"Much ado about nothing: An absurdly pointless service!"

I first saw my current GP in March 2019 when I pleaded for help with my crumbling mental health. They said IAPT were the only option in terms of making a referral and I had to wait to be contacted by them. The GP emphasised that IAPT were the gateway to a broad spectrum of NHS mental health services within the borough, who would be able to draw the appropriate treatment plan for me (i.e. making further specialist referrals) following their initial assessment of me. It sounded good enough; I believed it! I was finally contacted over a year later in April 2020 by IAPT only to be told that  unless I wanted to do the sessions over the internet or telephone, I would have to wait far longer than I already had! I took the offer and my weekly telephone sessions commenced shortly after.

The therapist who has been calling me seems like a nice person, but the sessions are void of any  meaningful, structured content and revolve around random, superficial topics. I felt this type of counselling did virtually nothing for me. I was told by the therapist during my 6th session that they also felt I wasn't making any progress whatsoever. They said they'd  ask their supervisor for a 4-week extension, although I told them I didn't see much point in doing so. What could we possibly achieve in the four extra weeks that we didn't even begin to explore in eight? At any rate, next (7th) week the therapist started the session by informing me that I had been denied the extension, as their supervisor saw 'no hope' there. At least they were being honest!

I was not nearly as concerned about not getting the extra sessions as I was about the therapist telling me that there was going to be no subsequent referrals made for me from them to any alternative services (completely contrary to what the GP had promised). They are merely an independent talking therapy service, and can only discharge me back to my GP, I was told by the therapist who ended that session after 33 minutes as opposed to the usual 50. I sent the therapist a brief email afterwards thanking them for their continued support but also expressing politely my deep concern about the deteriorating state of my mental health asking her for further clarification regarding any potential alternatives I may have, as speaking to the GP had proven frustratingly fruitless over and over again. After all, it felt I had waited nearly 15 months for absolutely no reason!

Today I was told by the therapist during my 8th session that they had forwarded the aforementioned email to the Ealing team who had then decided to overturn the initial decision and grant me the four extra sessions. But ironically neither of us has the slightest doubt in the pointlessness of this method of therapy for me. In fact, today's session was cut even shorter than the last one (30 minutes, if that). I don't blame the therapist at all. They must feel stuck with me just like I'm stuck with myself. We have simply hit a massive bureaucratic roadblock and there is absolutely no clear guidance regarding where to turn from here. Meanwhile, it is me, 200mg of prescription daily Sertraline intake and the rapidly vanishing hope of a decent and fair mental health 'care' which I sadly never received. Thank you, my dear IAPT, for nothing!