Counselling and treatment
How to read the stories

Counselling and treatment

For most types of depression, the GP will refer someone to see a counsellor or psychological therapist. Counsellors offer people talking therapies, the opportunity to see them a number of times to talk about their feelings and problems that they have been having. For people with a learning disability it is possible to adapt the therapy process to match the person’s understanding or to help overcome problems in communication. Again, photographs or drawings or books like this one are very useful in helping people to understand each other better.

Although talking therapies are helpful for many people, they do not always improve the person’s depression enough. In these cases, and in people who are severely depressed, a doctor can prescribe treatment in the form of antidepressant tablets or medicines; they can also give treatments for anxiety. These do not work for everybody and, if they do, it can take a few weeks of taking the treatment regularly before you notice a difference.

People who do not get better with treatments from their GP, or whose depression is so bad that they are at risk through not eating or drinking enough, or having strong thoughts about wanting to end their lives, can be referred to see a specialist. These specialists are called psychiatrists, and some have particular training and skills in working with people with learning disabilities; they usually work in teams of health professionals including nurses and psychologists.

How to read the stories

There is no right or wrong way to read the stories.

Some people are not used to reading stories. Start at the beginning and read the story in each picture. Encourage the reader to move through the pages at their own pace.
Encourage the person to tell the story in their own words. You will discover what they think is happening, what they already know, and how they feel. If you are using the pictures to help explain a procedure to someone, you may need to describe or clarify the actions being shown in each picture to help them understand. Try not to challenge the reader(s) or suggest their ideas are wrong.
Some pictures may be more difficult to understand. It can help to prompt the people you are supporting, for example:
• Who do you think that is?
• What is happening?
• How is he or she feeling?
• Do you feel like that? Has it happened to you/ your friend/ your family?
Allow people enough time to follow the pictures at their own pace. Allow time for discussion of each picture.
Some people may benefit from reading the larger story from which the extract has been taken. This will allow them to explore their feelings and experiences in more depth. To buy the complete book, follow the link to the bookshop that appears at the end of the story.