Unqualified Therapists / Counsellors in HSE

choco_king

Hey all, I had to recreate this thread because original in psychology was closed.

I've been suffering with depression/anxiety for 15+ years due to a traumatic childhood involving abusive parents and bullying, drug abuse which has left me in really dark place where I have no friends or family. I find it difficult to trust people and just going outside to the shop is a challenge.

Having talked with my GP, I was referred to psychiatrist and they referred me to addiction services for abuse of alcohol/drugs.

It seemed at the beginning the psychiatrist wasn't really trying to diagnose what was wrong with me and just expected the addiction therapist to "look after" me.

So for 7 months I've been struggling to get some kind of meaningful therapy from this addiction therapist and so far, nothing but there really is no other options available to me, at least I don't see any.

The therapist implied on a number of occasions that my suffering was probably Karma which really upset me because most of my life has been spent suffering at the hands of other people who have themselves suffered at the hands of other persons and I don't think this is helpful advice.

I also said sometimes I wish I'd never been born or if I had the choice, I would choose not to be born to which the therapist replied "You do a choice, you can kill yourself" before retracting that statement and claiming they "didn't mean it"

The final thing that really made me angry was when I talked about the high rate of suicide in Ireland and how little money the government spent on preventing it to which they said: "Life is cheap"

Gradually I became more angry with this therapist and they then suggested I go to the gym and hit a punch bag or take up kick boxing, or possibly look at anger management.

I have real psychological problems and I just can't seem to get help anywhere in the HSE.

I'm beginning to believe it isn't a lack of money in HSE that's to blame for high rates of suicide, but it's the advice like that which I receive from untrained counselors

It's disturbing to me that unqualified therapists / counselors are allowed to work in HSE.
You would not allow an unqualified dentist to work on your teeth but apparently it's okay for anyone to work as a therapist for those suffering mental problems.

The scary thing for me is the amount of unqualified staff in HSE acting as therapists and counselors...this is to me extremely dangerous and I have first hand experience because the last 7 months of trying to talk with the addiction therapist about traumatic events in my life has left me feeling so much worse and since there is nothing else available, I feel absolutely lost. Sometimes I'm just in tears and have no clue what to do. When I try to explain this to therapist, they seem completely unconcerned and disinterested in why I abuse alcohol/drugs to begin with.

I lack confidence in HSE staff to help me with anything and when I try to explain to them their advice has been unhelpful, they become aggressive and defensive telling me I have a "bad attitude" or that I'm "too sensitive"

What is the advice of people here I do in these circumstances?

Addle

Can you see someone you deem appropriately qualified privately?

username123

Get your GP to refer you to someone else?

Make a complaint to the Medical Council about the addiction therapist? What is appropriate training for an addiction therapist, they are not supposed to be fully qualified psychologists/psychiatrists are they? What causes you to say the addiction therapist is untrained?

Tell the psychiatrist that the addiction therapist is not working out? Even if the addiction therapist was useful,presumably mental health issues are a separate matter to addiction (although entangled), so the psychiatrist should still be doing something?

It can be difficult to get a good match with mental health professionals, but you do not have to attend someone who us causing you upset and stress.

d9oiu2wk07blr5

Firstly, that therapist 100% crossed the line. Could you possibly make contact with Pieta House?

http://www.pieta.ie/?gclid=CLqkmo6Z1L4CFWvkwgod_FgAVQ

choco_king

Addle wrote: »

Can you see someone you deem appropriately qualified privately?

No, couldn't afford private therapy.
I was working up until last year and left due to problems I have now which I've tried to get help for with HSE but it's abysmal.

Make a complaint to the Medical Council about the addiction therapist? What is appropriate training for an addiction therapist, they are not supposed to be fully qualified psychologists/psychiatrists are they? What causes you to say the addiction therapist is untrained?

Make a complaint about the psychiatrist, addiction therapist or both?
Is it possible to make a complaint against an addiction therapist?

I realize they aren't psychologists but surely they should understand psychological reasons people consume drugs/alcohol? It is not a black and white issue. People including myself do it for many different reasons as I'm sure you know.

This therapist believes all drugs should be legal because it would make them less attractive implying that people only consume drugs because they're illegal.

I made the argument that alcohol is legal and lots of people still have problems with it to which they said "I suppose so"

This person shouldn't be a therapist at all. Being paid €80 per hour to say such nonsensical things. I'd be amazed if this person received any training what so ever and bear in mind, anyone in Ireland can become a therapist / counselor. You do not need qualifications and in this day and age, it's disturbing.

The brain is an organ just as the heart is or lungs yet I can't expect the counselor/therapist to give me sound advice?

Tell the psychiatrist that the addiction therapist is not working out?

I did tell them 4 months ago and nothing changed.

Even if the addiction therapist was useful,presumably mental health issues are a separate matter to addiction (although entangled), so the psychiatrist should still be doing something?

I agree but they have repeatedly said "the HSE is in crisis" as a reason for denying me access to proper treatment private patients would receive straight away.

I'm aware of how the system works but It's not too much to ask that a therapist/counselor be properly trained, is it? They do get paid very well.

Firstly, that therapist 100% crossed the line. Could you possibly make contact with Pieta House?

I agree therapist is shockingly bad. All this experience has done is make me feel worse and less hopeful of ever really finding a way to get over the traumatic events in my childhood and try to live a normal life.

I'll try contact Pieta house, thanks.

Taltos

Hi OP - while it is clear you want help, PI is not the place to complain about the poor state of the HSE. While you have had some terrible experiences there you need to keep in mind for every bad therapist hopefully there is a good one.

Please go back to your GP and seek another referral - basically keep pushing, believe it or not you really do have to fight for proper treatment here.

In terms of posting this same thread a second time, the last forum was correct - and we have to close this for similar reasons, please don't post this again elsewhere without first checking with the relevant mods. In terms of resources that can help you please have a look at this thread from one of our mods.
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=89677352&postcount=2%29

Thanks and I am genuinely sorry we cannot be of more help. - Remember fight for your treatment and make complaints if you have evidence they are sub-standard - as far as I am concerned though telling a patient to kill themselves is never on.