in general? Have you been having it for long?

Thanks. 'The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off' love that Evelynj!
Think the counselling is helping overall, not been going for long. Feel less rubbish in one way, but more overwhelmed in other ways. I really couldn't cope and was self-harming when I first went to see her (haven't told her that, haven't told anyone that. Not dangerous self-harm btw, just enough to feel calmer).

Bumping for you x