Clinical psychologist vs counsellor?

[Guest DebW]

Has anyone sought the help of a psychologist rather than counselling services? I just think our current counsellor is not really helping my daughter in terms of giving us strategies to help with her anxiety issues, sleep problems, grief etc. I'm thinking I might go further afield and see if she can get some more intensive help.

[Justin]

I am currently seeing a psychologist, and find her to be helpful overall. I was seeing her every two weeks, then every four, and now every six weeks. My sessions have ranged from indifference to eye-opening, in term of what I get out of the session. Overall, I find it to be worth the $75 per session and we are working mainly on strategies to combat stress and anxiety, although we do talk about grief.

 

I did have some grief counseling sessions after Marsha died, and they helped with assuring me I was on the right track with handling my grieving. At the time, the grief was so overbearing and took up so much of my emotional energy. I later decided to see a psychologist to be a better "me", and work on issues that I have had since childhood that the grief was exacerbating.

[Guest DebW]

Thanks for replying Justin.

I spoke at length with the psychologist on the phone and will be taking Madeline to see her next week. She said that at her age it's a huge and crucial time in her development and quite possibly the worst age to lose a parent. She thinks she can help us so I am feeling positive about seeing her. The kids did have some grief counselling not long after their dad died but in all honesty I think it may have been too early and the problems have developed later, they were probably still in the whole shock/denial stage of grief so wouldn't have been able to process what had happened. Just have to get through till next Friday!