.

[Thudnut]

.

[ratty]

Does your employer (if you have one) offer anything? Many organisations I have worked for offer an employe assistance program and a huge majority of calls to these are for family and relationship problems, because we all go through them. They often can offer some counselling etc as part of the package.

Equally, some GPs surgeries offer this.

Hope it works out!

[gwod]

I wonder if group therapy is the right thing for you right now. You've such a lot to cope with and being exposed to other people who are similarly troubled may not be helpful. I think you could do with one to one counselling to help you get your thoughts in order, and formulate a coping mechanism.

I found a therapy group very draining (after a bereavement) as others' stories were also so sad and I came away feeling more hopeless than when I arrived!

I'm sure you could get some counselling through your GP.

Having said all that that I'm not a professional so do listen to others' views too.

Wishing you strength and peace.

[Dodie]

Hi Thudnud... your GP will be your best first point of contact. They can refer you to Southwark Psychological Therapies Service (or your own borough's psychological therapies service e.g. Time To Talk in Greenwich). There can be a waiting list, unfortunately but you may be lucky and I have friends who have found it extremely helpful.

If you have the budget for it, I can certainly recommend an excellent and highly experienced Psychotherapist, called Anna Chesner. Her number is 020 7515 6342. It is expensive (?70 per 50 minute session but she also does group therapy sessions which are quite a bit cheaper, although I'm unsure of how much - around ?40 I think) but if you can stretch to it, she is fantastic. Over the past few years, I have seen her for two blocks of 6 months each and each was truely life-changing in helping me to take control, understand my life and my relationships with others and move forward. PM me if you would like any further information.

I am a mental health professional myself (Occupational Therapist) and I think you are doing just the right thing in recognising that you need external support right now. I hope you find the help that's right for you. With best wishes.

[Dodie]

BTW, Relate may also be good. You can talk confidentially to a counsellor either by email, phone, live webchat etc and they can offer you support and practical help for where to go next.

http://www.relate.org.uk/relationship-help/talk-someone

[fl0wer]

So wise to keep friends out of it. Some of them reveal particularly mischievous sides, loving to fan the flames as it were.

Contact the local mental health team as detailed above to get yourself an 'assessment'. It usually takes the form of three one-hour interviews within 1 month, during which a kindly person helps establish the sort of therapy to refer you for. This varies in each area and the helper will know what sort are on offer. Plus, as you have a little child the emphasis must be on finding you a manageable time in the week.

Some groups are really ace - others a dirge.

It depends how well run, how dynamic and refreshing they can be.

At their best they offer a life-raft to get people through change, whatever they are stuck with, and the good thing is that the meetings span over time, many months if necessary - so that you receive encouragement as your goals clarify. Also you can give that same kind of thing to others, then you aren't always in a therapist/patient relationship.

Good luck to you, and I am sure nobody minded seeing your request on the EDF.

[ACBP]

Edit to PM