Lovely to see you Kizz. x

Erm no i've not ever had any counselling i've paid for but my mom is qualified as one so she likes to give me some every now and then. I think that everyone has some demons and it only does you good to work them through. Some people might find it strange sitting in a room with a stranger pouring your deepest fears and aspirations out to them but then you might argue that those are the people that need to see a counsellor most.

Hi Nixy, lovely to see you too xx

From my own personal experiences, both as client and on the other side of it, it is very often the case that it is your nearest and dearest that are causing you the grief ie not being able to 'live your life functionally for the better with them' - in fact, my mother, hubby and kids are the only "real" people in my life - apart from one or two pals - that know that i ever did have counselling. My dad to this day refuses to acknowledge that I am qualified in counselling, I told him once and he swiftly changed the subject, never to be mentioned again! And he certainly doesn't know I had counselling, god forbid if he ever found out!
Its all a balance of knowing how others around you feel about these things, and how you feel about telling them.
I do believe that if a person has a solid, open relationship with another person (family or friend) they probably arent going to need therapy in the first place, although saying that there are alot of people who love you and care for your troubles and want to help but just arent very effective at it - "You should......", "I think......" "let me tell you about MY problems....." etc....All the things that counselling and therapy isn't.
Also, it's been suggested that it might well be better to tell 'real' people about one's therapy rather than strangers but again in my own experience I have found 'online friends' to be far more able to cope with such a revelation, whereas sometimes family and friends feel awkward about being told.

OK maybe everyone doesn't think this is the best site to open up about therapy etc but I have found some interesting contacts and hope that me opening up 9a little) as to what I has been/is going on in my life will not put them off keeping contact. To answer Timbo's question "anyone else been to therapy?" My answer is yes but with current problems, therapy has not done any good for me. I appreciate it may help some people and I would say good luck to you Timbo and hope you move forward!! Mark30

A while ago, I had a shrink, someone to talk my problems through with and all that, I think whether or not it helps depends on the kind of person you are.
I can't say it worked for me, as I would like to think that underneath all the weired twisted stuff in my head, I am actually quite 'mentally adequate'.
I stopped going because I found that it didn't help at all really, but there are people out there I'm sure who will say that it does help.

nope - havent ever seen a shrink - but i know what my "demons" are and where my psychological flaws lie. i've read enough to find them out on myself.
i admit to having those flaws - but yet i havent figured out a way to do something about them

but i shall...

in the words of a forgotten time - it's my bag.

FWIW My shrink says you're all nuts anyway!

tim

Give me a good psychiatrist any day rather than a psychologist. At least Psychiarists are usually aware of their professional boundaries and Ive worked along side them for years........might be why I'm crazy tho.....