Therapist Question

[WeepingWillow]

I'm seeing a counselor for the first time at the end of this week. The problem is that I don't know what to say. I know he will ask most of the questions but I'm not sure how open I should be. I know if I don't tell him enough, he can't help me. I'm sure he'll ask what brought me to see a counselor. The truth is, as stated in a previous post, was my plan to commit suicide. It's not that it failed, I just didn't follow all the way through.
I also cut. I just don't know how much I should say or how to explain anything.
I want to hurry up and get better so maybe I should just lay it all out on the table so he knows and can go from there. I'm not sure what he'll do if he finds out I cut or that I almost killed myself. I don't know anyone who has seen someone, so I can't ask them for advice. I know not everyone here likes their therapist, maybe some do. Maybe someone has enough experience to point me in the right direction. Any advice would be really appreciated. Thank you.

 

[non_existence]

I recommend to experiment with just being plain honest and completely open. Your mental health is very important, remember that a qualified therapist will have a greater perspective and knowledge about how the mind works; she will know things which are unponderable and unknown to you.

The best thing you can do is be truly honest & open in order to allow the therapist to do her job.

 

[TheBLA]

I'm going to visit mine tomorrow. My previous visits with him have amounted to nothing, but the last visit, I gave him a letter I wrote before meeting him, telling him what bothered me, what depresses me and all that goes on in my mind. Because when I talk to him, I freeze up, I'm too ashamed/scared/shy to tell him what really bothers me.

Damn it, I have to go right it soon because I'm visiting him tomorrow! Stupid procrastination! I'm still not very optimistic about him helping me, I think he'd only give me advice that i wouldn't follow. Damn. :mellow:

Good luck with your visit though. :smile:

 

[WeepingWillow]

Thank you. All that info really helped. The letter writing sounds like me. I can't talk to people very well so I end up writing or typing it to get my point across. I guess that would help with a therapist too.
I will try to be open. I'm not very good at that but the past few months Ive been almost forced to becuase of everything going on, things were going downhill fast. I don't like the idea of jumping from one to another until I find the right one so hopefully this one will stick. Thank you very much for your input.

 

[~CazzaAngel~]

I recommend to experiment with just being plain honest and completely open. Your mental health is very important, remember that a qualified therapist will have a greater perspective and knowledge about how the mind works; she will know things which are unponderable and unknown to you.

The best thing you can do is be truly honest & open in order to allow the therapist to do her job.

I agree, she can't give you the right help or advise if she's not getting all of what's going on or doesn't have the best idea of it. just let them help you, tell them if you have trouble or you are scared they'll help you work through that too.


I am here if you need me hun. :hug:


xxx

Take Care,
Carolyn.

 

[WeepingWillow]

thank you painNsiolence
I'm going to tell them everything and hope for the best. Is it silly to worry that your own therapist might reject you? "Wow....I think you might have to see someone else" or "I don't think I'mthe right person to help you" Either because they don't want to deal with all of one person, or they think I might need someone more than a counselor, like a psychiatrist.
I don't feel I need someone other than a counselor, someone who will listen and help me figure things out on how to handle things and take control of my life. I know what's right, but I can't seem to do it for myself and I don't know how to begin. I'm adamant about not being on meds. They scare me a little even tho I know they aren't all bad and they work differently for different people. I was on paxil once before, it helped and once I got off I had no problems. I just don't feel like I need any meds. Just someone to help.
I'm worried a lot about being locked up even tho, now at this point, I'm not in danger of hurting myself like i was before. The suicidal thoughts are going away and are hardly there anymore and I'm able to push past it. But then again, that's only because the things outside of me are going well and calm for the time being. I'm not sure how I would handle things if anything started going wrong again. But for now I am ok. I had stopped cutting a few days before the date I was going to leave everyone and didn't do it since until a couple days ago. I slipped. It was about 2 weeks without cutting which is the longest I have gone. I was proud even tho I had urges and near panic attacks and was fighting against it. Then something trigged me awfully bad and I slipped. I felt better after but I also felt worse and stupid because I slipped. And later that night I felt less need to do it again. I was talking to someone on the phone who knew I did it sometimes and knew I had gone awhile without and he seemed angry or upset or something and it made me feel really really bad. He said he didn't know what he was. But I felt horrible for doing it again and letting him know, but I was panicky. I dont like what he must think of me and I don't like doing it and I also tried to avoid doing it because I'm about to see my counselor for the first time and I didnt now want him to see new cuts on me, the old ones are fading good and a lot harder to see. I was doing so good. Yesterday was a good day and I felt nothing negative and today seems good so far. I hope I keep moving up. Even tho i slipped I think Im still moving up. I hope this counselor can help me.
I certainly wouldn't mind a 'buddy' and I certainly wouldn't mind being one myself. You all are very gracious.