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Recurrent depression can be treated!

Posted By rburns2

"Recurrent depression can be treated!"

About: Royal Cornhill Hospital / Adult mental health

(as a service user),

I've suffered 4 major debilitating and life threatening bouts of depression and anxiety in my life. The last was almost 3 years ago. 

When I got well enough using escitalopram, I knew it was time to dig into my thinking patterns to seek a more sustainable solution to prevent or cope with the inevitable next episode. 

After a long wait and repeated lobbying, I was incredibly fortunate to break through the NHS Grampian mental health  'we only treat ill people' policy barrier to begin working with a psychologist called Dr Bowie of NHS Grampian. She's an expert on schema therapy and a thoroughly nice, engaging and down to earth human being.

I have several unhealthy maladaptive schemas that originate from childhood and other traumas. Dr Bowie's careful identification of these schemas and her skilful work in helping me make them visible has simply been transformational.

I've tried Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approaches in the past with little success - I found them patronising. However, schema therapy has 'made sense' to me. Dr Bowie helped me identify, relive and gently find ways of soothing my historical pain, allowing my 'healthy adult' schema to flourish.

I could go on about a long list of tangible and memorable benefits I've experienced with the aid of Dr Bowie but that would dilute the two messages I want to leave:

1. To those who are suffering, add schema therapy to the list of potential things to consider. Ask your clinician if schema therapy might be helpful for you in your circumstances.

2. To Dr Bowie, thank you. You are a wonderful clinician, kind, empathetic, patient, down to earth and highly skilled. I really do believe that your work with me has transformed my life. I have hope that I may never again experience a serious depressive episode. The quality of my life has significantly improved because of you. You are a credit to your profession and our cherished NHS.

Appointments

Appointments


Staff attitude

Staff attitude


Staff skills

Staff skills


Seeing the whole me

Seeing the whole me


Treatment

Treatment


Being listened to

Being listened to


Explanations

Explanations


Being given time

Being given time


More about:
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Responses

Response from Katharine Morris, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Royal Cornhill Hospital, NHS Grampian 2 years ago
Katharine Morris
Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Royal Cornhill Hospital,
NHS Grampian

Submitted on 14/09/2022 at 17:56
Published on Care Opinion on 15/09/2022 at 09:50

picture of Katharine Morris

Thank you very much for your feedback about your experience of schema therapy with Dr Bowie. It is so good to know that it has made such a difference to you.

I passed your message on to Dr Bowie and she said, "It was lovely of my client to take the time to write such a thoughtful comment - they have worked really hard in therapy and I am so pleased that they have benefitted from our work."

Thank you too for highlighting the challenges of long waiting times which I acknowledge and can tell you we are working hard to improve.

Taking time to give feedback is really appreciated by staff and our organisation. Thank you for doing this.

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