Worried that NHS counselling wont be any good

[Carla08]

Hi all
Hope you are all having a better day. As I have mentioned in other posts before, I am due to start CBT through the NHS shortly and was really looking forward to it, but I keep reading negative remarks on the site about Nhs Cbt Counselling and I am now beginning to feel a bit worried that it is going to be useless after waiting so long for it. :unsure: I cannot afford to go private. :weep:
Has anyone tried both the private and Nhs counselling and can comment truthfully what was the best? I would really appreciate it. Thank You.

[marie1974]

i think you should go with it hun and see how it feels for you and if it dont work there are charity based ones which are supposed to be good too. you will find them on the net for your area. but having a counsellor you can connect withmakes all the difference so i would go as from what i have heard its difficult to get it on nhs and just see how it feels for you, best of luck hugs xxxx

[honeybee]

hi I know someone who has a few different councillors and is now seeing an nhs therapist. He says he's the best he's ever had by far. Don't assume they will be bad just because they are working on nhs. Just be open minded. I've paid for therapist before and wish I hadn't.

[Lilith1980]

Hi Carla

I agree with Donna. I think it all depends on how well you get on with your counsellor. I would go with it hun, because it normally takes a long time to get CBT on the NHS, you might as well try it :hugs:

Jo xxxxx

[louwilliams]

I have CBT with an NHS therapist and she is fantastic

Saying that.....when I first started seeing her I didnt like her t all-I found her aloof, uninterested, bossy and a bit stuck up. She basically told me on my second session that I had to do what she told me to do (which at the time were just outrageous things to me) and I said what would happen if I didnt do them...she then told me that "I will discharge you and I will personlly make sure you never get any help from us again" needless to say I did as she asked and she has since explained that the reason she was like that was because she knew that I was the kind of person who needed to be spoked to like that otherwise iI was never going to listen to her. Now I have her mobile number for extreme emergencies (which she isnt supposed to do but she is so helpful) and I havent had to see her for a couple of months-i've returned to work over the last month after a year long break

Unfortunately I cant compare with any CBT which ive had to pay for as I havent had any but I think she was fantastic-I only had to wait one week too see her and she's helped me so much-just see how you get on and even if you think you arent going to get anywhere with him/her or you dislike them just stick at it..........its worth a try and lets be honest...anything has gotta be better than nothing

lou xxxxxxxxx

[milly jones]

hey,

i had cbt on nhs from mental health provider first access, both individually and in group. i found both to be helpful altho i have had a recent relapse.

i have had private psychology counselling which was good too.

u have to be prepared that facing ur fear is painful, but u can come out more in control.

with cbt there is a comitment to do 'homework', both practical tasks and some recording on paper. i think without this cbt does not work.

please give it a chance as it certainly helped me

milly x

[mandie]

I had my first session of cbt group therapy today.

I think its to early to tell yet if its gonna work though.

The course is only once a week for 4 weeks and i dont know how that will help in such as short space of time.

love mandie x

[freakedout]

Hi Carla

I can understand you having concerns if you have read negative things but at the end of the day what we 'get' out of CBT or counselling largely depends on what we put into it.

I cannot make any comparisons between private or nhs therapies/treatments but again each therapist I have seen has been very individual and they have all had their strengths and weaknesses (just as we do).

I think you should try to be open-minded and realistic. My therapists keep pointing out to me that there is no magic wand. Well I never thought there was a magic wand to be honest, but I guess they are trying to tell me that there are no gaurantees. This is not meant to be negative.

Just try to remain open minded, some people here have some brilliant success stories.

Good luck with it, I hope that it lives up to your expectations. At least give the nhs a chance, there are some extremely brilliant people working in the nhs and I say that from experience.

Freaky

[Bill]

I've never paid for any therapy and nor would I ever because all you need to get better can be found within ourselves using what is on this site and with help from the NHS.

I've seen a number of different types of professional with the NHS and the majority have been good at their jobs but just as is the case with going private, some are good, some are bad, but at least on the NHS if you're unlucky, at least you're not taken for a ride and out of pocket!

I believe NHS professionals do their jobs because on the whole their priority is "caring" whereas those who work privately I feel are more interested in making money. In any type of therapy it will only work if you are prepared to do as they instruct but to do as they say you need "trust" between you and your therapist. If it were a choice between an NHS therapist and a private therapist, I know which one I would feel more able to trust.........but that's just my opinion!

