Need a therapist or counsellor and don't know where to start

[summercompanion]

I've been dealing with a terrible situation for 15 years, and things have escalated and I think I really need therapy or counselling.

I don't really know who to contact first.

I have heard lots of celebrities say they benefited from therapy.

I have tried some counselling in the past either on the phone or in person. But really I thought they were completely a load of rubbish.

I've experienced really bad domestic abuse- and am still really struggling with dealing with the past- and the present. Lots of issues are going through the courts at the moment but he hasn't stopped in the slightest.

I am so used to people not believing me or thinking I'm the one with the problem I have completely underestimated the scale of the problem.

I have been operating on extremely high stress and fear for 15 years. And now I am worried about feeling really low as some of the stress eases off.

Apart from going to my GP, do you know where I should start to look for support?

Are counsellors less qualified than therapists? And who would you recommend?

Psychotherapists have more qualifications than counsellors as they are usually specialists in one disorder or area of therapy.

For example there are therapists who specialise in sexual problems, grief, personality disorders whereas in my experience, counsellors know a little about a lot of areas, although many do have particular areas of interest.

My counsellor has a particular flair for working with young people and those with autism.

I've been referred to all kinds of talking therapy before and they were all useless to me UNTIL I tried Better Help. They're online, cost less than in-person therapists, and you can choose to do video calls, voice calls or live messaging.

It has honestly been the best thing I've done for myself in a long time.

Just copied from a blog - scary huh?

A recent BBC News article recently highlighted the current lack of therapy regulation - I must say this is an area I feel passionately about and one that seriously needs to change. As current regulations stand, ANYONE can call themselves a Therapist, Counsellor or Psychotherapist.

Make sure you get someone registered with BACP. Check out their website.

Thanks for your replies I think I will start with my GP then. I think I'm always worried it's not serious enough, but if I explain it in detail I'm sure they can point me in the right direction. Thanks

I work for a company called problem shared and we have loads of amazing online counsellors. It might be worth looking on online sites like this because there’s lots of great therapists to choose from. Plus I know lots of ours offer a free 15 minute intro session so you can kind of try them out!

Many towns (certainly mine) have an organisation that specialises in domestic abuse. Usually private companies, but free to the user, as revive funding. Google domestic abuse support in your town. Usually you can self refer and they can offer support with DV that is historical also.

Ok thanks @Swashbuckled I'll try that too- thanks

Sorry to contradict other people here, but in your shoes I would look for your local charity that supports survivors of domestic abuse. You will be offered counselling by someone who has an understanding of what you have been through, but there may be a waiting list.

If you have the resources, yo can find a professionally trained counsellor on the BACP web site, Counselling Directory or Psychology Today. You can search key words, or by area. Therapists write up a little bit about themselves in these directories, so you can see who feels right for you.

The GP route is likely to lead you to 6 weeks of CBT, which is great for many people but is not considered the most appropriate support for survivors of Domestic Abuse.

Contact:

www.womensaid.org.uk/

I agree with gottastopeatingchocolate sadly the help the GP can offer just won’t be as good as what you could get from a charity or private. I would really try and approach those avenues if at all possible.

A short course of CBT doesn’t sound like the best fit for your situation.