Who to turn to, to just listen?
06 Feb 2012, 12:08 pm
I have a question for you all. I think I just need someone to listen to all my s**t. I dont want to talk to someone in my personal life for the fear of driving them away. So I need a therapist (a third party professional so to say). Problem is im in school and working part time, so have no health insurance. Should I just call around to private therapists and see how much they charge? Are there public therapists? Im not sure where to seek a relatively inexpensive therapist to just listen to all my crap.
For all those who care to read, heres some of my bs. I've been reading alot of self-help stuff for the last year or so and admittedly I have to be more action oriented. But results are mixed but overall positive and on a upward trend. What im talking about is being happier, productive and improving relationships and making new ones. But it hit me today that I think one of the biggest missing pieces of the puzzle is that I need catharsis and to let all this years of bottled up stuff out.
Another thing im thinking is why do I feel this need to spew my guts about all my thoughts and experiences, i dont know. So I feel that at least I should experiment and try to find someone to just listen. Maybe it will help. But again, It cant be someone in my life and it has to be relatively cheap. Are there any options for me?
06 Feb 2012, 12:14 pm
For all those who care to read, heres some of my bs. I've been reading alot of self-help stuff for the last year or so and admittedly I have to be more action oriented. But results are mixed but overall positive and on a upward trend. What im talking about is being happier, productive and improving relationships and making new ones. But it hit me today that I think one of the biggest missing pieces of the puzzle is that I need catharsis and to let all this years of bottled up stuff out.
Another thing im thinking is why do I feel this need to spew my guts about all my thoughts and experiences, i dont know. So I feel that at least I should experiment and try to find someone to just listen. Maybe it will help. But again, It cant be someone in my life and it has to be relatively cheap. Are there any options for me?
The private ones are going to cost you $100-200/hr. If you see a licensed clinical social worker it will be cheaper than a psychologist. Public I don't know about but I'm sure someone here will.
Alternatively you could spill the beans on an AS forum. There is one I can recommend, here is the link-
www.wrongplanet.net
MusicIsLife2Me
Velociraptor
Joined: 18 Jan 2012
Gender: Female
Posts: 401
Location: In a musical wonderland ♬ ♭ ♫ ♩
06 Feb 2012, 12:16 pm
Well talking does help, especially with someone who can give you the tools to help get through certain feelings.
Call your local hospital and ask about support groups. They are usually free.
You can also look online for a list of psychologists and such in your area. It does seem like a good idea to call around and ask about fees.
Good luck. I'm basically in the same boat as you.
_________________
Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.
06 Feb 2012, 12:32 pm
For all those who care to read, heres some of my bs. I've been reading alot of self-help stuff for the last year or so and admittedly I have to be more action oriented. But results are mixed but overall positive and on a upward trend. What im talking about is being happier, productive and improving relationships and making new ones. But it hit me today that I think one of the biggest missing pieces of the puzzle is that I need catharsis and to let all this years of bottled up stuff out.
Another thing im thinking is why do I feel this need to spew my guts about all my thoughts and experiences, i dont know. So I feel that at least I should experiment and try to find someone to just listen. Maybe it will help. But again, It cant be someone in my life and it has to be relatively cheap. Are there any options for me?
The private ones are going to cost you $100-200/hr. If you see a licensed clinical social worker it will be cheaper than a psychologist. Public I don't know about but I'm sure someone here will.
Alternatively you could spill the beans on an AS forum. There is one I can recommend, here is the link-
www.wrongplanet.net
I hear ya Rascal but I think it would be more cathartic for me to talk about it. What I've found out recently about myself is that I need human interaction more than most on the spectrum. Talking to people elevates my mood for the most part but problem is the lack of social skills which prevent me from a) being liked and b) connecting to people. Now, my self confidence is growing day by day even through the bad times but lets not kid ourselves, we all NEED to be liked (and I dont mean by everybody).
06 Feb 2012, 12:39 pm
Call your local hospital and ask about support groups. They are usually free.
You can also look online for a list of psychologists and such in your area. It does seem like a good idea to call around and ask about fees.
Good luck. I'm basically in the same boat as you.
Thanx, btw I love your screen name. Im discovering "music is life" is becoming a truism for me. When im feeling f**ed up, listening to the right music can be so soothing. Im learning piano right now and im having a blast doing it.
06 Feb 2012, 12:42 pm
If money is an issue and you don't like talking to people face to face, you could also befriend a stranger on a social platform like Second Life. There are support groups and cheap therapists in Second Life too, but their credentials are somewhat questionable. Still, this might be enough if all you really need is to get things off your chest and have someone listen to you. An anonymous setting makes this much easier in my experience.
OliveOilMom
Veteran
Joined: 11 Nov 2011
Age: 60
Gender: Female
Posts: 11,447
Location: About 50 miles past the middle of nowhere
06 Feb 2012, 12:53 pm
You could call your county mental health association. Many places have those. Also you could call United Way Information and Referral and they could give you some names of some people who work on a sliding scale etc.
_________________
I'm giving it another shot. We will see.
My forum is still there and everyone is welcome to come join as well. There is a private women only subforum there if anyone is interested. Also, there is no CAPTCHA.
The link to the forum is http://www.rightplanet.proboards.com
06 Feb 2012, 1:01 pm
For all those who care to read, heres some of my bs. I've been reading alot of self-help stuff for the last year or so and admittedly I have to be more action oriented. But results are mixed but overall positive and on a upward trend. What im talking about is being happier, productive and improving relationships and making new ones. But it hit me today that I think one of the biggest missing pieces of the puzzle is that I need catharsis and to let all this years of bottled up stuff out.