You've nothing to fear and I'm Sure you'll get better Carla IF you are able to work with your therapist.:hugs:

[marie1974]

just wanted to say you are spot on there bill, although i pay for mine i was very lucky because she is great and she is now letting me pay only half the fee because she said she wanted to see me once a week and i said i couldnt afford it but at a push i could do every fortnight. she said she senses i really want help and she said although its her business its not all about money and now until i get further on and dont need it once a week i only have to pay half which is great, also she is lovely and very easy to talk too. its very important whether it be private or nhs that you connect with them xx

[PUGLETMUM]

:) hi carla, yes i have had both. if im honest yes the private was better, because i am ot a number and i can have as much as i wanted when i wanted, she was head of our towns mht, but was retiring an ddecide dto do private, so i got no different from wha tshe would hav egiven me on the nhs - except liek i said when you are paying the person £75 an hour you have control.

maybe last year i would have been negative about the help i have received on the nhs, because i was depressed and everything is out of perspective:weep: :mad: when depressed.

i copuld not fault now the help i got on the nhs - i had quite alot of it:blush: something i failed to recognise. but you will have to ask and tell the truth, you will have to ask what they can offer you, ask if they can offer you anymore if you need it, ask if there are any alternatives, and be truthful about your circumstances. i have learnt that ppl with families are not a priority, but you are alone and so you may be? mention this, tell them you are feeling desperate at times and that you dont know how to get better, and that you feel youdesperately need help.

these ppl are like anyone else - some are good at their jobs and some arent that good, but in the main they are very good caring genuine ppl, but they are underfunded and over stretched, but they will help you:hugs:

[PUGLETMUM]

:ohmy: i dont want to start an argument here bill, but that is an outrageous statement to make! the phycologists are members of the british association of counsellers and pycologists bill they are not charlatans who are out to con you an dtake you for every penny you have and then give you nothing!

unfortuntely we live ina selfish capitalist society bill so therfore some have more and lots have nothing - i have been on the poverty line and now im not, but unfortunately if we pay high taxes and then ge tno help, and we have extra money we pay for that extra help its a market bill, same as private health care - you cannot go around saying that these people are only interseted in making money, and at the end of the day counselling and phycology are professions they are not saints!

now all that mattered to me was getting better, not whether the nhs should or should not be doing more - i had to wait along time for tha tmoney to be come available to me, and actually it only became available because my husband was made redundant - bloody ironic! but now i am going to start 2 self funded courses in september - yes one in counselling! - the other i will also have a voluntary placement of 10 hours in a school - so again the goverment are gettign something from me!!! i aslo have to pay for these courses myself!!! so i have forked out £1000 for my therapy now im going to be paying around £800 for 2 course and a crb check, but so what thats the way it goes bill! we do not live in a socialist utopia, we live in a shitty selfish world. but i for one dont mind paying what i pay an di am now better and am going to become an active involved productive member of society and i think £1000 is money well spent if you get these s:) ort of results

[Bill]

Hello Emma:hugs: ,

I didn't meant to generalise saying all private therapists are just out to make money but where I think we will disagree is in the morality in charging the suffering because not everyone is able to afford the high fees and so what happens to the poor who can't pay for what they need or should we just accept we live in a capitalist world where our means to afford treatment comes before caring?

I was trying to say that the government should treat the NHS as a priority so that Everyone "living in this country" can receive the treatment they need, when they need it. I know it comes down to money but I believe everyone should be treated equally regardless of their savings or income.

There is no way I could afford to pay these expensive fees but I wouldn't if I could because of my morals but that's my own personal choice.

Also if I were a professional, nor could I charge the suffering for my services but again, that's just me as my priority is "caring".

However, I'm Glad the treatment you're receiving is helping you. We all just want to get better and our well being is what matters most.:bighug1:

[PUGLETMUM]

:) hey bill, i have no moral dilemma over paying for my therapy! although i am a highly moral person. i am 36 in august bill and i have only just been able financially to afford it - like anybody else who has enough spare cash, should they wait for nhs treatment - which by the way we pay our taxes for - or should they pay for any treatment they can get, be that private hospitals, dentists,rehab clinics or therapy, bear in mind bill we have to pay for carers to come into our home when we are old and infirm if we have enough savings and we own our own homes - so your view point however admirable is just out of step and out of time. we will never have enough money to pay for everyone to get the care that i paid for. can i also illustrate to you that for 7 years my huband paid £7k in tax a year and in that time not one member of my family recieved any care through the nhs! so not only are we as a family contributing to the nhs, but when we need treatment we can get it privately and so therefore leave the nhs for the people who have no money - how is that immoral? and yes unfortunately we do have to accept that we live in a capitalist society because it has been so for few hundred years and NOBODY can change that! - but there is a difference between a capitalist society that cares and isnt driven by the desire for material status like denmark, and our society that cares for no-one and is only concerned with status and material possesssions. but i am not like that bill - i do care, but i know my limitations, and one individual cannot change tha whole country - even a group of individuals - but i do feel that we are slowly realising that there is more to life than stuff and success, so hopefully we will start to improve the care in society? but i dounbt it will ever cover everyone in the way you want it to?

anyway bill we have to agree to differ on this one, although i think you should reserve your judgement on anything until youve been in that sitution - how do you know how you would feel or react if you were to have enoughmoney to go private? we can all have these highly moral ideas, but that wont help you to feel better or deal with your situation better will it? if you had the money why would you continue to suffer when you could have therapy quickly and be back on track very very quickly - i think i am worth it, arent you?:hugs:

[Karen]

Hi Carla

I've stayed out of this discussion so far because I don't have a good relationship with my mental health team (and in fact have jusy discharged myself from them again) but this is due to a long history going back years of mistrust.

I think the important point is that you have trust in your therapist - NHS or private. Some people report receiving great help and support through the NHS so we are all different.

Bill - I just have to say that I disagree with this:


I believe NHS professionals do their jobs because on the whole their priority is "caring" whereas those who work privately I feel are more interested in making money.

I see a private therapist and it is a struggle to pay the fees but she charges me a reduced rate because I'm on disability benefits. She is also very caring. I trust her and I feel I am making the most progress I have made with her than with any therapist I have seen on the NHS. Trust and being listened to and feeling that my views and opinions are valued by her make therapy with her so much different to what I have experienced with NHS therapists.

I think therefore it is very much a generalisation to say that private therapists are only interested in 'making money'. I also have a very dear friend who is a therapist and who has been a great support to me throughout my illness. She too is someone who is definitely not a therapist for the money but because she genuinely cares.

Karen xx

[Hope 2]

Hello Carla :D

I have read some of your recent posts and am really so glad you are feeling less alone :yesyes:

I cannot compare NHS / Private CBT. I can though tell you that my CBT provided via the NHS was without doubt a huge part in helping me recover to the point I am at today. I feel it is most important to start your CBT with a clear vision. By that I mean, take it as you find it and disregard all the negative remarks you mention. It is scary I know, but it also might be the start of something really promising for you xx

Let us know how u get on
Best Luck
Hope xx

[marie1974]

hi carla my therapist is private but she is really great and cares alot about what she does, i dont know about nhs as i couldnt get it on there but whether it be nhs or private if you get someone you like and can feel you can open up to then that great because as long as you are open and honest with them you will get alot out of it, i feel more positive already and i only had 3 sessions, definately go for it as you get good and bad whether it be nhs or private but i would recomment it definately xxxx

[Bill]

Emma:hugs: , all I'm really trying to say is if you read Freefallings post on my thread "how much is a life worth", it shows what this country "could" become if the NHS isn't financed and supported properly. I still firmly believe that no matter how much money I had, I still couldn't pay for private treatment unless there was absolutely no other option BUT that's just Me! For Me, it would just go against what I believe but I'm not saying it's wrong for you or anyone else because if we have the money then we have that option if we so choose.:hugs:

Karen:hugs:,

I believe NHS professionals do their jobs because on the whole their priority is "caring" whereas those who work privately I feel are more interested in making money.

I wasn't meaning to sound as if I was generalising because I know most therapists do their jobs Because they care. I was really saying that because they charge, it makes me "FEEL" that they are more interested in the money but not that they actually are. It's that "feeling" that stops me putting so much trust in what they are offering when in actual fact they're probably very good.

The sort of subconscious question I'd be asking myself, is why aren't they working for the NHS if there priority is to "care" but this is just what my mind would be "thinking". They actually probably work privately for reasons like being in control as individuals and feeling they can help more etc.:hugs:


I've just been trying to express my "personal" feelings about finances and care in an ideal world based on the film I saw the other day about the USA way of caring that Freefalling's posted about which connected to Carlas thread. I haven't meant to stir things up.:hugs:

[PUGLETMUM]

:) :blush: :hugs: hey bill , you havent stirred anything up!:winks: but obviously your points of veiw are just that - points of view same as mine, but when you make sweeping statements you do need to be able to back them up:winks: and you have now admitted that your views are based on feelings - which lets face it arent very reliable are they? 'feelings' cause alot of trouble and this is wha ti learnt through my private therapy.

there is no argument here bill, i once felt the same as you but i didnt mention it because now i dont! and i also havent followed the thread about care in america:shrug:

[marie1974]

hey bill it would be very boring if we all thought the same hun, we all have our own views and thats yours, hope you well and big hugs xxxxxxx