First visit to Therapist/Mental Health Assessment

[Talisien]

So today I went for my first session, as recommended by my GP, with a government funded therapist.

One and half hours into a 40 minute slot and he still hasn't completed all he needs to go through with me. is this normal I am wondering?

Half way through the generic questions about depression begin to frustrate me because I don't want to seem to be self-diagnosing and want him to be able to work it out himself. But I am giving him all the clues and getting no response. So I tell him I have been researching C PTSD and the symptoms seem to match. He immediately changes tack and starts asking trauma-related questions and I snivel and cry my way through his Kleenex. Bingo.

So having run over time he still didn't finish what he needed to ask for the initial assessment. He makes a phone appointment to finish for three days time because he isn't available locally for 4 weeks. ( he visits to my local GP centre - my lack of transport )

There was a lot of stress on risk assessment and promises from me that I am not about to take my life.

Verdict! Useful and hopeful. Watch this space. 

[Dutch Uncle]

 

[woodsgnome]

So far, it seems like your t is aware that this is about you, and your needs. I've had (gulp!) 10 therapists now but #10 seems not too tied up with pre-conceived notions to negate the idea of working with me as opposed to 'I'm doing therapy to you'. Interestingly, her intro material states clearly that her approach is working with, and that both parties have valid experiences they can draw on. In other words, she's not top-down.

I had Pete Walker's book with me the first couple of times. She hadn't seen it before but last week we agreed it might be a good base for our meetings. She opened it up, noted briefly some notes I had made, and then turned to the front; I pointed out that I didn't have any notes their and she said no, she was looking up the info as she wanted to order her own copy.

There is a ton of variety, it appears, in how therapists choose to fit into the client side of the exchange. This time I feel like I've passed a trust level I never fully reached with the others. I only mention this to point out that there are some t's who feel confident enough to choose a two-way dance as opposed to the 'follow me and I will fix you' routine.

Those initial paperwork sessions can be a tad much, but at least your t seemed savvy enough to step past the mundane and intuit at least some of where you, as an individual, were coming from.

Best of luck with this; and congrats for taking this big step forward.

[Talisien]

Update on the therapist/mental assessment visit.

So at the end of the session he passed me a booklet "An introduction to coping with Anxiety" So ok not PTSD I think but he didnt know I would present with that when I turned up so I am thinking perhaps this is a generic booklet given to everyone and so in for a penny I will give it  a try.

5 minutes into the booklet and I am getting frustrated and annoyed and this is the reason. It is based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy. Now I am sure it must work for many people as the whole booklet kept saying things like "This booklet will prove an invaluable first step" But here's the thing - everything about this process is based upon knowing what words are going through your mind when you feel anxious and I DON'T verbalise.

Having studied N.L.P and been a counsellor in my own right one of the first things we learn is that every person has one or two primary senses that they use more than others. You might be more visual or more kinaesthetic (posh word for experiencing everything through feeling ), or you might be more auditory. This is very important when working with people because if you ask someone who doesn't verbalise what words they are thinking it is like talking double dutch. Ask then what images they see or what the feel and bingo they can relate.

I was actually quite shocked that the whole CBT therapy that it the primary health care front line therapy of choice by our GP's ignores this knowledge. I wonder how many patients ( and auditory people are only about a quarter of the population ) are made to feel hopeless and useless because they are being asked to do something that they are simply not 'wired' to do.

In any event, he had to phone me to day to finish of my evaluation. It became obvious very quickly that he was out of his depth. I think I just about finished him off when I mentioned I was pretty sure I had mild Multiple Personality Disorder also. We went through the options available and although I am a little worried at the possible implications he is referring me on to the Psychology Services Mental Health Team for further assessment.

I do hope that his protestations over my fears that I would dragged into the mental health system and forced to take drugs and be institutionalised are true 

Watch this space...