As regular readers will know I am currently receiving psychotherapy at the hospital where I was an inpatient. I am lucky because my psychotherapist is the senior consultant psychologist at the hospital and although he is working me hard during the therapy sessions, he is a nice person and has made a real effort to get to know me so that I can gain as much as possible from this therapy. However, it became evident to him that I needed more therapy than he is able to offer me as much of his work (and that of the other psychologists at the hospital) is with the inpatients. So, in January he referred me back to the hospital where I was receiving psychotherapy before (it's all the same mental health trust).
I have an assessment appointment with a consultant psychologist there in three weeks time and in preparation for this I have had to fill in a series of questionnaires before I attend for this assessment. I fully understand the purpose of the questionnaires because the answers that I give will indicate the areas that need to be explored in greater detail during the assessment.
The easiest to complete was the basic hospital form which required name, address, GP details, whether I had any dependent children or worked with children and, of course, the ubiquitous ethnicity details. The next easiest was the questionnaire that will be so familiar to anyone who has suffered from mental illness and who has come into contact with mental health professional that requires you to answer a series of questions about how you have felt about lots of things during the previous week. That took only a few minutes to fill in because it was just ticking boxes.
The difficulty came in answering the 33 questions on the third questionnaire. Many of these questions required long written answers and a certain amount of soul searching to find the required words. I spent about two hours yesterday evening and another four hours this afternoon and evening, but I eventually managed to complete it. Okay, there were a couple of questions that I didn't answer, but if they really need answers to those then they can be asked when I attend for assessment.
Once the assessment is over I will find out whether I am going to be offered the psychotherapy and then what will probably be a long wait will begin.
3 comments:
I hope that they do give you the psychotherapy - I would think the referral coming from the Senior Consultant Psychologist would help in that respect. x
Oh you've filled me with such joy.....ummmmm.......or not!
I'm guessing that is what i have tolook forwards to, if i ever send off the reply to the first letter.
Shame your bloke being the boss, couldn't just pull a few strings.
you'll understand my frustrations with psychotherapy & forms here http://ramblingsofasanityseeker.blogspot.com/2010/03/psychology-department-stress-before.html
Well done for completing them, especially the 3rd one with the 33 questions. That sounds really difficult.
I received 6 questionnaires in post yesterday. I'm feeling quite fortunate now as they are all of the multiple choice type.
The waiting is really hard, isn't it? I'm waiting for assessment. I think it is made worse by knowing that even if it is decided the treatment is appropriate for me, there will be more months of waiting before treatment starts.
I hope your assessment goes well, and that you do get the help that you need without too long a wait.
p.s. I have only recently started reading your blog, and really appreciate it - thank you.
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