A
female
age
30-35,
anonymous
writes:I am considering going to a doctor asking to get a referral to a counsellor. I am 18 and in higher education.Will I have to pay for counselling sessions and is there anything else I should know? Reply to this Question
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female
reader, old-spinstah +, writes (15 January 2010):
Your college/uni health service may be able to give you a course of counselling sessions or you can access it from your G.P.
The NHS offers free weekly counselling for 6 - 12 weeks (depending on the health authority you live in) There may be a short wait for this service. Afterwards you would normally be expected to pay for the service. Sometimes, if you want to have more than the allocated number of sessions you might be given the option of having further sessions with a student counsellor which can be useful. You may also be able to "by-pass" the waiting list if you agree to see a student counsellor instead.
You could also try accessing the college/uni chaplaincy service if you need someone to talk to quickly. You may not be religious but they won't mind and counselling is all part of their training.
Counselling is different to "therapy" (which you would need a G.P.referral to the NHS mental health team to get)although it comes close. It can be quite uncomfortable and testing while you're doing it (as in the 6 week period that you're seeing the counsellor) and the benefits are often not seen until well after the sessons have finished. So keep at it. Your counsellor may sometimes give you "homework" which will involve you being slightly out of your comfort zone - don't shy away from them.
Good luck.
A
female
reader, Emilysanswers +, writes (15 January 2010):
A lot of universities have councellors you can go to without having to see a doc. You just sign up to a list... as least you did at Central Lancs.
The NHS is free and that includes mental health.
Your GP will probably have a chat to you first and suggest some other things too.
It really depends what your problem is.
Good Luck!! xx
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