Day Program Hospital

Hi @Former-Member

I have recently started art therapy at a hospital as a day program. For me art was never strong. I walked into my first class and spoke to the therapist and explained my anxieties towards art therapy. I was scared of the therapy would open up more triggers for me. And i wasn't really sure about this therapist.

I have now been 3 times and I must say she is great, she will sit with me when i start to cry and think to myself that i can't do this, i need to run away. She will sit and talk to me and guide me through some small project, not big but something really small. Just enough to bring me back to being okay.

I think it may be hard to change therapists as they are allocated days. For me I only have Tuesday's off work so I am limited as to what programs I can do and with which therapists.

I hope it works out for you and you can gain some benefits from doing art therapy. I will continue as my psych says it is good for me.

Good luck.

@utopia

It is a group program but not therapy run sessions. The hospital runs various programs so I would be able to change into one of the other groups. I acually prefer not to work with this person- I just can't gel with her.I'm tossing up weather I go to group tomorrow or just go to my Drs apointment.

The reason I am hestitant to say anything to her is because I can't ever see myself getting on with her and she scares me. I think that is why I feel so uncomfortable. Whilst I would like this to be different, I can't see it being that way, I really have never responded to someone like this before. When I was speaking to my GP, she said some of her patients feel unsafe or uncomfotable at the clinic too- not in relation to this person but when thay have been an inpatient.

Hope you are having a nice day !!

Hi @Sadgirl

Good to hear from you.

You have raised some interesting points !!

A lot of what you have written resonates with me and your anxiety in doing art work, and it is not somthing you feel you would excel at. The only thing, I think that is different to you, is that I worry it will not bring up any emotions for me or that I will not make any progress.

The art program at this clinic/hospital- they run the art therapy two days a week (Monday & Thursday). I had been attending on Monday but I had a specialist appointment in Brisbane- so I had to switch days. I think I will go tomorrow and then make my decision.

@Utopia

So good to hear from you.

I spoke to my psych she phoned me today and we are going talk tomorrow but she is happy that I change groups and mite even do a CBT course at night. I much prefer to do something in the evenings too.

Have you thought about doing some volunteer work so that you can go out and meet some people. I know they do have some online course for CBT and different other programs online. And some hospital offer CBT courses for inpatients too- I think it runs for two weeks now.

Its good to do the programs but also its not really living- its helping me get my life back or build a life I have always wanted. I also spend time at the gym and also seeing exercise specialist to help me with lifestyle changes.

I understand leaving hospital and being on your own, I did a hospital program interstate and they offered extensive after care program but I lived too far away. Did the hospital do an after care plan with you when you left? Its basically giving you some tools to mange your life after hospital and giving you some structure.

I am glad I have found you on the forum, you sound really nice 🙂

Hi @utopia

Glad to hear you are managing ok. I think sleep as been the hardest thing for me too except I don't oversleep- I find it hard to get off to sleep and waking through out the nite. But if I sleep in I usually feel a bit flat too but if I wake up earlier I tend to feel better and my energy levels are higher.

Its good that you had some plan in place before you left hospital. You seem to managing well with what you have mention and your self care activties. Hopefully when it warms up it mite help with your mood and also getting up earlier in the morning.

I think it would be colder where you live to my hometown- I live in a subtropocial climate here but stills gets cold in winter. My mood gets worse in the winter months because when I lived further north,my mood was much better not only in winter but throughout the year.

I hope you feel better and able to get out and about more. Hope you are having a nice night and stay warm