Talking to a professional for the first time
We've all heard the horror stories - the doctor was running 45 minutes late or she seemed more preoccupied with the time then to what you were saying or you completely lost your mind and couldn't get a single word out! There are so many challenges but there are some things you can do to help be prepared. I guess in some ways it is not all that dissimilar to going on a first date!
So come along and share your tips (and your horror stories!) so you can be prepared for your next first appointment!!
See you tonight at 8pm (AEDST).
Past experiences definitely shape how we feel about future health professionals!
I'm REALLY hoping this GP will be great! My local area has this really awesome facebook page - it's like a community noticeboard and someone posted a question a few weeks ago asking about good female doctors in the area, it got so many replies! So this doctor was one of the recommendations from a few people on there! I always feel more confident when I hear AMAZING recommendations from others!
I would be interested though in how others deal with trust issues for those first appointments?
Welcome Bubblez and maddybee! Great to have you here!!
@Bubblez - It is great you have an amazing group of health professionals! Trust is definitely an area many of people struggle with... I remember when I first saw my current psychiatrist I was SO nervous about what he might ask me in the first appointment but thankfully it was pretty straightforward for the first appointment - and he respected my wishes to not talk about something if I didn't want to! I've been seeing him for 3 years now and only recently have I trusted him enough to tell him some things! So it can take a very long time!!! I guess it is important to be open though and give them the benefit of the doubt (if you can!). But trust does take time, and it's unrealistic to think that you would trust them with everything in the first appointment. It's the same with my GP appointment on Wednesday, I'm not going to tell her everything straight up... Just keep it simple and "need to know"... Trust develops over time.
I'm really keen to hear what others think about this trust issue!
@maddybee18 - welcome!! Seeing a counsellor for the first time is HUGE so well done on getting through it! They are totally common fears and I'd be keen to hear how you got through it! Did you end up opening up to the counsellor? I find taking notes along can be helpful, then I don't forget anything important. 🙂
Hey there Maddybee18 - welcome! I think that many people share you experience there with the counsellor... Very common concerns.... "what should I say? What will they say/think" Was there anyone that you spoke to beforehand who had some advice to give? Who'd seen a counsellor too?
Yeah, a lot of the good docs don't even accept new patients anymore - especially if they bulk bill! Unfortunately this one doesn't bulk bill, which sucks! But if she's amazing it will be worth it!
Hey DD! Welcome!!!
I also had to see a new physio earlier this year (my previous one died in a car crash 😞 ). So it was super difficult to see someone new when I was still grieving for my old one (who was very much a friend as well as physio!). It's also tough when you see those types of people if you are seeing them for areas which mean you have to take your shirt off (e.g. back pain!). It's a bit scary doing that for the first time - they are always super understanding and leave the room and stuff and make sure you have a towel to cover you, but it's still a bit scary!
Seems as though dentists are a common worry!! So glad I don't fear my dentist in the slightest - the only thing I fear is that he'll go mad at me for not flossing as much as I should. 😛
Lets move on to the next question:
How do you go about choosing a new health professional? What kind of stuff do you normally look for?
@Sophie-RO: Yeah I think that's true. I think one of the reasons why I felt so comfortable with the physio was because I was just talking about a functional issue to do with my arm rather than something more personal (like my mental health) or something that I was really worried about.
@MM: Oh that's sad that your physio died :(. That must have been hard for you. Yeah I agree it was a bit scary to take my clothes off but I just tried to remind myself that they do it everyday and they're focused on fixing a problem for you, not what you look like.
How do you go about choosing a new health professional? What kind of stuff do you normally look for?
Like Sophie and MM were saying, I try to go for someone who has been recommended to me. I also try to go for females over males if I can (I just feel more comfortable with the same gender).
Definitely agree with the ones Sophie & DD suggested. Recommendations are so important. I also am a bit picky with age... I don't like anyone too old (that probably makes me seem super discriminative), I just find it hard to relate to anyone who is too old! For some strange reason (apart from GP), I prefer males over females. I would also REALLY like to find professionals who are mental healthy savvy - not always possible though.
DD - about the "they do it everyday", that's totally the way I think about it! They've seen EVERY body shape and size, so why would mine be any different! Though still nerve-wrecking, especially when seeing GPs for "female stuff"!
Next Question!!! We are running a bit late. Oops!
What kind of stuff would you expect to happen in the first appointment? Have you ever had something totally unexpected happen?
What kind of stuff would you expect to happen in the first appointment? Have you ever had something totally unexpected happen?
I haven't had anything too unexpected happen in a first appointment. Usually I find they just ask a bit about me and why I've come to see them and they tell me a bit about themselves, what sorts of things they do and what I can expect to happen in the first session (or in future sessions). It depends on which professional you see though. GP's don't usually go into what they do because that's fairly self-explanatory, but an OT or speechie might.
I think - well it depends on the type of appointment - but when it comes to mental health, the first appointment is about getting to know each other and the client seeing how the professional works and if its a good personality match. You don't necessarily have to spill your guts and explain everything. A common question to be asked in the first appointment is "what was it that brought you here".... so talking about the things that led you to think "i'd like to talk to a professional"
@Sophie-RO wrote:
"What kind of stuff would you expect to happen in the first appointment? Have you ever had something totally unexpected happen?"
I think - well it depends on the type of appointment - but when it comes to mental health, the first appointment is about getting to know each other and the client seeing how the professional works and if its a good personality match. You don't necessarily have to spill your guts and explain everything. A common question to be asked in the first appointment is "what was it that brought you here".... so talking about the things that led you to think "i'd like to talk to a professional"
I agree Sophie, that's fairly similar to experience of seeing a MH professional for the first time.
EDIT - @mischiefmanaged that sounds like a great first experience with your psychiatrist, if only more health professionals were like that!
What kind of stuff would you expect to happen in the first appointment? Have you ever had something totally unexpected happen?
Thankfully nothing unexpected has happened to me! But I have heard horror stories from people.
I think the first appointment is very much a bit of an overview and history. Most first appointments I've been to get you to fill out a form asking you about your general medical history. It's very much an appointment for you to get to know the health professional and them to get to know you. I remember at my first appointment with my current psychiatrist, at the end he told me a bit of a plan for what we would be doing if I wanted to see him again and he made it clear that if I didn't want to see him again, he was totally fine with that - he realized you don't always "click" with everyone and he said he would give me some names of other psychiatrists to try. I thought that was really great! Made me feel so much more comfortable! 🙂
Unfortunately for many of us it's: low cost/no cost/bulk billed; no waiting list; accessible by public transport etc...
It's not fair, but sometimes we don't get the luxury of finding out if they are youth friendly or if it's a LGBTIQ safe space or the gender of the professional etc... though - we should!!!
Something I try to do if possible is to chat to the professional first on the phone to see if I 'click' with them. Not always possible, but most counsellors will do it... Some counsellors even put up a youtube video so you can see what they are like!
