Due to the devastating struggle for counselling in Cornwall, I’ve been having counselling with Penhaligan as the community mental health team is non-existent during the pandemic.

The devastating struggle for counselling in Cornwall has become so severe that I have struggled a lot as have many others during the pandemic.

This led me to seek out emergency crisis teams such as Valued Lives and Mind due to no mental health treatments or support available between 2020 and 2021.

I’m now into my third year of having no mental health support from the Community Mental Health Team, so I’ve had counselling off Penhaligon in Cornwall.

December 2018 was my last CAT therapy appointment at Bolitho House in Penzance, but since moving to South East Cornwall, I’ve had one assessment at Trevillis House.

The psychiatrist told me I would have to accept my original diagnosis, even though they feel it’s incorrect. I’ve been on a waiting list for coping strategy therapy since Summer 2019.

I contacted Value Lives, a crisis centre, after Christmas, and they put me in touch with a free service called Penhaligon counselling.

Within a few weeks, a lady contacted me, and I had one session. Unfortunately, she was unable to continue, so I was put back on the list.

After a week, a man contacted me to say he would be happy to give me some sessions via Zoom due to the pandemic face to face.

Penhaligon Counselling offers free or by donation counselling services from Cornwall College students who are training to be counsellors.

During my sessions, I have been looking at some of the exercises in my CBT and DBT.

Two Exercises that have stood out for me are the REST technique when you look at a situation and write it down and evaluate it.

At first, I thought when I’m angry or upset, I don’t see reason, and like many others, I lash out without looking at the bigger picture.

For example, I could be upset because someone hasn’t messaged me back.

Instead of thinking the person no longer likes me, I should be looking at other options, such as the REST technique.

The second exercise I looked at was emotions and how they link to behaviours.

If being generous makes you happy and is not met with the correct response, upset and anger come out.

When contacting the CMHS team at Trevillis House in Liskeard I was told that I hadn’t been contacted by them due to a lack of staff during the pandemic. So as sad as it is I’m not surprised when I read about the rise in suicides in the last year.

Have you or your loved ones ever tried these techniques? Did they work? What strategies work for you? Let us know in the comments below or on our social media pages.