My CBT diary...

[MrRedShirt]

Your therapist really sounds good, preparing bespoke charts etc.. Can I ask where/how you found her?

You've got me re-considering CBT.. no mean feat..

[kittikat]

hey kitti

all sounds good glad you are getting the 12 sessions next week sounds interesting pushing the bounderies,i had my 2nd telephone consultation today and she said about exposure and would i be happy to do it scares the hell out of me but ive got to do something so she going to discuss that in a few weeks !!!

Hi Angel,

I'm actually looking forward to going each week, which is really positive for me How comes you had 2 phone consultations? I only had the one and the actual therapy appointment was 2 weeks later....so when are you starting? It is all about pushing yourself, changing your thinking habits and exposure, likewise I am scared but so ready for it as my world just got too small....we got to get ourselves living again hun...not just existing

Lots of love xxx

---------- Post added at 21:16 ---------- Previous post was at 21:16 ----------

Your therapist really sounds good, preparing bespoke charts etc.. Can I ask where/how you found her?

You've got me re-considering CBT.. no mean feat..

I will PM you

[angel wings]

they have only offered me over the phone help which i was not expecting i wanted to see someone in person as it is really hard discussing over the phone expecially when the kids are at home,she said it is usually 6 phone calls not quite the help i think i need but will go with it for the minute your cbt sounds so much better and glad you look forward to going thats a great step forward xx

[NoPoet]

Hi, this is good, you can clearly see your progress through the sessions. I have now had 12 sessions with another one tomorrow and I can tell you there is no WAY you can get sorted in the usual 6-12 sessions quoted by the NHS. That's about how long it takes to overcome ONE major issue and maybe a few minor issues (or "noise" as my therapist calls them). I guess if a person responds well to traditional exposure therapy they could master a fear in 6-8 weeks, but someone suffering from GAD has got no chance.

How do you cure something that can turn into depression, OCD and any number of other anxiety-related disorders at a whim, in just a few hours? Especially if you've been suffering all your life? Someone told me it takes one session per year of your life (as I'm 32 and have had 12 sessions, that would make me about a third of the way through my therapy!) to recover from anxiety disorders.

Makes me glad I'm paying through Anxiety UK - at £25 a session it is much cheaper than going private, and the therapists don't put a cap on the number of sessions. The NHS wouldn't have been able to fix me, but Anxiety UK apparently can. Your therapist should try to arrange more sessions if they are needed.

[kittikat]

Thanks Psychopoet,

I completley agree with your comments....possibly a very minor anxiety issue 'nipped in the bud' before it evolves, but damm near impossible to fix all the other issues that attach themselves along the way eh?

I'm in it with a positive attitude so hopefully that will help and I think there is a possibility to extend if necessary....

I wish you lots of luck and success in your journey....keep at it and stay positive and keep me posted on your progress, I would be interested to hear if you manage to beat it!!

Good luck, Kitti

[Littlemadam]

Hi hun!

Just seen this thread and wow to how good your therapist is! I'm not sure if you are the same, but for me, CBT brings understanding, we are all text book, and our therapists can see a mile off where our issues lie, and how to overcome them.

Mine mentioned the session before last that I had self esteem issues, and I was like, nah I'm quite a confident person. Started reading the book she recommended and then the next session she explained my self esteem issue to such an extent I actually broke down and could not believe all the things she was saying were true, and she was right!

I too am scared when my sessions will end, I think I will tell her that, because they are such a help. I have had way over 6 now, and not sure I'll be ready at 12.

Well done Kitti for doing this, and doing so well, you should be chuffed that you are embarking on something that will help and will change us to how we should be xxxxxxx

Cant wait for your next installment!!!

[kittikat]

Hi hun!

Just seen this thread and wow to how good your therapist is! I'm not sure if you are the same, but for me, CBT brings understanding, we are all text book, and our therapists can see a mile off where our issues lie, and how to overcome them.

Mine mentioned the session before last that I had self esteem issues, and I was like, nah I'm quite a confident person. Started reading the book she recommended and then the next session she explained my self esteem issue to such an extent I actually broke down and could not believe all the things she was saying were true, and she was right!

I too am scared when my sessions will end, I think I will tell her that, because they are such a help. I have had way over 6 now, and not sure I'll be ready at 12.

Well done Kitti for doing this, and doing so well, you should be chuffed that you are embarking on something that will help and will change us to how we should be xxxxxxx

Cant wait for your next installment!!!

Thanks LM

It's ironic isn't it how we can't always see in ourselves what others can, and also a bit of a revelation when you actually realise how right they are lol. Likewise, you should be proud of how far you have come and the fact that it almost leaves you wanting more shows that we really wan't to fight all this anxiety inside us.

I wish you lots of luck in your therapy journey, and keep me posted as to how things are going! I will update here on Friday......Kitti xx

[LAURA48]

Anxiety UK don't have any therapists in Cambridgeshire?

[kittikat]

Hey Laura,

Got mine through the NHS so just lucky I guess! Good luck Kitti x

[molly1]

thank you so much for sharing cbt experiences. i have had initial telephone assessment and im waiting for first appt. im really scared about my first session, was nice to read u r feeling positive about your therapy xx