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Mental health

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Flip

Original poster

EEK....first couselling session...

17 replies

Titania · 09/02/2005 15:51

Is on tuesday....I am so so nervous.....I don't know what to expect. It is a woman though so am more comfortable with that.

OP posts:

Mum2girls · 09/02/2005 15:54

Good luck Titania - and remember she's trained to make you feel at ease, so try not to worry...probably easier said than done.

Caribbeanqueen · 09/02/2005 15:56

Best of luck Titania! I don't blame you for being nervous, but maybe try and relax a bit bforehand if possible.

Make sure you feel comfortable with the counsellor, if you don't you won't relax enough to get the most out of the sessions. You could always ask her what her role is going to be, as differelt styles of counsellors have different techniques, some sit in almost permanent silence and some are more interactive.

I hope everything goes well for you.

blueteddy · 09/02/2005 16:02

I have had counselling & found it very helpful.
They tend to let you do a lot of the talking & throw in a lot of "How did that make you feel" kind of comments.
I was also very nervous before my first session.
I think it was a lot to do with having to go over things that I was finding hard 2 deal with, with a stranger.
The first couple of sessions were the toughest, but they did get easier & made me address certain aspects of my life.
They do go right back to your childhood, to get a clear picture of what makes you the person you are.
I was meant to have 6 sessions but ended up having 12!

Marina · 09/02/2005 16:04

blueteddy is right...don't expect the first couple of sessions to necessarily be easy or obviously helpful, Titania. Give it a little time to "bed down".
A good counsellor will put you at your ease as much as possible and do the leg-work for you. As long as you want the counselling and are prepared to attend, she will help you get the most out of it.
I hope you find it worthwhile and helpful. I know I did. Good luck!

amynnixmum · 09/02/2005 16:11

Good Luck Titania,
I was really nervous before I had counselling too but it got better after the first session and by the third I was looking forward to it in a way. xx

Original poster

Titania · 09/02/2005 17:25

thanks everyone. Its the not knowing what to expect that scares me the most. I hope she doesn't make feel pressured to say things.

OP posts:

blueteddy · 09/02/2005 17:42

She shouldn't pressure you at all, especially on your first visit.
My counseller let me do most of the talking & really seemed to listen to what I was saying.
They like to get a bit of a picture of you in the first couple of visits.
As I said earlier, it could be quite tough at first, but will get better & should hopefully be really helpful.
Good luck & let us know how u get on!

Flip · 09/02/2005 17:51

On my third counselling session we did relaxation techniques and she had me lie on this bed and took me through this senario for about thirty minutes. It was so weird. Towards the end where she said when you're ready you can open your eyes, my eyes opened on their own despite me not wanting to and then when she said sit up, that happened to without me trying to. I felt really relaxed but it was a bit freaky.

Original poster

Titania · 09/02/2005 18:32

thanks. I will let you know how i get on.

OP posts:

Spacecadet · 09/02/2005 21:25

glad you finally have an appt, dont worry, the first appt will be more of an assessment where she will ask you about yourself, when you first started feeling ill etc, that way she can work out what sort of help to offer you, good luck

SPARKLER1 · 09/02/2005 21:27

Good luck Titania. Would love to hear how you get on. I've got to go for counselling too - keep forgetting to phone surgery to make appointment. I must do it tomorrow.

Evesmama · 09/02/2005 21:33

hey titania..my mam had daffoldils in her house today
thought of you as soon as i saw them[smile
hope your still smiling luv?

Original poster

Titania · 10/02/2005 15:53

oooh i love daffodils!! thanks for thinking of me!!! I am ok. Bit of a bad day in that one of dds friends mums died yesterday. Shock to my system. I did have a cry, but whereas before I would cry al day and be doom and goom, I am now thankful for my chidren and that they have stil got a mummy (though it came close at times I can tell you) I am going to send the family a card.

OP posts:

wobblyknicks · 10/02/2005 21:21

Sorry I've only just seen this Titania - loads of luck and I'm sure it'll be much better than you expect. xxxxxxxxxx

jabberwocky · 10/02/2005 21:30

Good luck Titania! I always thought of my sessions (especially in the beginning) as a safe place for me to go and just verbally throw up - excuse the graphic analogy but that's kind of what it felt like sometimes. It's just so nice to have someone that you can say anything to and not get a response predicated on a previous relationship IYKWIM.

MummytoSteven · 15/02/2005 13:38

good luck with the counselling.

am thinking of you....

blueteddy · 15/02/2005 17:03

How did it go Titania?

Flip