Help talking to a school counsellor

[Jah16]

Hi, I am not very comfortable talking to strangers (sorry), but I need your help. I have a school counsellor at my school and she is really nice but I am really bad at talking about my problems, and I don't know if I am getting depressed. We are doing mental health in school at the moment and I seem to have some of the symptoms (well most actually). I think I need to go see the counsellor but I am not sure of how to explain my problems. Does anyone have any advice? Thanks

[Summer Rose]

Hi Jah16

Welcome to the bb forum. I'm really glad you posted, as there are many people here who understand what you are going through and can support you.

I am really sorry to hear that you are feeling unwell and that you think you may be experiencing depression. Please know that it is a very common condition and with the right treatment most people recover.

I think speaking with your school counsellor is a good idea. It would be a helpful to make an appointment in advance at a convenient time for you. Choose a time that will give you the level of privacy you want (e.g. before or after school or lunch) and when you will have time to talk (e.g. you don't want to have to rush off for anything).

Given you have challenges opening up to strangers, it could help to write down your thoughts in advance, just in case you get nervous and forget something or you get stuck. Maybe just some dot points to help you remember what you want to say.

Then just be honest and tell her what is happening for you. Remember that she will keep everything confidential (unless she thinks you're in danger) and that she has likely heard similar stories before. There is no need to feel embarrassed; it is her job to help you and I'm sure she will be pleased that you came to see her.

If you find it too difficult to speak with her, you could always give her your written notes or even show her your post to get the conversation started. Remember she has training and experience and she will likely do her best to make it easy for you. I think you may find it easier than you may imagine.

Congratulations on recognising you need to speak with someone and for taking action to plan for the meeting. You are doing a great job so far.

I hope you can organise the meeting soon. Please let us know how you get on and feel free to post any time with more questions.

Kind thoughts to you

[CJames]

Hi Jah16,

It's great to see you've turned to the forums to ask for some help in a time of need. The great thing about these forums is that it's judge free and anonymous. It's full of like-minded people who have gone through similar issues.

I too currently attend school in year 12, final year, yay can't wait to get out, and I can tell you right know as I'm sure you know it gets tough. How do you find yourself at school? Do you have a supportive friend group or best friend? If you feel comfortable I suggest maybe discussing it with them; it's great getting something off your chest if you can't seem to get up the courage to speak to your counsellor. I surely hope to see you talking to her openly by the end of this.

Ow, I forgot to ask what year you are in? Silly me. Let me guess year 10? 🙂

You mentioned that you're doing mental health at school currently and that you have some of the symptoms. Do you mind discussing what sort of similarities you have? It's great to see you're so proactive about getting some advice, it's just about how you're going to do it. Why do you believe you're so bad at explaining your problems? Do you get nervous or?

On top of wanting to see your counsellor, you can do some browsing on the internet, trusted sources such as beyondblue and headspace are a great place to start. Alternatively, you can use the live chat feature on both websites to explore some more options regarding your symptoms.

Regarding speaking to your counsellor, how do you feel most comfortable speaking? I suggest writing down what you think and dropping it at your counsellor's office; this allows you to make your first point of contact which is a really significant step in the right direction. Can you elaborate a little bit more on "I am not sure of how to explain my problems"?

I wish to see the best for you throughout your time at school; please keep us updated. If you need anything of the forums, make sure to ask.

It's only a click away.

Best of Luck Jah,

C.