Counselling for health issues?

lostinrates

Firstly i dithered whether to put this here, in health or on disabillity board, i figured this is a busier board and i think there are a few counsellers or people who have experienced counselling.

Ok, well, I've had counselling before and it wasn't for me. I found it hurt more than it helped.

However, my GP has recently suggested that I might consider some (private) counselling to come to terms with my chronic ill health and expectations of the future.

While my first instinct was to knock it back over the last few weeks I have been thinking about it a fair bit and thinking maybe I should consider it.

As well as my chronic condition I have started getting other minor things that cite stress as a potential cause and trigger and there is no denying I am a 'highly strung' person (though I fight that very hard). I am quite self aware, and I think quite stoic and cope reasonably well but do recognise I do have some 'issues'.


I was really just wondering whether anyone had had counselling for coming to terms with health or disability and if it was helpful, or not. Considering such extra commitments are already a strain both practically, and sometimes physically to get to I don't feel like going without some expectation of what the sessions might offer.

Pinkdebster

Hiya. I had a course of CBT designed specifically for those with chronic health conditions and I found it exceptionally useful. I didn't realise how bad I was until the counselling had finished!!

I had been suffering for a couple of years but had never come to terms with having a life-altering condition - I was still hankering for my "old" life and railing against the injustice of it all.

The CBT helped me to come to terms with the illness and then worked with me to come up with coping strategies which help me on a day to day basis.

When it was suggested, I was initially quite hostile - I felt that that the hospital were suggesting "it was all in my head". But I'm so glad I went - I can honestly say it was one of the best things I ever did!

Good luck x

Armchair23

Slightly different from counselling but the 8 week MBSR or MBCT
(midfulness based stress reduction or cognitive therapy) courses are really helpful.
GP's and consultants often refer people with a wide range of physical and mental health issues, and many of the techniques are used in specialist pain clinics.

The course I attended had a real mix of people with a variety of issues and I can honestly say we all felt we benefited.

Not everyones cup of tea but worth a go.

Good Luck !

lostinrates

Pinkdebster wrote: »

Hiya. I had a course of CBT designed specifically for those with chronic health conditions and I found it exceptionally useful. I didn't realise how bad I was until the counselling had finished!!

I had been suffering for a couple of years but had never come to terms with having a life-altering condition - I was still hankering for my "old" life and railing against the injustice of it all.

The CBT helped me to come to terms with the illness and then worked with me to come up with coping strategies which help me on a day to day basis.

When it was suggested, I was initially quite hostile - I felt that that the hospital were suggesting "it was all in my head". But I'm so glad I went - I can honestly say it was one of the best things I ever did!

Good luck x

Yes, the coming to terms bit is key. E.g. ATM I'm having lots of struggles with food and I'm quite upbeat ( or not too down bet rather) about it because I'm imagining its not forever. I'm not convinced that's how they see it. I love cooking and food and its things like that, progression, I find hard....

I'm quite good at finding coping strategies, but it seems you find a solution, to other on for a while then something else goes wrong...

Can therapy help how I face that?

lostinrates

Armchair23 wrote: »

Slightly different from counselling but the 8 week MBSR or MBCT
(midfulness based stress reduction or cognitive therapy) courses are really helpful.
GP's and consultants often refer people with a wide range of physical and mental health issues, and many of the techniques are used in specialist pain clinics.

The course I attended had a real mix of people with a variety of issues and I can honestly say we all felt we benefited.

Not everyones cup of tea but worth a go.

Good Luck !

I haven't been refered to pain clinic because I've tried lots I. Told they offered and the cannot do anything more for me drug wise than my consultants are doing, I have five ish clinical consultants and drug interactions or contradictions are a constant problem. I'm not THAT concerned by pain, I have a strong threshold and if it hurts its hanging on there ATM I'm actually not in too much pain. My care is partly NHs and partly private and I don't want to take a resource nhs when other people need it and have no access elsewhere IYSWIM.

Armchair23

http://bemindful.co.uk/

Will tell you some more about MBCT & MBSR and help you find a course near you, you can search by postcode. Most you find on there will be 'private'

Racheldevon

Therapy can certainly help you with that - and although you've had one not so great experience, stick with it - it can take time to find a therapist you feel you can work with. If you're exploring this privately then you have the chance to really do your research and many therapists offer initial consultation so you can get a bit of insight into what they offer. There's lots of different therapeutic approaches, something like gestalt or an integrative approach might be useful. I have a chronic disability and have benefited.

Also the MBSR that people refer to is very good - I would do this alongside therapy personally, as it can bring up other issues that it's useful to have a forum to explore beyond the remit of the course. It's available on the NHS, often at universities, Exeter, Bangor and Oxford are 3 flagship ones in the country.

The other thing to bear in mind is that many towns have low cost therapy services, from £5 per session on a sliding scale, and these aren't usually time limited - google to find out what counselling services exist in your area

jackyann

Good for you for considering this - I have known it be helpful for a number of people. some health authorities have groups aimed at people with a chronic disease.
I would find out from your GP why they recommended private counselling - is there nothing else suitable locally? depending on the surgery set-up, I would try asking the practice nurse as well, they often have more of this sort of information.
Do you attend hospital at all? If so, I would ask the staff there - and especially if there is a specialist nurse (who sometimes have counselling training)
Then I would get in touch with any charity or support group for your condition - they may have contacts or counsellors who work at a reduced rate.
Finally if you do end up at a private counsellor, be very clear about what you need.
good luck!

lostinrates

jackyann wrote: »

Good for you for considering this - I have known it be helpful for a number of people. some health authorities have groups aimed at people with a chronic disease.
I would find out from your GP why they recommended private counselling - is there nothing else suitable locally? depending on the surgery set-up, I would try asking the practice nurse as well, they often have more of this sort of information.
Do you attend hospital at all? If so, I would ask the staff there - and especially if there is a specialist nurse (who sometimes have counselling training)
Then I would get in touch with any charity or support group for your condition - they may have contacts or counsellors who work at a reduced rate.
Finally if you do end up at a private counsellor, be very clear about what you need.
good luck!

I'm not sure Iwill do it (yet) I'm not sure now is the right time. .

Private because I prefer my healthcare private as I have access to that, and because its generally easier for me. We live in an odd area where there is wealth but also a lot of poverty, lots of the provision is very over stretched and its IMO unfair to take from it if you don't need to. Also, my surgery is not good at providing more than the basics.

I attend three hospitals now regularly (been weekly it works out at since the beginning of summer) and sometimes a fourth. I have five consultants. My gp there fore is very much the 'lynch pin' in treatment, yet i wouldn't say i have great rappour with him, though he is really nice. i don't particulalrly trust doctors, they bring me a lot of bad news :rotfl:.

My case is unusual,there is no support group or association for me, but there are for the minor conditions I have picked up along side it, but it would be excessive to seek emotional support for them. In fact, the unknown nature of my condition is really one of the emtional strains, along with little bits going wrong which I feel silly for complaining about!

Bennifred

I have posted before on this subject, but I think it bears repeating - I have seen a hypnotherapist (who also introduced mindfullness to me) who has helped enormously with coming to terms with/coping with the effects of having primary progressive multiple sclerosis. I was very sceptical before I went, and put it off for ages, but liked and trusted the therapist immediately and ended up seeing her for several months. I would have no hesitation in seeing her again if I felt I need to.

lostinrates

Thanks. I am not interested in hypnosis. After reading some positive stuff here I tried hypnosis for an issue (I'd forgotten that) and had another terrible experience!