On-Going Psychological Therapy

@Jaila . Direct your Qs to the Psychologist. They can send a letter back to your GP asking for another 2. Then another 4, as you should be able to get up to 10 covered sessions.

Also ask your Psych if it is possible to have the fee discounted. You may need to tell them your income etc.

It should be 10 session @Jaila .

You then get a plan review and get more sessions. 10 per calendar year.

The 5 sessions are for allied health services.

So it depends on if you got the health care plan or the mental health care plan.

Hi @Jaila . I’ve just come across your message and I’d like to say I’m proud of you for seeking help with a psychologist. That’s very brave of you and I’m glad you’re seeking help.

I’m a Community Guide here at SANE and I have a lived experience of mental health issues. I have also sought the help of a psychologist in the past - the latest being in 2021 due to the covid lockdowns in Melbourne that I worked with over several sessions via Telehealth and into 2022 - and I found it to be very valuable to me. My psychologist was very knowledgeable and although there were times when I felt challenged and struggled to talk to him during certain sessions (monthly), I really enjoyed the sessions. He taught me how to be a stronger person and gave me information on how to deal with my issues at the time. He was even able to help me when I was admitted to a mental health ward in 2021 and was able to advocate for me to move to a PARCS facility for 2 weeks after leaving hospital due to an incident on the ward which was a great experience. I do know that there were times when I finished speaking to him that I thought I had said the wrong thing or that I didn’t understand what was said during the sessions but after writing things down and speaking to him about it, I was able to seek clarification and understand what was said and why it was said. I was even able to help him with his learning of mental illnesses when I actually wrote down what it was like to experience psychosis as I had that happen during the time I was a client of his which he really appreciated. Even now, 2 years on, I often refer to things he said or taught me to help me with my mental illness issues - I’m currently debating on trying to reconnect with him as there are things going on in my life which I’m not sure I can handle on my own so that’s something I’ve got to make a choice on very soon- but and that’s a good thing to come out of the sessions.

All I can say is whilst it’s not great that you feel worse after the sessions, I think if you can see that the psychologist is helping you, then it has to be a good thing overall. I know that talking can be hard and often emotional and draining at times, but I have learnt that it’s mentally better to get the talking done and let someone know what you are thinking and feeling so they can try and help you get the support you need. As the saying goes, a problem shared is a problem halved and for me, I found that to be very true a lot of the time. Whilst I agree that 10 sessions isn’t very long and that certain issues require a longer time frame to be able to be resolved, I do know that something is better than nothing so I’ll quite happily take the 10 sessions d use it to the best of my advantage if I ever need it again. I’m also very resourceful and like to use the internet to help me learn how to deal with some of my mental health issues, such as learning new coping and distraction strategies for example. Maybe this is an avenue you could utilise to help you with your issues? Maybe ask your psychologist for other options to support your therapy as well so you are getting the most out of your sessions?

Take care and stay safe.

Judi9877☺️🌻

@JailaMy GP put me on the same thing earlier this year. I got a referral for 6 sessions, who then had to send a letter back to my GP and then I could get another referral for the last 4 sessions. Now I have to wait for next year to get another 10. I'm not sure why you only have 6. Ask or your psychologist, they should be able to clear it up.

She has helped my create a Safety Plan, a list of things I need to do should things take a turn for the worse. Includes agencies to call, emergency contacts that are willing to come to my aid day or night, a few coping strategies…

One of my biggest issues is being rather unpredictable and impulsive when I’m EXTREMELY depressed, which in the past has led to really bad outcomes.

However, despite feeling bad after talking to her, her techniques seem to help - a little. I think the reason I feel so horrible is because I’m dredging up issues that I have spent a lot of time compartmentalising over the years and reliving the problems.

@JailaA safety plan is a great idea and it can be so helpful if you feel yourself spiraling down. Don't hesitate to call some of those contacts if you ever feel that you should.

