Private Therapy

[lauraw2693]

Just wondering how many people have gone down this route rather than NHS & how it tends to work.. I've found a therapist I'm quite keen to see and who is willing to see me but am just concerned about the money side of things. She usually charges £40 a session but said there are concessionary rates, which I'm assuming I'd be eligible for because I'm on benefits (lower both rates DLA, long term Incap & H.B.)? Obviously I don't want to mess her around so need to be sure I can afford it beforehand but not sure if I can right now Also she has talked to my CPN but she wouldn't be able to contact her or tell her anything without my permission if I did start seeing her would she?

[icu_baby]

Hi Shadow, I am in Australia but I have a private psychiatrist and I can tell you they make a world of difference. Firstly, they are less prone to labeling you and putting you in a pigeon hole. They are less likely to tell you stupid things like make a cup of tea and squeeze ice cubes when you have been in crises. They will get to know you on a more personal and intimate level and see you as an individual with unique needs. More importantly if you are in crises and need to be in hospital they can facilitate that better than a CPN who are often unwilling to admit people with bpd to hospital. I think if you are able to "click with" this psychiatrist he or she will be worth their weight in gold.

[lauraw2693]

Thanks icu_baby, it's probably similar here, several people I've talked to have said private psychiatrists are a lot better.. This woman is a psychotherapist but we've been emailing for a couple of months and she seems to completely get me & she's the only person I can find in my area who actually specialises in dissociative disorders, which the NHS seem to want to ignore to focus on my BPD. She's offering a free trial session so could try that and see how we get on in person I guess & find out how much her concessionary rates are and if I'm eligible.. xxx

[icu_baby]

Hi Shadow, I think that a trial is a good idea and you have nothing to lose. Good luck and let me know how it goes.

[lauraw2693]

Thanks I will do, little bit scared as I've already told her so much via email but that will probably help when I get shy when I'm there xxx

[Paul_c]

i have to be honest and say that so far my "treatemnt" by the nhs has left me in the same boat. but i know i cant afford it. if you can even if isa a struggle then i would say try it, and if the first is free then there is nothing to worry about

[Evangeline]

They do have very strict rules about confidentiality. You could ask her about them if you are worried. Obviously if they have concerns for your or someone else's safety then they do have to tell someone, but she should be able to tell you what kind of circumstances this would be.

[Poiple]

I've had extensive private treatment from both psychiatrists and therapists. In my instant I was referred to them by my GP so they did update him.

I have private health insurance which is how I could afford it. I spent 2 months in a private psychiatric hospital, then 4 months as a day patient. Now I'm having private DBT treatment at a different hospital.

I've had really bad experiences with the NHS so I prefer private.

Good luck!

[hummm_mabbe]

The best therapists I have had were the private ones. I've had about 6 - two NHS ones and four private.

[lauraw2693]

Yeah Paul I'm in the same position really, been using NHS services for 5 years and if anything I'm worse off I know that's probably just me getting worse anyway but don't feel like they've helped much.. I will definitely go for the first one and she said we can hopefully sort something you can afford out so fingers crossed I guess - I love this woman, she seems to genuinely care, she's been emailing for a couple of months trying to help with no commitment from me yet. Thanks Evangeline, I will ask her about that first time we meet, I guess I wouldn't mind her contacting my CPN if I'm suicidal but don't want my CPN knowing any of the details because I don't trust her xxx

[lauraw2693]

Thanks Poiple & Ross too, I'm glad I'm not the only one struggling with NHS services I just wish there was some kind of financial help like direct payments you could use for therapy when the NHS aren't offering anything relevant xxx

[roxy222]

done both techniqually, but nhs stuff as a teenager, and v intermitent. private as adult. my experience isnt terribley relevant as i specifically went out of my way only to access therapy when i found out there was an expert child trauma t in the area, so yeah it was much better but that was expected i guess

important thing is if you feel comfortable with the t and if they are respectful about your feelings about theraputic approaches. a gd t will be skilled at building a relationship that will support you as you guide your journey and they will be able to adapt themselves to whatever theraputic method you may find beneical at any given time. unfortuantly those are few and far between

gd luck thoughxx

[Data]

I have a private psychotherapist. He is brilliant! I pay £35 a session, which is cheap.

