Where Do I Start?

By the time many people are ready to seek out help they are often quite distressed and finding it difficult to manage with the demands of life. And so, at the very moment in life at which you might consider looking for some help, when you start looking, what you find is a plethora of options that can feel very confusing and leave you feeling like you just don’t know which way to turn.

So, here, I plan to try to bring a little clarity to your options at a time when you may feel like it’s all a bit too much.

I will outline the basic pathways to accessing Counselling & Psychotherapeutic support and over the next few posts, will outline some of the main points about the various types of theories & modalities available.

1. Primary Care: This is the day-to-day health service available to you in your community. It might involve a visit to your usual Doctor, Public Health Nurses, and so on.
   • I always advise anyone struggling with their mental health to discuss their issues with their Doctor.
   • Your Doctor will be able to assess your symptoms to determine what the causes might be and if there are any ways in which your experience of life can be improved.
   • That can involve medical & pharmaceutical support, changes to life style, diet, etc. as well as referral to more specialist services such as psychological or psychiatric support of needed, that can often be very helpful.
2. Self-Referral: In many cases you’ll find that you don’t actually need a referral if you want to try Counselling and Psychotherapy.
   • Mainstream Healthcare: It’s often the case that you can self-refer for Counselling & Psychotherapy without the need for a Doctor’s referral. For example, in the UK, see IAPT and in Ireland see NCS via the HSE. However, waiting lists vary and the choices for treatment are often limited to whatever is available – more often than not, CBT, and the treatment cycle can be limited to a number of sessions which may or may not be open to extension.
   • Charity Sector: You will often find charities operating in your area who offer Counselling &/or Psychotherapy at a reduced cost or free of charge. You usually don’t need a referral to access these services. However, there are often waiting lists, choice of what type of therapy is available is limited and the treatment cycle is often limited to a number of sessions.
   • EAP (Employee Assistance Programme): Some employers offer health & wellness benefits to employees and sometimes this involves access to what is called an Employee Assistance Programme which offers counselling to employees.
     • The benefits:
       • The employee can access some Counselling for free.
       • The counselling is usually conducted remotely so it can be very convenient.
     • The main disadvantages are:
       • The remote nature of the therapy doesn’t suit everyone.
       • The treatment cycle is usually restricted a limited number of sessions – typically around 6.
       • Because the employer or their insurance company is funding the therapy, there can be issues with how privacy & confidentiality are handled.
       • You don’t usually get to choose the modality that the therapy draws on.
       • You don’t usually get to choose therapist.
       • If you want to continue with therapy, you are not usually able to continue with the same therapist which can leave some people feeling like they have to start over again.
   • Private Sector: These are Counselling & Psychotherapy services that you pay for. Prices can vary and that is a downside for those with very limited financial resources. However, the advantages are numerous:
     • There is no need for a referral from your Doctor. You can simply call and book a consultation.
     • You can choose your therapist.
     • You can choose the approach you want to use.
     • You have more control over appointment times and dates.
     • If you decide to take a break for some reason, there’s no need to go back to the start of a waiting list.

This is very basic information. It’s deliberately basic because, when you’re confused and need help, the last think you need is a dump of complicated information that you have to find a way of navigating at the very moment that thinking clearly is exactly what is need but is such a struggle.

Over the coming weeks, I’ll outline some of the common modalities that are commonly available and describe some of their advantages and disadvantages, again, as basically as I can.

If you’d like to discuss Counselling & Psychotherapy for yourself or someone you know, contact BroadMinds Therapy and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you have and discuss options for you.

Call 0899420568

Email: help@broadmindstherapy.org

Facebook: BroadMinds Therapy | Facebook

Web: https://broadmindstherapy.org

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As always, thanks for taking the time to read this article.