lass
30-08-06, 22:30
I had my 2nd session of counselling today, and I'm feeling quite disillusioned at the moment.
My 1st session has consisted of the counsellor firing lots of questions at me, me answering them, her putting it back to me in another way, etc. This made me really think about things and I found it beneficial.
Today I turned up, she asked me how I'd been, I told her, then she sat and stared at me. After a few minutes of awkward silence I realised she was waiting for me to talk, but I didn't know what about. She then asked me what was wrong, why I was so chatty last time and now had nothing to say. I said last time she had asked me questions and I had answered, and I wasn't sure what she was expecting me to do this time. I've not had counselling before and I didn't know what I was supposed to do, I just assumed it would be as last time. She said the first session was an assessment for her to get to know me, now it was my time and I could talk about whatever I like. This really put me on the spot and I didn't know what to talk about. She asked me how this made me feel, and I said STUPID because that is exactly how I felt.
No one really explained to me what counselling would involve and I had assumed she would help me to understand why I am feeling so anxious, would be able to help me delve into my sub conscious and make a bit of sense of things. I have loads of people I can talk to about the things that annoy me, upset me and so on (friends, family and you guys on here). I thought I would be gaining some help in understanding why I am feeling anxious when I can't see anything causing it, and what I can do to turn this around.
Today felt strained, painful, embarrassing. I have another 4 sessions of this and I don't think I want to carry on.
Has anyone else any experience of counselling? Am I missing something here or is this all that is involved in counselling? I know I am the only person who can actually change how I feel, but I don't think just talking in an unnatural situation is going to change anything.
My 1st session has consisted of the counsellor firing lots of questions at me, me answering them, her putting it back to me in another way, etc. This made me really think about things and I found it beneficial.
Today I turned up, she asked me how I'd been, I told her, then she sat and stared at me. After a few minutes of awkward silence I realised she was waiting for me to talk, but I didn't know what about. She then asked me what was wrong, why I was so chatty last time and now had nothing to say. I said last time she had asked me questions and I had answered, and I wasn't sure what she was expecting me to do this time. I've not had counselling before and I didn't know what I was supposed to do, I just assumed it would be as last time. She said the first session was an assessment for her to get to know me, now it was my time and I could talk about whatever I like. This really put me on the spot and I didn't know what to talk about. She asked me how this made me feel, and I said STUPID because that is exactly how I felt.
No one really explained to me what counselling would involve and I had assumed she would help me to understand why I am feeling so anxious, would be able to help me delve into my sub conscious and make a bit of sense of things. I have loads of people I can talk to about the things that annoy me, upset me and so on (friends, family and you guys on here). I thought I would be gaining some help in understanding why I am feeling anxious when I can't see anything causing it, and what I can do to turn this around.
Today felt strained, painful, embarrassing. I have another 4 sessions of this and I don't think I want to carry on.
Has anyone else any experience of counselling? Am I missing something here or is this all that is involved in counselling? I know I am the only person who can actually change how I feel, but I don't think just talking in an unnatural situation is going to change anything.