It's good that these scoping strategies are helping a little. Obviously it would e better if they were helping a lot, but it's a good start. I think these things do take time and very often start small, so hopefully you're on the right track and can continue to build on these small wins. At least you realise the reasons for you depression and hopefully that will help you to work on those past issues and begin to heal from them enough to gain some control back over them.

Hello @Jaila . I’ve just seen your new post- thanks for sharing. I’ve experienced depression and I know all about a safety plan as I’ve done them in the past. They are a good thing to do and to have so I can see the positives about having a plan formulated when you are in times of crisis. Having the numbers for people and agencies to call during a crisis is invaluable at times and I have also stored them in my phone so I can call them when I need to should the need arise.
As part of my safety plan, I have also used a strategy called a Traffic Light plan sequence whereby green means things are going well and I don’t need help yet yellow means I’m in some trouble and need help and red is in major trouble and need help as soon as possible. I have notes in my safety plan for each of these areas and what things I need to do when I’m in these zones of mental illness.

As for coping strategies, having several of those listed in the safety plan is a great idea as I often forget them in times of crisis. I know that simple things like having a cup of tea or writing things down or even doing some knitting of a beanie are some strategies that work for me.

In regards to being impulsive and unpredictable when you are extremely depressed, whilst I don’t know your specific circumstances or situation, I can say I know what I’m like when I am depressed and I can relate to those elements in part. For me, calling out for help is often the last thing I want to do, but as I live with a great housemate/best friend, I’m thankful that she is able to recognise my signs and step in and help the majority of the times I’ve experienced this. She knows when I may need help and is willing to step in and speak to the relevant health professionals if I’m unable to for some reason. She also knows from my past history about what’s on my safety plan and when to enact it. Is it possible for you to give a copy of your safety plan to someone who you trust to be able to help you at all? It’s just a suggestion.

I do agree fully with you when you write that you feel horrible when speaking about dredging up past issues because I have also experienced this. It is hard and difficult at times but I found that speaking to my psychologist at the time did help as they were able to give me a new perspective on the issues and give me ideas of how to handle and deal with them as well which was really beneficial to me and my mental health recovery journey. I’m glad you’re finding techniques to help you with this element of the therapy. Again, I’m in a potential situation when I may need to do this so I can relate to your thoughts in regards to this area and how hard it can be.

Take care.

Judi9877☺️🌻

One of situations I am dealing with, @Judi9877 , is the end of a 22 year long relationship where my ex and I still live in the same house. I don’t trust him, I do not believe a word he says now, and I’m angry, betrayed, frustrated, and heart broken all rolled up into one big messy ball. But, I need to stay, so say the lawyers, if I want the outcome I need for my own future stability.

The other issue is the recent death of my mother and all that entails. When I was very young, we were so very close. Years later, as an adult, I confided in her that I was trans and was immediately disowned by my family for 20 years. Only in the last few years did we start speaking again. She died suddenly at the end of last year after a very short battle with cancer, right about the same time my personal life was imploding.

Since then, I’ve been an emotional mess and can’t seem to move on on either front…or any front for that matter.

Depression runs rampant regularly and that brings back even more issues from when I was young and once it starts, the down hill slide can be very quick.

Unfortunately, my support network is very small. If it weren’t for the psychologist insisting on the Safety Plan, I wouldn’t have any support network at all.

I can't rely on my ex for anything despite the years we’ve spent together…and the friends I do have come to a total of two.

I am grateful for this community, the Sane Forums, or I’d be almost completely alone otherwise.

Hi @Jaila it must be such a difficult situation you are in right now. Having to stay where you are in that environment and having to deal with that history with you family... no wonder you are feeling the way you are at the moment. Hopefully you can get that outcome you are after and can finally move on and start to heal yourself from the past

Since I joined here earlier this year, I see this place as a big part of my own support network. So hopefully you find that as well. We're all here for you as well.