What does a 'good' psychologist session feel like?

[snowleopard]

Hello I'm new here and unsure how this works so here goes...

I have recently been seeing a psychologist for my GAD and panic disorder. I feel comfortable with her and for some reason in my sessions it's like a switch flicks over and I am super positive even when talking about things that are hard for me. She's commented on my apparent progress but if anything I feel like I lose all that momentum from the session when I get back into real life and am worse than ever. I will admit I'm probably not practicing her techniques as much as I should be...

But I want to know how to tell if seeing a particular psychologist is working and a session is 'good'? 
With only 6-10 sessions on Medicare a year I'm worried I'm not making the most of it, but changing therapists might be worse...

Hope this makes sense to someone. Many thanks

[geoff]

dear SL, thanks for joining the site and welcome on board.

Well I saw a psychologist for 20 years and over that time I was exactly the same as you, because basically in her office we could talk and maybe have a laugh, and she said the same to me, that she could see an improvement in how I was going, but I knew in myself that I didn't feel any better, because I liked the way we could talk and relate to each other.

As soon as I left I fell back into my hole, and all she wanted me to do, like write down when I felt better onto a piece of paper, I didn't do, nor did I read the material she gave me, so next week when I saw her she said 'how did you go', but I hadn't done anything.

Was this my fault for not doing my 'home-work', maybe yes or maybe no, but by not doing it showed her that I was back to where I was before, so we started again.

You can't help how you feel, but what I can say to you is that if you had a good session with her, then that's good.

It's never an easy road back, but deep down these sessions that go well, do somehow lay a small foundation to which we can add to in our survival to overcome depression.

They may not feel like they do anything, but somehow they do, and by changing psych's would not be any better, because you don't know what will happen after the 6 sessions that are left. Geoff.

[Beltane]

Interesting question. You do seem to feel you connect with her and have a good session, but are you feeling better? 

The reality is that depression and anxiety can be tough little buggers to beat, and you'll often find that its a little like 2 steps forward, 2 step back... then 3 steps forward and 6 steps back.. but eventually you will beat it.

I mean, you've got this illness that's, lets be honest, is pretty lame to have. Its hard to live with it, its hard to beat it. You go into that office with your psych and she inspires you, she makes you reconnect with that part of yourself that is how you really are- your normal personality thats lying underneath the cloud of depression.

But when you leave her office, you go back to the world where you're depressed and anxious and unmotivated but you havent got her to help you. its not her fault you're unmotivated, and its not your fault either. Thats just the way depression is- annoying huh.

So what can you do? Talk to her about it, see if you can switch things up a little- try different homework, things that are more fun.

My psychologist helped me beat my illness by tapping into my passions and strengths. She didnt send me home with boring paperwork to fill out- we both knew i'd never do it. No, she got to know me and used my strengths.. For example, I'm a very creative person so we began to use my creativity as an outlet for all those bottled up emotions.

For another example, she used a therapy that's not as common but one that really clicked with me, rather than force a more "common" therapy on me when it never worked

For yet another example, she tapped into the fact that like many of the Y generation, we love our internet and smart phones. So she linked me up with a whole bunch of cool apps to try to make it more interesting for me (ACT Companion, Smiling Mind, Get Some Headspace are just a few iphone apps i actually found enjoyable).

So maybe try tapping into whatever deep seated passion you have (and maybe you've lost touch with that in your depression, we all do). Think outside the box a little- think about what it is you love most and talk to your psych about how to get motivated to do that again. Just a little at a time. You'll find motivation breeds motivation!

also look into Extras private health insurance, its really quite affordable (i pay $20 a fortnight) but i can claim psychology amongst many other things, so it makes me able to afford further sessions once the 10 medicare ones run out.

[snowleopard]

Thanks for the reply Geoff, I think I was just expecting a little too much to happen right away!, but I'll stick with what I have for now and see how it goes. 

[snowleopard]

Thanks Beltane this is a really good idea and I'm glad you mentioned it! I'll speak with her to see how I can incorporate my "homework" with something I can enjoy a bit more. I think i was just expecting to be "cured" after a few sessions and was disappointed to see that it doesn't work that way at all!. It's an inspiration to hear you overcome your illness too.