Describe a 'typical' counselling session

[dontsuggestaspaday]

This past year has been horrific. I've been diagnosed with a serious autoimmune disease, cancer (curable but still), a close family suicide and a discovery that a family member is facing charges of child sex abuse (online of that makes a difference)

I'm done in, I feel like I may have PTSD but could just be stress. I have flashbacks to finding my family member dead, flash backs to being told about cancer. I think about all these things as soon as I wake up and as soon as I go to sleep. I have this impending sense of doom. I think something will happen to my husband (or he will leave and constantly think I'm not a good mum and they deserve better. I can't sleep abd had a course of sleeping pills. I've no idea what counselling I'm looking for or if I want to talk about these traumas. So tell me, what will help? What do I need to do? I'm open to anything. What has your counselling looked like?

I was so desperate to talk that my first session was just me rattling off the string of traumas I wanted to talk about.

After that we'd say hello, exchange pleasantries 'isnt it cold now?' sort of stuff.

Then she would usually ask how my nervous system (anxiety) had been this week. And we'd slowly ease into chatting further about what was bothering me. Quite often I'd think I'd want to talk about something specific and end up talking about something else entirely!

Counselling was the best thing I ever did. Having an hour a week of someone truly listen and hold space for me was lifesaving.

@Thatsajokeright thank you. I think I'd be there for an hour ranting!

Look into EMDR for trauma like you have described it could be good.

It wasn't what I thought at all. On some level I think I went along in order to make things better. That hasn't been the case, and of course how can it do that, life just is how it is, but it has strengthened my resilience to face life. I can't actually tell you how it has done that but I would whole heartedly recommend counselling.

I had counselling through UK Counselling (I had to pay but it is means tested). This was for depression/anxiety and PTSD.
They were recommended to me by my local IAPT team who I’d had CBT with (twice - 12 months apart).
They said I needed the CBT to be able to cope with the counselling. I agree with this on reflection as there were lots of behaviours I was doing that would have prevented the effectiveness of the counselling.
I had six months of weekly 1-1 video calls and we talked through everything for an hour. It has really helped. I was experiencing a lot of suicide ideation before I started. Lots of constant dwelling and flashbacks.
I am much more even keeled now and I’d really recommend having counselling. If you knew me in real life you’d know how cynical I am too and how I could be quite resistant to this kind of thing but honestly the way I feel now compared to the way I felt before is like night and day.

Definitely try EMDR therapy. It works alot quicker than any other therapy. I was suffering from PTSD from child hood trauma. Definitely helped me in a few sessions.

Go private xx

My last counselling session (which didn't continue as she just wasn't a good fit) went like this:-

1. She asked me how I was/how I'd been.
2. She asked me what I'd like to concentrate on in this session.

She would go into in more depth (with me talking) on what I wanted to focus on and would try to give me work/things to think about for the next session.

I don't know about EMDR but it sounds good for your issues. Private is definitely better.

CBT is also good.

What I would say (and this was the case re my last counsellor, I actually don't think I need one now) is that if you don't 'fit/click' with your counsellor then say so and end it, or put steps in place to end it. Don't let them talk you into staying with them. You're paying for a service and if you don't feel comfortable talking about your issues/click then you should not feel pressured into staying with them as a client.

Interesting about EDMR therapy, I've found a few places very close to me that offer it. It's not particularly pricey either. I was told I'd wait over a year for any kind of talking therapy on the NHS which I don't think is really an option for me.

My other half has done this after years of anxiety and a bit of depression last year. He has found it very successful. I dont think it's for everyone but definitely worth a try for PTSD issues.