I’ve been offered psychotherapy, but there’s a limit to how much money I can throw at this condition. Has anyone had it, and do you think it was worth while?
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Aye, I am having it now for grief related issues and BPD, I found a psychotherapist that gave a UC discount, so pay £35 a session weekly, but I think the main thing is making sure your therapist is a right fit for you and they should offer a free first session to determine that. It is also useful to give them a timeline of your anticipated needs for therapy, I said to mine, I’d like to plan six weeks of sessions, weekly, and then see how I go from there.
What you get out of it is often what you put in. They are people with knowledge of coping strategies, but not necessarily fixers. It’s important to be honest with them, if they are a clock watcher, tell them you have noticed that, if they are a yawner, tell them you have noticed that. Much of what I get out of it is based on me being completely frank about my life and using my therapist to help me unravel in my head what the issues are. I live a fairly solitary existence, the two friends I have that I speak regularly both have cognitive issues and so are not ideal for this kind of self-absorbed, deep conversation. I sometimes talk to my partner about subjects I have discussed with my therapist, this also helps to let my partner know what is going on with me at any given time.
Some people don’t like the idea of therapy, and some people do. I would say, set your budget, and give them an initial timeline. You’ll gather whether that person is a good fit for you in the first couple of sessions. I was fortunate that I saw mine a few years back but stopped because I became homeless, but after a few years of picking myself back up again, I wanted to resume sessions.
Let us know how you get on.
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Great response Rupert.
I particularly like the “Not in my time” bit above - quite right 
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Don’t have talking therapy which is free on the NHS. I think its rubbish!
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I’ve seen a psychotherapist for one hour a week over the last two years, and it has been extremely helpful. I’ve become more robust in navigating my post-stroke life, and I’ve also been able to confront previous issues that were simply put on hold and never properly addressed. We reviewed most of my life, and I feel much more complete for having done so. Pando
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Thanks, Pando, that’s encouraging. I did have a session with an NHS “psychologist” while I was in the rehab centre, and it was so awful, I refused to have any more. The psychotherapist I am planning to see works a completely different way.
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I managed to get a good number of sessions on my medical insurance from work. I was very specific as they were not in to paying for ‘acceptance therapy’ but were able to support ‘Cognitive Rehabilitation’. It was the best thing I have ever done - and now knowing exactly what is going on in my brain I am able to maximise my recovery and the long lasting side effects to the best of my abilities. As someone said - it’s about finding the right person. I searched ‘Clinical Neuropsychologists’ because the one suggested by the insurance company was for paediatric patients and I was 52 at the time!!!.
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