I don't know who I need to see

[Catchhimatwhat]

Ok, I want to talk through a lot of complex family issues with someone. I've had all sorts of issues with my weight and anorexia, drinking, self harm, phobias. I guess I am quite complicated. I am starting to realise I need to work through some stuff about growing up.
I don't think I want six CBT sessions. I want something more in depth.

But what do I want? A psychologist or a counselor or someone else? How do I know where to start looking?

Sorry if this is a really silly question. I thought I'd get a better answer from Mumsnet than Google.

From the information you have given so far it sounds like you might be looking for something like psychodynamic psychotherapy. Are problems with relationships in the past affecting the way you conduct yourself and form relationships now? Your GP might be the best person to ask first of all about what is available locally. A counsellor will discuss your problems but a psychologist might be able to help you make sense of what has happened in the past.

Or person-centred counselling.

It is great you have that insight. Who to see depends on if you got private or NHS. If private spend time finding someone who you can work with and tell them what you posted here.

If NHS you may not get what you want. Most people want long term good therapy that helps free and few qualify for it as there is not the budget. Short term group or telephone therapy is standard. To get more than that generally you need a gp referral to a psychiatrist for diagnosis, as without a diagnosis etc it is hard to access higher up services. Also usually need to be assessed, wait until get to top of queue. If involved with social care, peri natal mental health teams that can speed things up. Or if risk assessments used to show you need to be nearer the top of the list. Many services in NHS are group treatments as well. You may be lucky, may have lots of psychologists or therapists with long term slots available but most places do ration care according to how long people been known to services etc and depends on budgets and the progress people make.

If looking privately depends on your budgets and if have any provision through work or insurance. Psychologists often are based in private hospitals. There are organisations such as BACP to look up accredited practitioners in your area. Some charities offer reduced counselling depending on financial income too.

Also it depends on the model of treatment a person uses. Just because someone is a psychologist does not mean there way of treatment is to look at the past, they often work to a specialist area or methodology such as psychodynamic, CAT, TA, ACT, CFT, humanistic, person cantered etc. if on NHS again little choice is given. And longer term NHS treatments can be anything from 12-20 sessions.

Oh you could ask your gp for a referral to the eating disorder unit, that may be a quicker option? And there may be eating disorder charities that do group counselling you could access also.

I would probably go private I guess.

If private then you can look up organisations like BACP and do a general search for counsellors and therapists in places you can travel to. Then look at their details, web sites and email or phone to see if they do a slot when you are available to go and whether they can do the work you can do. In first session you can say what your goals of treatment are, how they may work with you and decide if you wish to work together.