30 minute phone conversation with a therapist.

Stegski said:

For many years I have had mental health issues. A Few years back I attended a mental health art project which my care maStegskinager arranged for me. I am wanting a new referral. It helped me a great deal and  I had a sense of belonging with people like me. You don't have to be Van Gogh Lol. Yesterday I had a call from someone who said next week I will receive a call from a therapist which may last 30 minutes. I'm just wondering if anyone else has had a similar experience and what questions I will be asked?

Hi Stegski ... Yes, I’ve Had One Of Those ‘Supposed’ 30 Min Therapy Phone Calls, Which Actually Lasted An ‘Hour N Half’ ... Firstly They Introduce Themselves And Talk About ‘Confidentuality’ Etc ... Secondly, They Ask You, What Your Current Situation Is, Including ‘IF’, Your At ‘Risk’, Too Yourself Or, ‘Others’ (Suicidal Etc - Risk Factor Analysis), Then They Basically, ‘Try’ Going Into Your ‘Background’ With You Or, ‘Nudge’ You, Into Talking About, All Your Menatl Health Struggles, Within Your Life ... The Conversation Was Very Open, Mainly Led By Me (From The Initial ‘Nudge’) And The Information I Was Giving Them, About My Mental Health, Right Back, To Being A Child Aged Six, Which Is When My Problems Started ... I Guess, Im A Very ‘Complex’ Case, With So Many ‘Variables’, That Turned Out To Be, Too Much For Them To ‘Take-On’, For Me To ‘Qualify’ For, ‘Talking Therapy’, So Unfortunately It Was Not Offered To Me ... That Doesn’t Mean, That It Wont ‘Work’ For You, As ‘Differing’ Circumstances ... Maybe You Haven’t ‘Struggled’ For 49+ Years With Many ‘In-Depth’ Mental Health Problems?... Only By Talking Fully To Them, Will Give You That Answer Stegski... The Person I Spoke Too, Was Extremely ‘Easy’ To Talk Too, Very Empathetic, Helpfull, Understanding, Patient And Compassionate, Which For Me, Really Helped As, I Find Being Able To ‘Open-Up’, And ‘Trust’ Someone, Extremely Difficult To Do ... My Advice Would Be, To Just Be Yourself, Explain Your Mental Health Problems, No Matter, In Which ‘Chronological’ Order, They Come Out As Mine, Was ‘All-Over’ The ‘Timeline’ Of My Life Experiences / Issues / Diagnosis / Problems Etc, So ‘Try’ Not To ‘Worry’, About Them Ringing (I Know, Easier Said Than Done And I Was, A Nervous, Panicky, Frightened Wreck - Understatement - From The Minute I Knew, Someone Was Going To ‘Ring’) And Just Be Honest With Them, As They Are There To Hopefully ‘Help’ You, In The ‘Long-Run’ ... If You’d Like To Talk To Me More, About This Or, Anything Else That’s On Your Mind Or, Worrying You Or, You Just ‘Need’ To Talk, To ‘Somebody’ Then, Just Remember Im Here For You Anytime  Stegski My Friend ... Sending Much Love N Big, Yet Soft Gentle Hugs Your Way, Not Just Today But, Everyday ... Trish x