Another thing im thinking is why do I feel this need to spew my guts about all my thoughts and experiences, i dont know. So I feel that at least I should experiment and try to find someone to just listen. Maybe it will help. But again, It cant be someone in my life and it has to be relatively cheap. Are there any options for me?
The private ones are going to cost you $100-200/hr. If you see a licensed clinical social worker it will be cheaper than a psychologist. Public I don't know about but I'm sure someone here will.
Alternatively you could spill the beans on an AS forum. There is one I can recommend, here is the link-
www.wrongplanet.net
I hear ya Rascal but I think it would be more cathartic for me to talk about it. What I've found out recently about myself is that I need human interaction more than most on the spectrum. Talking to people elevates my mood for the most part but problem is the lack of social skills which prevent me from a) being liked and b) connecting to people. Now, my self confidence is growing day by day even through the bad times but lets not kid ourselves, we all NEED to be liked (and I dont mean by everybody).
Well if you're looking to be liked and connect a therapist is not the answer. As another poster mentioned a support group is a good choice.
06 Feb 2012, 1:02 pm
I don't know where you live, but there is probably a Crisis Line somewhere that you can call. The one where I live is through the local County Behavioral Health services. I have used it several times - last night as a matter of fact. The councilers there are there to listen. It is good to talk about the things that are hurting and can bring great relief if you are feeling overwhealmed. If you don't have a local Crisis Line, there are some national 800 ones. Do a Google search. All these are free services. Best wishes to you.
06 Feb 2012, 1:16 pm
You're a student--is there a school counselor?
BTW: As someone with experience with counselors, I have some advice: Try to go in with goals in mind, problems to solve. That way you get the best use out of your time. For example, if you want to talk to them about your problems, have something specific in mind to discuss, a basic framework.
Are you frightened of bothering your friends with your problems? I think I understand that a little. I don't like to talk to people about being depressed or overloaded partly because I know they won't like knowing that I'm not feeling well. Even on here, and on my blog, I tend to talk only about things that I've already dealt with--like talking about how I recovered from depression (multiple times)... in crisis, I keep to myself. Is it like that for you? I can totally understand wanting to talk to somebody about it, somebody who you won't bum out with your problems because it's their job to listen.
What country are you in? The public health system does differ from place to place. Before I got government health care, I used to go to a community clinic where they had a fee scale based on your income. I didn't have very much income, so I didn't pay very much per appointment. It was quite useful. Look for a place with a "sliding scale" for low-income patients.
_________________
Reports from a Resident Alien:
http://chaoticidealism.livejournal.com
Autism Memorial:
http://autism-memorial.livejournal.com
06 Feb 2012, 3:06 pm
I'm in the US. Thanks for the advice with the counselors. I was thinking just go in there and talk about whatever i have in mind at the time. But your right. I got some thinking to do.
BTW: As someone with experience with counselors, I have some advice: Try to go in with goals in mind, problems to solve. That way you get the best use out of your time. For example, if you want to talk to them about your problems, have something specific in mind to discuss, a basic framework.
Are you frightened of bothering your friends with your problems? I think I understand that a little. I don't like to talk to people about being depressed or overloaded partly because I know they won't like knowing that I'm not feeling well. Even on here, and on my blog, I tend to talk only about things that I've already dealt with--like talking about how I recovered from depression (multiple times)... in crisis, I keep to myself. Is it like that for you? I can totally understand wanting to talk to somebody about it, somebody who you won't bum out with your problems because it's their job to listen.
What country are you in? The public health system does differ from place to place. Before I got government health care, I used to go to a community clinic where they had a fee scale based on your income. I didn't have very much income, so I didn't pay very much per appointment. It was quite useful. Look for a place with a "sliding scale" for low-income patients.
06 Feb 2012, 3:08 pm
No no, thats not what I was trying to say. I just went off on a tangent I didnt need to, sorry. Thanks again
For all those who care to read, heres some of my bs. I've been reading alot of self-help stuff for the last year or so and admittedly I have to be more action oriented. But results are mixed but overall positive and on a upward trend. What im talking about is being happier, productive and improving relationships and making new ones. But it hit me today that I think one of the biggest missing pieces of the puzzle is that I need catharsis and to let all this years of bottled up stuff out.
Another thing im thinking is why do I feel this need to spew my guts about all my thoughts and experiences, i dont know. So I feel that at least I should experiment and try to find someone to just listen. Maybe it will help. But again, It cant be someone in my life and it has to be relatively cheap. Are there any options for me?
The private ones are going to cost you $100-200/hr. If you see a licensed clinical social worker it will be cheaper than a psychologist. Public I don't know about but I'm sure someone here will.
Alternatively you could spill the beans on an AS forum. There is one I can recommend, here is the link-
www.wrongplanet.net
I hear ya Rascal but I think it would be more cathartic for me to talk about it. What I've found out recently about myself is that I need human interaction more than most on the spectrum. Talking to people elevates my mood for the most part but problem is the lack of social skills which prevent me from a) being liked and b) connecting to people. Now, my self confidence is growing day by day even through the bad times but lets not kid ourselves, we all NEED to be liked (and I dont mean by everybody).
Well if you're looking to be liked and connect a therapist is not the answer. As another poster mentioned a support group is a good choice.
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