Telephone therapy vs Face to face - any experiences?

[mogkat]

Good evening everyone,

After struggling with my mental health since the birth of my son 4 years ago I finally found the courage to ask for help.

My GP gave me the phone number to 'self refer' myself to counselling. This was a few months ago.

I had my initial chat over the phone but said I'd really like the opportunity to have face to face sessions when restrictions allowed.

I've finally received the start date for my counselling but it is for telephone counselling.
I really struggle talking on the phone about anything serious and find myself with awkward silences and then talking nonsense to fill the silence. The thought of doing it all by phone is already making me feel like backing out of the counselling when it's taken me a long time to get to the point of asking for help.

They tell me no face to face appointments because of covid.

I suffered with PND after the birth of my son which I didn't deal with and just buried. I've struggled with anxiety and mood issues my entire life. PND and birth experience was so bad it's made me not want to have anymore children whereas my husband would love us to have another one.
I also feel like a bad mum to my son as my anxiety so bad I struggle to make friends and I'd love for him to have some little friends to play with etc. I even struggle going to the playground if there's other mums there as I worry I don't know how to talk to people. Even though that probably sounds silly.

I'm having the counselling to see if I can resolve my issues.

Anyone with any stories of their own therapy journey that they did over the phone? I'd like to know how you found it and how it helped you.

Thanks in advance

Can you do it via zoom? My current CBT is being held this way. The last course by zoom wasn't that good due to the therapist but this course has started off better.

I’ve done counselling via both Zoom and the NHS’s secure video phone link.

Understand your concerns about telephone counselling if it is voice only.

However if it is possible to do it by video link that’s very different. I have found video link counselling more effective than in person counselling.

Firstly I found it easier to open when I was sitting in my own home rather than in someone else’s space.

Secondly, it was really great not to have to worry about getting there and getting back. For the practicalities and time taken, but also because you don’t have to switch between counselling and street mode in the same way. I wasn’t worried about whether I would cry in the same way for example.

Good luck.