Needing counselling/psychotherapy is not a "failure" - it HELPS!

So, as Baggy begins to lessen the strangle-hold that Hormonal Hannah has had on her for the last few months, she's feeling much better. The counselling is helping a lot - especially as now Baggy has twelve sessions (nine more to go), rather than the six that are the norm. on the NHS. The relief of knowing that she should have enough sessions to really get somewhere, has helped in itself. She's very grateful too that the counsellor recognised that she would need rather more than six sessions, after the first two! Apparently, Baggy needs more help than even Clever Bird had realised.

The Stress Management course isn't helping - well not in the way that it's meant to anyway. But it has confirmed some big things for Clever Bird, not least of which is that Baggy needs to take control of her own life, so that Hormonal Hannah can't, by:

1) Staying busy and physically active.
2) Taking time to do the things that she enjoys - not just the things that she has to do.
3) Relaxing - especially her muscles e.g. detaching her shoulders from her earlobes.
4) Thinking positively about things, rather than worrying and thinking the worst.
5) Breaking down the scary stuff into manageable chunks.
6) Slowly getting out of her various comfort-zones, one step at a time.
7) Facing fears - head on!

Clever Bird knew most of this stuff and when Hormonal Hannah isn't dominating Baggy, she can usually cope, by doing most of it anyway. Clever Bird's biggest mistake has been letting Baggy avoid issues, or just not think about them. Well, no more.

Furry Mama took Minty Mutt on a long walk this morning. Bottles of water and a fold-away bowl in Baggy's bag, so the lad didn't overheat. Then Grotty Groom went to the yard (the pleasantly, almost deserted yard, as nearly everyone's away at a show), and groomed both the Boys. Cuddles were mutual. Baggy felt relaxed. Home again to a healthy lunch. Time now for The Domestic Goddess to flick out a duster.

Clever Bird yesterday dragged Baggy back to the Doctors and started her on HRT. She is determined to use whatever methods it takes to get Baggy back on track. If it helps her on her road to recovery it has to be a good thing. Creative Clara will keep bloggees updated on whether it does help. Baggy is on the lowest dose of oestrogen only (as she has none of her "bits" left she doesn't need more than this). She took her first tablet last night. Even today, she's had less hot flushes than usual! But that might be the Soya Milk that she's been drinking since Monday, which seems to have helped a lot!

But the better that Baggy feels, the more stir-crazy she's beginning to get. Calum and Clever Bird still won't let Grotty start doing the horses herself again yet, because they recognise that it might set her back (mentally), being with "the wrong crowd" as it were. But she is trying to spend more time with the Boys and that's definitely a good thing, so hopefully Grotty will get back properly fairly soon. But Clever Bird realises that Baggy needs a project! Since Baggy has managed to stop Hannah from making her feel constantly overwhelmed, the opposite has happened! Baggy needs (and wants) to use her brain. Clever Bird has talked her out of her first brainwave, business idea, so she's working on a plan B. Baggy is feeling motivated and excited for the first time in quite a while.........