Defeated, looking for counselor

All counsellors/therapists will be trained and sympathetic to all ... LGBT or anything - you should not be put off by that. Empathy is what they are good at and trained for. They train for years....

Quite a lot of counsellors are themselves gay .. and I find that helps

And they ALL know about depression and anxiety, it comes with the territory

So lets hope you get that call on Monday - if not ... start chasing them up, as delays can be intolerable and they really should not keep you hanging around

Doctors can prescribe antidepressants but these can take a few weeks to start working .. so whatever happens you might be in for a short wait.

Doctors also sometimes have in-house therapists - worth asking him/ her for a referral

So put some plans in place and, in the meantime, try some activities to distract yourself from dwelling too much on negative things, use this site to keep supporting you - or confide in a friend or someone in your family?

 

I'm so sorry you're having this issue! But I understand your frustrations.

So here we go!

First, is there a local organization, like an AIDS Group or any other Gay group? I don't know where you are from, so I can't really give specific details (as in, big city, small city, etc.) I know that my local AIDS Task Force is amazing. I know that if I were in a similar situation they would be able to help.

There's always phone groups if it gets too bad. The Trevor Project is a great start.

Do you have insurance? Sometimes insurance companies will have online provider registries that list LGBT providers (my old one did. Not sure if it was some type of Christian thing, lol..but you could always call and find out.)

Sometimes, therapists are this bad. I tried calling my old one and never heard a lick. My new one is just in it herself. She has a very small private business and her cell phone is her business. She's always available.
Just try. My friend, who found out she was pregnant, had to stop her meds (She's bipolar.) She called tons of places, and was able to FINALLY get in to someone within a few days. Also, you'll have to find a psychiatrist and psychologist. It's a complicated field, right? Go to whichever you know you need priority in. If you need meds, and you know that, then find a psychiatrist.

Regular Doctors can prescribe psychiatric medication. However, a lot of them don't like to since it isn't their area. But depending on who you see, some might be able to help you get through this time until you find someone you can talk with.

I found my new one because she was the school psychologist at my High School. I had talked with her before. She's so perfect for me! But finding one on your own can be very tricky. What about online searches? You can read reviews and see what people say. Or even search for someone you might know. Again, try finding an organization (maybe even slightly outside where you live.) Anything is worth a try! Best of luck! keep us informed!

 

Start by calling a lOcal lgbt center for names. If you live near a college or university look on ther web site under mental health or health services, they often list local resources

Also if you have health insurance go to the doc finder section to find counselors. Then drill down and select those that list gay, lgbt, gender identity, sexual identity or something like that

If you're really hav

---------- Post added 1st Feb 2013 at 06:46 PM ----------

Tough time and can't wait then there are gay support hotlines. Or look up an lgbt center in a major city (New York, La, etc). The larger ones have folks you can talk to on the phone

And if you're suicidal, go to your lOcal emergency room and ask for psych services.

We're all thInking of and and sending positive vibes

 

First of all, I just want to say how proud I am of you for seeking help. So many people struggle everyday and refuse to seek help because they are either too afraid, or think that they don't need help. I went years without telling anyone about how I was feeling because I was terrified. But I got to the point of defeat and decided that I had to. And it was the best decision I ever made.

What you need to do is find a local psychologist. (I know you said counselor, but I'm not sure if those two are exactly the same.) The psychologist will listen to what you have to say and will refer you to the right psychiatrist. When you see the psychiatrist, they will also listen to what you have to say. They will probably give you personality test, along with a disorder test, asking you questions about how you feel in certain situations, etc. Usually, the psychiatrist will have a diagnosis and they will tell you what it is. They will also write you a prescription. This is what I experienced. It may be a bit different where you live. But this method is very accurate and fast.

I know you don't know me. But if you ever need someone to talk to, please don't hesitate to message me. You probably need someone to talk to, especially while you wait on an appointment to see a doctor. I've dealt with depression and negative thoughts from ages 8-15. I had a relapse at 18, which lasted until I was 19, but that's because I stopped taking my medication. Once I got back on my medicine, I was fine. Now that I take medicine (Celexa), I feel so free and full of life. I never thought I could feel this way again. But the feeling does exist, and it is waiting for you.

 

First off, no, not all counsellors are lgbt friendly. Don't think that! It is deff important to find one that is. To find my counsellor I just simply wrote an email that said something along the lines of, Im gay and need a counsellor who can help me deal with the issues that brings up in my life, but preferably someone who does not support conversion therapy. That landed me the most awesome therapist ever and helped me avoid some nasty ones.

 

I agree. Great job for deciding to get help!

First off, if you think that you are a danger to yourself or anyone else, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline or go to the closest Emergency Room.

With that out of the way, it can take some time to find a good psychologist. You want to find someone that is LGBT friendly and that you get along well with. Have you tried searching on Google for psychologists in your area?

I found one site that allows you to search for support groups, psychiatrists, psychologists, other psychotherapists, and support groups in the USA and Canada. However, there listings can be limited in some areas. The website shows you what the professional specializes in, their license number, how long they've been working, and so on. Some of the professionals specifically state that they deal with LGBT issues. I'm not sure if I can post the link so if you'd like it feel free to PM me ( I think it'd be fine to post it here but I just want to stay on the safe side)

You've been giving a lot of great advice already so I won't regurgitate all of it. I just want to add that, if you're in the USA, you may want to try calling 211 or the National Suicide Prevention Hotline. They should be able to refer you to psychologists in your area.

I wish you the best of luck!

 

On reflection, I think I would support Carm's view.. especially if you are in the USA or other countries where religious conversion therapists seem to thrive.

From my perspective, in the UK, we don't seem to have these creeps and I would happily say you can trust any trained (and registered) therapist ...

So, yes... do check them out and ask bluntly about their attitudes before you start. And thank you Carm for pointing that out important point.

 

Any psychologist worth his or her salt would know the APA approves of the lgbtq community. This was an evaluation that was back in the early seventies 1972-73 that being gay isn't a mental disorder and is perfectly normal. At least in the U.S.A that we have some areas that have gay marriage not all though.

 

I'm in Canada. Even here, there are therapists who are weird about it. There was even one who told me I'd have to find someone who didn't use the bible as a basis for their counseling. That really irked me and hurt too because I am a Christian. What I found, though, is a Christian therapist who also supports lgbt rights and whole people. And told me so first session n