Fife Occupational Therapist
Supporting Women's Mental Health

What did you seek therapy for originally?

I originally sought therapy for POCD and Depression. At the time I was spending hours at a time in my bedroom ruminating on intrusive thoughts. I was also constantly seeking reassurance from my husband. I was also very focused on blood and contamination and was excessively hand washing and compulsively and scrupulously checking for blood that may have come from someone I didn't know, in fear of contracting HIV.

This compulsive checking occurred both in public spaces and within my own home. This was all very distressing and exhausting and very disruptive to daily life. I was also aware that I was struggling with difficulties from past trauma and experiences but didn't know how to tackle this.  

On top of all this I was also having depressive episodes and feeling out of control and overwhelmed with everything.

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Do you feel sessions have helped? How have they helped?

My sessions with Karen have helped tremendously. Reflecting on how deeply consumed I was by my OCD compared to now, it's as though I'm a different person.

My OCD is still there but it doesn't consume my whole world anymore. Whilst I still have flare ups with my OCD, the difference now is I know what helps and what techniques to use to stop it from taking hold and consuming everything like it has in the past.

Thanks to Karen’s help I am also, on the whole, now more able to identify the beginning signs of my OCD starting to flare up, and when I am getting stuck with my intrusive thoughts. Sessions with Karen have also started to help me see that it's ok to take ownership and control of my mental health and to prioritise this.

I have found it very difficult to hold down a job or to feel happy in a job role throughout my working life. Sessions with Karen have helped me to see the importance of finding a role that is the right fit for me and that it's ok if a job role is not right for me or does not support my mental health needs.

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How do you use longer-term sessions? How do they help you manage mental health conditions?

I now use sessions with Karen almost as a top up for my mental health, accessing them as and when I need them, which is now less regularly. I use longer term sessions as a support net for the times in life where unexpected or additional stressors occur. Due to Karen's sessions I am now in a place where I can dip in and out of needing counselling sessions, and it's good to know that amidst a busy life I can rely on having the support there when it's needed.

When I first started my sessions with Karen, our sessions were more structured, targeting the bigger more complex difficulties, but now that I am more knowledgeable and capable in managing my mental health, sessions are much more relaxed and more focused on the general day to day/ week to week difficulties and challenges.

We work on looking at what feelings are arising in the more immediate time, where these feelings may stem from, or the meaning placed on the thoughts in relation to life. We then look at ways of moving forward and supporting myself to recognise where the feelings are coming from, and what techniques and approaches I can use to help make them less upsetting or challenging for me.

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Is there anything you'd like to share with people thinking of starting therapy or looking for longer-term mental health condition management?

Before contacting Karen regarding sessions I was terrified of tackling all my emotional difficulties and of being vulnerable and discussing my intrusive thoughts with anyone... however living a life so controlled and consumed by mental upset and torture was not a life I wanted to live.

I am so glad that I took that leap of faith and sought the help I needed. I know how much strength it takes to make that first step, but to anyone thinking of starting therapy or looking for help I can 100% say it is worth it, and I would definitely recommend it. It takes time but it is life changing.

As someone who deals with long term mental health conditions I have come to a realisation that it's about managing and accepting my health, but with help there are things you can do to make it more manageable and to make things easier.

Counselling sessions have helped me to see this, and have taught me how to manage, cope and take care of myself when things are more difficult for me. For me the most distressing part about having long term mental health conditions is that feeling of not knowing what to do, where to turn to or how to manage, but thanks to therapy sessions I'm more able to know how to help myself and look after myself.

My boughts of Depression on the whole don't last as long, thanks to applying techniques and thinking styles that I have learnt in therapy sessions. At times I am now able to spot when a depressive episode is coming on, and I'm able to implement strategies that help or prevent my health from spiralling out of control.

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