Psychotherapy Service booklet - SLaM National Services

National Services: Psychotherapy Service“ It’s such a relief when someone says‘I understand what you’re feeling’.”I was quite badly attacked at grammar school, which wassomething I’d never have told my parents because I feltso much shame about the experience. I got to a stagewhere I could tell others about things like this – thingsthat I’d stored away forever in the dark recesses of mymind; things I hadn’t told anyone. It was very painful,but also powerful because the group recognised whatI’d been through.In these cases, they were able to point out that he,she or it had been wrong, and that I wasn’t bad or evenmad. It was such a relief because I’d carried some ofthese experiences on my own for so long – to thinkhow they’ve affected me over the years.“ The group became a healthy family.”In regular day-to-day life, I can imagine someone sayingthat I should just stop talking about this or that. Thegroup, on the other hand, listened and we helped eachother test new things – I’d take something away, try it,bring it back if it didn’t work, then try something a littledifferent the next time. I had a toolkit of encouragingphrases in my head and all along I was building on whatI really wanted.In the group, we were able to gain the trust tobe very direct with each other. You learn the abilityto communicate clearly, in a healthy way, what’sbothering you. You also learn how to listen to others…and to yourself, for that matter.At one stage, someone joined the group who reallyaffected me, triggering something that probably relatedto anger towards my family. I was ready to leave thegroup but was able to talk it through, and that becamean important turning point.“ I’ll always have a very special place in myheart for the group.”I finished the therapy about a year ago and since thenI’ve felt like a whole person. The talking helped memoved past the experiences I was carrying and they arenow in the past, where they should be.I must say, I really respect people who have the courageto try group therapy. It’s brave because individuals arethere to accept difficult things and transform. You reallyhave to make the change yourself and you have to giveit 100 per cent.I’ve bumped into one or two people since I left thegroup and I feel a real family-like bond with them.There’s a very special place in my heart for each ofthem and there always will be. I always know that,somewhere, there are individuals who know as muchabout me as anyone ever will. 29