FRANÇAIS PRINT-READY PDF TABLE OF CONTENTS PREVIOUS PAGE NEXT PAGE RELATED LINKS Managing Your Health, 1999 edition Emotional and Spiritual Support
Counselling
When you can't quite figure out how to deal with a situation, when you feel overwhelmed, or if you want a regular time to deal with emotional troubles, you might want to go to a counsellor or therapist. There are different kinds, including psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, peer counsellors, and religious and spiritual counsellors. Psychiatrists are medical doctors with specialized training. They often deal with emotional problems as diseases which can be treated by prescribing drugs. Some also use psychotherapy. Their fees are covered by provincial or territorial health insurance (except in Quebec) and they usually need a referral from your doctor. Psychologists are not medical doctors and therefore can't prescribe medication. Their fees are not usually covered by health insurance, although some private insurance plans may pay part of them.
“Therapist” and “counsellor” are general terms that refer to someone who practises any one of many kinds of counselling. Anyone can say he or she is a therapist or counsellor, without having special training or a licence. Talk to a few counsellors over the phone before you make an appointment. Ask about what training they have had. This will give you a sense of what to expect and may help you decide what you want in a counsellor. Good counsellors will encourage this kind of research. Don't hesitate to ask about fees before your first appointment. Many counsellors charge on a “sliding scale” basis: if you can't afford their usual fee, they will charge you less. You have to negotiate this.
Counsellors usually use the first appointment as a “getting to know you” session. This allows both of you to see whether you can get along with each other before you decide to go on. Counselling can only help if you feel comfortable with the person you're talking to. Many AIDS groups have counsellors or peer counsellors (people who are HIV positive who you can speak to) on staff or as volunteers. Counsellors who work for AIDS groups don't charge for their services. You can also ask other people who have HIV, your friends, or your doctor for suggestions. | 
