Info for my Counselor

  I have been in counseling for 6 years for PTSD, Depression and anxiety. My counselor is an amazing man and has been a counselor for about 25yrs.   Even though he has tons of experience and knowledge, he is still open to me providing him information about mental health and WLS.  

  So - for you counselors or those of you in counseling - do you have any links, articles, web sites etc that may be helpful to him in supporting me through this?  I have given him a couple of links to articles posted here at OH.

thanks!

This is going to sound harsher than I mean it to be....You pay him for his services. He works for you. If he isn't knowledgeable in this area, I feel it's his responsibility to find the right PROVIDER information to fully support you.

When a patient came to me and I had no clue on their particular issue, I would research it like crazy so the next time they came in I could discuss it with them and provide the care they needed.

I am glad you have a counselor you can trust and feel comfortable with. I think finding the "right" person can be a long search and some trial and error. Good luck.

Not taken harshly at all... but it does say I didn't really say what I meant.   It isn't that he wants, expects or even "needs" me to look up the info - it is more that he tolerates me looking it up. ;)   I have done it in the past and he uses the articles I bring in kind of a "why did you want me to see this particular article? what is important about it to you?" kind of way. (that doesn't sound right either... but just take my word it works for us lol)

 I have definitely had the "error" part of finding a counselor - I am very blessed to have found this one now.

Unfortunately, much of what I have found published in professional journals is not available online for free (but some are).  I sort of agree with the previous poster, though, about the fact that HE should be seeking the info rather than YOU having to provide it.  I have spent a lot of time doing my own online research and did find some good information just with a basic Google search. I'm not really willing to just "fork over" my own bibliography that it took several years to compile, but the following link will give him some very basic info and some good references that he can follow-up with if he is so inclined:
www.primarypsychiatry.com/aspx/articledetail.aspx

MANY counselors are clueless about the special psychological issues/challenges of WLS folks (which is why I have done two presentations at state conferences (and hope to do a third in November) on this topic).

Lora

Thanks for the link! I absolutely wouldn't expect your hard work distributed freely over the 'Net - I appreciate any general tips just fine!

  He is going to a conference for Christian counselors in the end of July - they usually have tons of topics. I wonder if WLS is or ever will be one?

 I have PTSD and MDD (Major Depessive Disorder), and have seen the same therapist for almost 3 years now.

He didn't require any speacial information to help me. He talked about me having the surgery and some issues that could possibly come up. He did my psych eval for me. I'm not sure if all surgeons offices would accept it from a therapist (with a measter in social work) or if they would require a psychiatrist. My surgeon allowed this since I already had this relationship with him and he knew me well. 

After surgery he has been a huge help. We talk about some of the stuff we talked about before my surgery (the stuff that brings on my PTSD) and we also talk about body image issues, issues I may be having with food, and also, the stress of the surgery and some of the complications that I've had. I find it so helpful to be in therapy as I am loosing because it really supports my old issues, as well as current issues that come up with weight lose. 

I'm think he really won't need any speacial training. If he knows how to help someone with PTSD, chances are he knows how to help someone with an eating disorder. I'm not saying you have an eating disdorder, but some of the thought proccesses of a person who is really overwegiht/obese are similar to those with anorexia/belimia. If he does need to read something, as a therapist he will have moer access to journals and stuff than you do, so the research would be easier done on his side, rather than yours. 

well I deleted my reply because it showed up at the top right under the original post... oh well... this is it:

Yeah, he probably will do research, he has for issues in the past. It is just my own control issues that make me want to find stuff. And like I replied just now to shellbell ... he doesn't really ask, want or need for me to do the work, but he likes looking at the things I pick out and finding out why I picked those things. 
  He is the first person I have trusted this much since I was 10yrs old.  He literally saved my life. I completely trust him with my WLS journey - I just have this weird hangup about taking him information lol

 There are a few books and workbooks I'd advise him to have on hand for future clients. When I took courses in treating obesity & eating disorders, a researcher at Yale named Kelly Brownell has done some great research and had a couple really good textbooks: Eating Disorders & Obesity and Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of Obesity.

For self-help, there's The Body Image Workbook. Also some really good WLS-centered books out there, including some by Kate Jay (http://www.nawls.com/products/item55.cfm), Connie Stapleton's Eat It Up! (http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Spirit-Guide-Weight-Surgery/dp/0982385072/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I283M4QRPTPRL7&colid=I8UT9XWA1STI) and The Emotional FIrst Aid Kit by Cynthia Alexander (http://www.amazon.com/Emotional-First-Aid-Kit-Practical/dp/0976852659/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3272KBHT5TRYW&colid=I8UT9XWA1STI). Hope these help!

Very cool! Thanks!
  I'm going to look up those self-help books for me.  Maybe I'll pass them on when I am done  hehe