when psychologists create another roadblock

[sociallyawks]

Last year I got a referral and been an initial appointment with a psychologist. After that she couldn't fit me in for 5 weeks . I was already anxious and wanting help and after going once to then wait more than a month - not good enough, especially when the first appointment was all me talking and nothing to help me... no relief. I found a new job, things started looking better but i'm still anxiety ridden in and now in new job in a sector I don't know that well my confidence is down and I am anxious every day.

I don't know why they couldn't match me with someone who would be around or have availability. Surely this makes it more difficult for people. i really don't want to go through again it puts me off the whole idea.....what can I do?

Why is getting help so difficult?

[blondguy]

Hi sociallyawks

Welcome and good on you for posting too!

The wait can be a huge pain when we are seeking help with anxiety. I have had this crap condition for a long time before I figured out how to get some quicker assistance

Everybody's anxiety differs but when we need help 5 weeks is a long stretch for sure.

Ask your GP for a referral to the public mental health care system. This is a quicker way to get the help you deserve. I saw a community mental care worker (a psychiatric nurse) and this career driven guy is the best counselor I have ever seen. He have me my life back.

He insisted I see him weekly which initially was a pain....but he really helped me dump a huge amount of my anxiety. I ended up seeing him every week for 7 months...He was a legend. He increased my self confidence big time as well.

It was free and not a long waiting time. (The public mental healthcare system)

I understand about your first appointment being a pain and having someone just listen. A counselor has to listen for a few appointments so they can get a better grasp of what you are going through. The first appt is usually us talking

It does take time...patience and determination to start to find recovery from anxiety. I know you dont want to hear that but regular therapy is one of ways back to having peace of mind

There are many gentle people here going through similar as you are sociallyawks that can be here for you

Congrats on your new job too 🙂

The forums are a judgement free zone and a SAFE place to post.If you have any questions please ask us

you are not alone here. Please let us know how you go.

my kind thoughts

Paul

[romantic_thi3f]

Hi sociallyawks,

Thanks for your post.

I get the frustration and I think that psychologist availability (and cost) is a massive factor in why there are so many people struggling with mental health in Australia. Given that it's out of your control though, lets' focus on what is -

First appointments will generally always be unproductive because you're getting to know them and they're getting to know you. How can they give you advice if they don't know your story? It's important to find one that you feel you can click with as opening up to a psychologist is a big deal so you need to be able to have one based on trust and respect.

I'm also guessing and assuming that she intentionally scheduled it a month away. This is so you can really process how the first introduction went; whether you felt like you can talk to her; whether you're still open to the idea of therapy; how easy/difficult it might be. Therapy can be a pretty confronting process sometimes so even though it may feel like a long time I imagine that it was actually a strategic move on her part - not just the fact she was too busy.

If you decide to see her again I encourage you to share these thoughts with her; knowing how often to see each other can be your decision too - maybe you feel like you need to see her fortnightly; or maybe once she starts giving you advice you can go away and practice this on your own and see her monthly. Given that it's a referral you're also limited in how many sessions you get so that may be also a factor she's trying to consider in trying to space them out. Again, talk to her. She won't know if you don't tell her.

I think it's also important to celebrate your wins; you got a new job! You said things are looking better - this is a big deal, and you've done that all on your own without therapy.

[Dr_Kim]

Hi sociallyawks,

I think your response to your first session is really common . You have taken the plunge and want to get stuck into getting your anxiety under control and now you are feeling that there are brakes being put on it due to factors outside your control. 
 
I would discuss this openly with your psychologist and ask her whether, given you only get 10 medicare supported visits per year, how she feels it is going to be best for the both of you to spread those out . It may be that you intersperse her appointments with another sort of support, like a visit to your GP or a community support group.

There are some great anxiety support and mindfulness training groups around , many of which can be found online , but if you are struggling to locate one in your area, ask your psychologist, GP or call Beyond Blue or the Black Dog institute for some recommendations.
 
From the therapist's perspective, it is also normal to spend some time in the “getting a history" phase of the therapy, and it may be premature to give advice before feeling you have a handle on the person's problems first.
 
Maybe do some reading as well so you can work harder at home and feel you are not just hanging out for the sessions but getting stuff done at home - try Sarah Edelman's book “ Change Your Thinking” as a good start. 
 
But if all this fails , discuss with your GP about a different setting for your support that is less reliant on the 10 seasons / per year model. However, in my experience , unfortunately no part of our mental health service in Australia is as yet perfect and each area has its pros and cons so don’t expect anywhere to tick every box.