I have used all 18 sessions each year for 3 years. i first started seeing my psychologist in October 2007 whilst still bearing the bruises from the beating my (now ex) husband had given me over a 3 day period 3 weeks before hand. She helped me to leave him, after another severe beating, supported me through obtaining a restraining order and time spent in a domestic violence shelter, and has since helped me deal with my children, as well as stopping me on a few occasions from acting on the desire to take my own life. At this point, her help is invaluable in dealing with the stress of a prolonged (2 years, 3 lawyers, 10 visits and counting) family court process which requires me to relive several times a year the horror and trauma of 10 years of an abusive marriage, as well as dealing with blatant lies from the children’s father (personally i think he has alcohol induced dementia).

i have also, because she is so caring, been seen by her for 4 more sessions pro bono because i had used all 18 visits last year and she felt that the circumstances (family court gave access to the father) were serious enough to warrant me continuing to see her.

i believe that i will continue to need to see her for at least the rest of this year and into next, given that the family court action is going to go to trial in 6-8 months from now … i know i need support around feeling like i am failing in my job as the children’s mother to protect them and having the court tell me that i am not allowed to – there is no feeling worse than having to leave your children with someone you know is violent and abusive, and not being able to protect them from that person because to do so would land my sorry ass in jail for failing to comply with orders … suffice to say, only having access to my “life saver” for 10 sessions a year could have very severe consequences not just for me, but also for my children, who are also traumatised by the experiences of their father, and that those experiences have been stirred up by being forced to see their father.