It makes a WORLD of difference having someone to talk to, someone who isn't going to pressurise you into a quick and easy solution that doesn't work.

[lauraw2693]

Thanks Roxy, that's why this woman seems quite good she seems to know a lot about childhood trauma and how to work with it.. which is what I need, which the NHS don't seem to realise.

£35 is cheap? I've never looked into private before, £40 seems like a lot to me but I guess she does specialise so I'm willing to pay for that, just hoping the concessionary rates will be a little less.. and thats exactly it Data - all the NHS are offering is more short term solutions even though they're not working, I don't want to waste more years doing things I know won't help

xxx

[Data]

£35 is cheap? I've never looked into private before, £40 seems like a lot to me xxx

It might seem a lot if you are on a low income, e.g. on benefits. But often professionals have to pay for their own training, and it can be long and expensive for them. For example, my T is associated with the Bowlby Centre www.thebowlbycentre.org.uk. You can train to be a psychotherapist there... the course is 4 years long with tuition fees £4000 a year, and you have to be in therapy yourself 2-3 times a week for 6 years! And, most of the trainees will have a degree or professional qualification (like registered nurse) before starting, because its a postgraduate course.

[hummm_mabbe]

Hi there

I have paid anything between £35 to £90 for a therapy session over the years. Therapy style seems to play a huge role, with CBT and CBT derivates being upwards of £50, and the older Client Centred, Gestalt, Psychodynamic etc therapies costing less. IMO this is due to the 'brand name' effect that many of the acronym therapies have built around themselves, and so when having CBT they seem to feel its like you are buying a Ferrari rather than a TVR.

All total tosh of course, as the effectiveness of therapy comes down just as much to your relationship with your T as the therapy itself. The therapy plays an equal role of course, and some therapies may not be to your taste (some people find CBT invalidating for example), but whether or not one therapy is worth more financially than another I would find difficult to argue.

[Data]

Hi there

I have paid anything between £35 to £90 for a therapy session over the years. Therapy style seems to play a huge role, with CBT and CBT derivates being upwards of £50, and the older Client Centred, Gestalt, Psychodynamic etc therapies costing less. IMO this is due to the 'brand name' effect that many of the acronym therapies have built around themselves, and so when having CBT they seem to feel its like you are buying a Ferrari rather than a TVR.

All total tosh of course, as the effectiveness of therapy comes down just as much to your relationship with your T as the therapy itself. The therapy plays an equal role of course, and some therapies may not be to your taste (some people find CBT invalidating for example), but whether or not one therapy is worth more financially than another I would find difficult to argue.

Hmmm its strange isn't it. The training for being a CBT practitioner is MUCH shorter than psychodynamic. Psychodynamic is YEARS of training, whereas I think CBT is something like a 9 month course, so its odd that its more expensive. And buying CBT isn't like a Ferrari... I think its probably unsuitable for most of the members of this forum, its not aimed at people with deep/complex problems like PDs, in my opinion.

[hummm_mabbe]

Hmmm its strange isn't it. The training for being a CBT practitioner is MUCH shorter than psychodynamic. Psychodynamic is YEARS of training, whereas I think CBT is something like a 9 month course, so its odd that its more expensive. And buying CBT isn't like a Ferrari... I think its probably unsuitable for most of the members of this forum, its not aimed at people with deep/complex problems like PDs, in my opinion.

I would agree with that.

[lauraw2693]

:o £90? I'm glad she doesn't charge that much! Yes I'd agree with that too, I've done C.A.T. not C.B.T. but had two lots already and they just want me to do a third even though it hasn't helped. I have BPD & a dissociative disorder and it hardly touched on anything It seems to me like the new short term approaches are just in fashion at the moment, and I guess if they work shorter term that means less money for the NHS to pay out too, but what about the people they don't work with.. there doesn't seem to be anything individual and longer term they can offer in my area :mellow: