What Is High Intensity Therapy And How Does It Differ?

[Emily The Strange]

Hello all.

I've been on a waiting list for about 5 months for some form of therapy as my gp thought i would benefit. I have seen a therapist before who has helped me overcome some of my issues but things have gotten worse since then. I didn't think to ask what i was being refered to or what for. I just trusted my gp knew best.

Anyway... I recieved a call today out of the blue, i was pretty freaked out. It was for an appointment on wednesday to see a high intensity therapist. I agreed with the time and hung up. After i had hung up i started wondering what a high intensity therapist is and how it differs from a standard therapist. Ive tried looking it up but cant find anything. Im starting to freak out about it. Things have gotten considerable worse since last time and this title sounds very serious. I dont think im ready for all this.

Does anyone know anything about this?

 

[Deleted member 1860]

What country are you in? Just curious, as sometimes the labels for things can vary from place to place. I haven't done high intensity therapy but I have done intensive trauma therapy. It is different because intensive trauma therapy is 40 hours a week of individual, one on one therapy, and then you're done in 2 weeks. I'm interested to see what high intensity therapy is.

 

[StellaBlue]

A quick google "high intensity therapy" indicates that you are in Britain and are being treated through the NHS - yes? If so, the NHS website has this definition of "high intensity therapists":

High intensity therapists are part of the Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) service and provide high intensity interventions - initially cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). They work with clients who have a range of complex problems related to anxiety and depression.

High intensity therapists treat people from different cultural backgrounds and ages. They assess a client's suitability for psychological interventions and formulate, implement and evaluate therapy programmes. Good communication skills are essential to convey CBT and other psychological formulations, with sensitivity in easily understood language.

 

[Laura 2]

My experience is that this is just a label in the UK for the number of NHS counselling sessions you're allowed. In my experience in practice it's not to do with the quality of treatment or even specialist work. It refers rather to the number of staff hours they have to input. Low intensity is 'watch and wait'/ a chat with GP a one-off counselling session, medium intensity is 6 sessions, high is 12-20 sessions.

 

[Emily The Strange]

Thanks for the information.
It makes a little more sense. It's just a lable. Theres me thinking things have gotten very serious. The idea of having 12-20 sessions appeals as i have trust issues so by the time i tell them anything my sessions are over.

I have my first session tomorrow and im terrified. They are going to make me say things i have never said aloud. Its a good thing but doesnt make it any easier.

 

[Laura 2]

@Emily The Strange That's according to my experience and reading the blurb written by a contractor to the IAPT project. (The NHS's own explanation makes it sound all sort of 'we're-here-for-you' and more than it is!)

I know it's hard to stop them asking questions sometimes but you definitely don't have to talk about anything that makes you feel upset. (Someone please remind me of this the next time I'm sitting opposite one of these Ts and I'm a gibbering wreck who can hardly remember her own name...)

I found 12 sessions unbelievably inadequate and the T seemed to think I should be able to trust him after only a couple of sessions. Maybe after 12 sessions I might.

 

[Emily The Strange]

@Laura 2 I agree. 12 sessions is totally inadequate. The thing is that they ditch you after 12 sessions and you never get to see the same person again. Just seems like a total waste of time and nhs money.

I cant talk about anything at the moment without getting upset so should be interesting. Also struggle to make sentences and explain what i mean. There seems to be a block between brain and mouth. It all comes out jumbled. And it gets much worse when im anxioys or upset. Its easy to give advice but when it comes to you actualy following it its so difficult.

Goodluck to my therapist to underatand me tomorrow. Lol

 

[Laura 2]

@Emily The Strange
...absolutely, a waste and even mismanagement of NHS resources. I actually had this conversation with the last 'flash-in-the-pan' T. By week 4 I was asking him if he would please help me lobby for a longer period with him because it was obvious that we weren't going to scratch the surface. We pondered the proposition that I'm not suffering from a one-off bereavement or depressed because my partner's left me, normal life challenges compared with the nightmare events that produce PTS.
Finally, though, I heard today that I got 'bumped upstairs'. After 7 years I have an appt to see a real psychiatrist. If they'd done that in the first place then literally scores of £thousands perhaps wouldn't have been wasted on all this IAPT short term kwikfix stuff. (That's only my experience - I'm so hoping yours will be much better...)

And yes, I do exactly the same, from sheer terror:

struggle to make sentences and explain what i mean. There seems to be a block between brain and mouth. It all comes out jumbled. And it gets much worse when im anxioys or upset.

 

[Emily The Strange]

@Laura 2
Im so pleased for you that you are able to see a psychiatrist. It will be much better as long as you get on with them of course. Very jealous. I wish i had that oppotunity. It will my 3rd time using the IAPT service. I sometimes feel like im wasting their time to be honest.

Im glad im not the only one that doesnt make sense all the time. Sometimes i feel like im losing the plot. I get very frustrated with myself but as i have been told many times i need to be kinda to myself.

I hope all goes well for you at your appointment.
Taks care. X

 

[Laura 2]

@Emily The Strange - thanks - at the moment, I'm struggling with rising anxiety. My amazing friend immediately offered to come with me and come into the room with me, which is - as I think about it - something that's helping me to keep grounded about it all.

Just wanted to share my not-so-humble-opinion that my take is that they are wasting my precious time (as well as my taxes). Like me, 3 times at the IAPT service...? Why haven't they picked up that you have a more serious issue which should be dealt with by more qualified people? Grrr.

You'll get a psych appt - just keep on at them. I used to feel like I was losing the plot - eventually I realised that it's our services that have lost the plot. And the frustration you feel...could it be more accurately directed at e.g. IAPT system??