CBT, Easy As 123???
Posted on 2005-10-10
CBT on Friday went really well, much better than I thought it would. There are 6 of us in the group with 2 therapists running the sessions, and whereas last time everyone was shy and reluctant to join in, this time you can't get any of us to shut up!
The therapists themselves seem to be taking a different approach too. They're a lot younger than the ones I've seen in the past and don't seem quite so stuck in their ways, so I'm hoping that this time round the CBT will be more beneficial.
Last Friday was more of an introduction than anything else; we got to know each other better and talked about the reasons we'd been referred for CBT in the first place. The therapists also opened up and told us about themselves, what made them decide to study psychology etc, and the kind of experiences they themselves have had in the past. I've never known that to happen before with any of the previous therapists I've seen, and in some ways it makes them seem much more human, if that makes sense.
Also, although we're in a group we've been 'assigned' to one of the therapists, so afterwards I had a quiet word with mine, and explained my concerns about possibly missing a session, [when I have my wisdom teeth out for example], and he was fantastic about it, so I'm much happier in that respect too. He also gave me a mobile number so I can call him if I have any problems or if I'm having a really bad panic attack and want someone to talk to, which I wasn't expecting either. If he's with a patient he told me to leave a message and he'd call me straight back, and even at weekends he's happy to help. He comes across as someone who actually cares rather than someone who is just there to do a job.
So yes, I'm staying optimistic. I truly think that being in a smaller group and having someone 'on call' if I need them, so to speak, will work much better for me personally.
Anyway, sorry for the long ramble. At the moment I'm quite excited about what the next few months will bring, and I'm positive that I'll come out the other side much better than I am at the moment. Even if they're unable to help with my M.E/CFS, I think if I can at least begin to get the panic attacks under control, that'll make everything else seem much more bearable.