What do you think to the counselling?

Minnie64

Think thin
Hi there
What do you think to the counselling? I really do not think I have learned a thing from it. I recently went off plan for family party and I could not believe how easily I slipped back in to old habits! Came off plan a week ago last Thursday and have just managed to get back on today!
Would be interested to know how you all felt about it.
xxxxxxx
 
I've found it helps! I can totally tell the different 'states', Especially the rebelious child that frequents my mind!!

Alot of the lessons I've learnt though are ones I've realised for myself, like the fact that if I've coped this long without a Burger King and haven't died maybe 'whopper' isn't actually a required foodgroup!!

My group counselling is non existant at the moment which sucks. I keep meaning to go through the green book again but just haven't had the time.

I'm more aware now of why I eat when I'm not hungry and most of the time manage to distract myself so I don't give in to temptation!

How long have you been on LL?
 
hi pbfhpunk this Wednesday will be the classes 14th week although I am 4½ weeks behind them due to going on holiday. Mind our LLC is leaving this week and IMO has been on "de-mob" state for the last 5/6 weeks. The DVD player conked out about 2 weeks ago and she just said "well I am not buying another one"! So we have not seen any DVD's although we have had group counselling but to be honest she often goes off on a tangent! I just don't think I have benefitted from it at all!
 
Minnie

Maybe you ought to make a complaint against your LLC - you pay a lot of money on LL for the counselling and if you feel the counsellor is poor then you are wasting your hard-earned money.

If you don't feel you benefit from it you might consider changing to CD where the shakes, soups and bars reputedly taste better. If you don't feel the need for a counsellor you can always come onto the forums if you feel you want support or just to chat about how it's going.
 
Hi

I think the standard of counselling is very variable so it really depends. I certainly found the Foundation book helpful though.
 
I think the counselling lives or dies according to how good your LLC is. Mine is pretty damn poor - all she does is read from the photocopied sheet LL HQ provide her with, in a sing-song voice. If you ask her a question, she just repeats what's written on the sheet. I think she's genuinely incapable of making it live for us and interpreting it in an informal and appropriate way. I do feel a bit short changed on this and you can probably tell!

I find Minis much better for the thinking stuff and blogs like Mrs L's too.
 
I agree with Peridot, the counselling is very much dependant on the skills of your particular counsellor. Some are very good, some from what I have heard see the counselling as a chore and plonk you down with your video and cannot deviate from the written word.

Minimins is an excellant resourse, as is the lovely Mrs L's Lard Arms blog, there are many people on here who have gone through LL and are now in management or maintaining who have excellant and always helpful advice and inspiration for those of us that are feeling a bit lost or not quite understanding stuff.

If you feel your LLC is not delivering the counselling or the service your paying for then I would certainly contact head office and speak to them about it, £66 a week is a significant amount of money and that price is supposed to incorporate the counselling - so you have every right to expect an outstanding service.
 
Thanks for your comments. With regard to complaining or report her, she is leaving so what is the point? I am going into a Developer's class with a different LLC so hope she will be better.

xxxxxxx
 
Thanks for your comments. With regard to complaining or report her, she is leaving so what is the point? I am going into a Developer's class with a different LLC so hope she will be better.

xxxxxxx

It might make the people in charge of LL think about whether they need to provide more training to their counsellors or just recruit a higher calibre counsellor. After all they won't want people to come off the diet as a result of poor counselling.

Just thinking of improving things for those that come after you :D
 
I have to say that my LLC is totally brilliant. She listens, and then always seems to be able to get us to think of the "answer"! for ourselves. She is very supportive and has begun to introduce other ideas to keep us going, such as bringing in an aromatherapist to talk about body brushing etc.

I am having problems with my diet at the moment, but I sincerely beleive that this is due to over 30 years of bad eating, and associated behaviour. When I take the time to consider what she has said, and actually use the tools, such as thought records, correctly, I know it works and works well.

It is a huge shame that there is no consistency in the standard of the LLCs, but I am not sure how this could be better policed by LL HQ??
 
Hia Sez, nice to read your words of wisdom. I agree with your comments completely, I too am having to unlearn thirty years of bed eating habits and it does not come easy.

I have realised that, useful and helptful though the LL counselling is, it is not enough to know what your triggers are, or what the tools to fight the cravings are. I am realising that I have to get down and dirty and actually DO something to change my actions/reactions. This means getting out of my comfort zone - sort of like deliberately putting my hand in the fire, so to speak. I mean, who wants to put themselves in a place of hurt on purpose? Well, that's what it feels like sometimes, and it is easier to give in and choose the comfort and safety and numbing power of the food, isn't it?

LL has shown me this aspect of my behaviour. Now I can take advantage of their continued support which is offered and go to a place where I can talk frankly about stuff with others who understand. Because having this problem with food is isolating, shaming, and impossible to talk about with family/friends/colleagues. Regretably, I can't attend every week now due to changed circumstances at home, but I should be able to attend once a month from now on. It is very important to me to be able to go to a place where I can speak freely if I want. There is nowhere else (except perhaps, Minis).

However, I do take on board what other posters have said about the quality of the counselling. I am very lucky to have a counsellor who is excellent; motivated, knowledgeable and experienced in conducting the meetings so everyone has a say.

Minnie, it is over a year now since I began with LL and for a long while I wondered what it was all about. Some of the stuff, particularly the TA, went over my head and I just didn't get it. Now, after getting to goal, doing the management, and living with food again, cravings, etc., it all makes a lot of sense. That does not mean that just because I understand why I ate/eat that I am 'cured'. Far from it, but knowledge is power. If I want to remain at goal and want to maintain the weightloss long term, I have to chose to use the knowledge I have learned in my every day life. To get out of the comfort zone regularly and consider the consequences of my actions. To someone who have long lived in 'child mode' (I want and I want it now), this is proving to be a hard lesson to learn! But I have to learn it if I want continued success.

The counselling has given me this insight, and continues to give me support during the difficulties I am going through at the moment. This is my experience though, and I do sympathise with others who have not been so fortunate with their counsellors.
 
Wouldnt it be lovely if all LLC's were all that good ? Unfortunately you pay your money and then its a lottery. My experience was that it was very hit and miss , with no compensation for weeks without any counselling or video and I think that sucks bad sytle. Its a set week programme and if you miss out on an important week it kinda screws up the whole programme and could leave you without the tools needed. When I read on hear about people really being short changed it makes my blood boil, they should have go to CD immediately.
Well thats me off the soap box!!
 
I am fortunate that although our councellor isn't that experienced she is a former client and I think with that comes a lot of understanding of what we are going through as she's been there herself. I missed a lot of classes in foundation due to work but she was always more than willing to go over the work that they had done with me so that I knew what we were doing and didn't miss out on anything important.
She points us in the right direction when we have a question so that we come up with the right course of action and that is always more beneficial than being told what to do.
She's a gem and I realise I am very lucky.
 
I'm very happy with my counsellor. I know she had done a degree in psychology and then did the diet herself before training as an LLC. Sometimes I find the LL tools can be a bit cliched but I do feel I can relate to her and that she actually understands the process and what she is facilitating.

The counselling hasn't stopped lapses but I do understand more why I do that. Hopefully one of these days it will fall into place!
 
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