Is consult with Baylissa helpful?

I am thinking about scheduling a consult with Baylissa, because I keep feeling I won't make it through another week of this torture and I am 10 months out and getting worse.

 

Has anybody had a consult with her? Was it helpful?

Hi Ideal

 

I get a lot of benefit from them.

 

As well as her website. Honestly, I shudder to think where or in what condition I'd be in if it was not for her!

 

 

If you have a bit of spare cash its decent. I was broke so thought it was a bit of a waste.

 

She'll say "Your symptoms are normal" and "everyone heals" or something to that extent a few times.

Hi Ideal

 

I get a lot of benefit from them.

 

As well as her website. Honestly, I shudder to think where or in what condition I'd be in if it was not for her!

 

Thank you for your feedback!

If you have a bit of spare cash its decent. I was broke so thought it was a bit of a waste.

 

She'll say "Your symptoms are normal" and "everyone heals" or something to that extent a few times.

 

Thank you! I guess there are no miracles or magical therapy during this journey, huh? I keep hoping there's just this one thing that's going to turn my life around for the better.

If you have a bit of spare cash its decent. I was broke so thought it was a bit of a waste.

 

She'll say "Your symptoms are normal" and "everyone heals" or something to that extent a few times.

 

Thank you! I guess there are no miracles or magical therapy during this journey, huh? I keep hoping there's just this one thing that's going to turn my life around for the better.

 

Like Nate says she does reassure you constantly that recovery is inevitable and the usual outcome and therefore some do expect the "answer" from her to get out if this crap shoot, i know I did. My first consult with her was everything and more as it validated what I was happening to me as I didn't know and she reassured both my wife and myself that my unfathomable symptoms were from these insidious drugs.

 

The second consult was what sounded a little like Nate's experience and I was a little flat afterwards, a bit like, "is that it, so know what, so there is no help and no way out".

 

But, from then on the relationship has opened up a little more and the benefits have been huge, especially when you have spent the day in the fetal position begging for quick and painless end. And when friends who are medicos tell you that's it's not withdrawal, I have some major malfunction and need to be medicated for the duration (even though I had a medical condition that was misdiagnosed as anxiety).

 

One last thing......unfortunately, that one thing that's going to turn your life around for the better is TIME! That nasty four letter word.

I can reaffirm that it's worth it if you have the $$$. She is a therapist that went through withdrawal, while it's true you can tell her anything and she will tell you it's normal in withdrawal, and you will heal, it's good to hear that from somebody that is on the other side and deals with it daily.

 

I posted a while back about popping joints and didn't get any help; I spoke to Baylissa about it and she laughed, turns out she had the same and it lasted about a year and freaked her out too; just that helped a lot.

 

I have to add respectfully that asking advice here is like going to a hospital and asking patients; you don't get advice from the ones that have healed and left, you get it from the ones who got hurt recently, and even worse from the ones who haven't made it out in a long time. Our family and loved ones don't understand what's going on, and Baylissa has the experience of helping people for 10 years and watching them get better. It's worth the $70-$80 if you can afford it.

 

I talked with her once, she validates everything and gives much needed hope. It truly was a breath of fresh air in the middle of this nightmare. She is so positive and has been through hell herself. It's worth it in my opinion.

I find talking to her incredibly beneficial. If you are looking for encouragement and understanding, Baylissa is awesome. Being that so few people actually understand what we are going through, she's a godsend. She's also an incredibly kind and patient person and I don't think I'd be coping so well if I hadn't reached out to her. Plus, my Mom had an appointment with her awhile back, too, and is better able to understand and help me to get through this. It made my parents understand that there really isn't any other solution than time to get through this and they stopped suggesting other therapies, which was making me very stressed.

 

There is a lot of bad advice on here, too, and it can be calming to talk to someone with years of experience with thousands of clients. I trust her judgement more than some of the nonsense I sometimes see on here. At the very least it's coming from a positive, optimistic place and not the "woe is me/we're never going to heal" bullshit place I see on here too often.

Here is a post I sent to someone on BB recently:

It won't take away your symptoms, but it may give you some peace.  Baylissa Frederick recovered from a very severe Klonopin withdrawal about 13 years ago.  She now spends most of her career counseling people in withdrawal, and is a licensed therapist.  She offers one hour telephone sessions for about $75 (the actual fee is 55 lbs., as she is in Wales.)  She has counseled thousands of people in withdrawal and has witnessed the full array of situations regarding which medication(s), dose, length of time, nature of taper, etc., and has an enormous amount of what she calls "anecdotal evidence" that she has gathered over the years.  If money isn't too tight, I recommend that anyone struggling in withdrawal spend at least one hour speaking with Baylissa.  You can check her out at baylissa.com.  Once I scheduled an appointment with her, I immediately felt a sense of hope just knowing that I would be speaking one-on-one with one of the most knowledgeable people in the world on this matter.  After speaking with her, I had a sense of validation about my symptoms, as well as some added hope for recovery.  At least consider it.  Thanks.  -Jeff

Yea if you are really doubting your issues are still withdrawal she probably is a good person to speak to of you need convinced. Also would be useful if you could get your loved ones to speak to her she could probably convince them to believe it

I Spoke with Jennifer leigh a couple of times, that was beneficial she’s  firm believer in god - which I wasn’t.

 

She’s really lovely and she has checked in with me multiple times over text.

 

Baylissa I haven’t, healing is inevitable is something I really struggle with to be honest. Baylissa has worked with thousands? Is sucess stories kept and tracked?

 

What about the ones that didn’t make it.

 

Think after a couple of sessions you realise your on your own.

I Spoke with Jennifer leigh a couple of times, that was beneficial she’s  firm believer in god - which I wasn’t.

 

She’s really lovely and she has checked in with me multiple times over text.

 

Baylissa I haven’t, healing is inevitable is something I really struggle with to be honest. Baylissa has worked with thousands? Is sucess stories kept and tracked?

 

What about the ones that didn’t make it.

 

Think after a couple of sessions you realise your on your own.

 

Baylissa helped Jenn Leigh through withdrawal.

 

Search for the Benzobuddies "Recoveringfrombenzoz" aka Jenn Leigh.

Baylissa I haven’t, healing is inevitable is something I really struggle with to be honest. Baylissa has worked with thousands? Is sucess stories kept and tracked?

 

What about the ones that didn’t make it.

 

Think after a couple of sessions you realise your on your own.

 

Actually, the point is, everyone she has talked to has healed eventually. She keeps track and she's shared success stories on her website and in her webinars. And she's said, and I believe her, that if people didn't heal, she couldn't do what she does. Everyone does make it.

Worth every penny.

Bump.

 

I read something about Prof. Ashton recently who said “the good news is that everyone heals.”

I think she’d know more than anyone.

 

I hypothesize that those who don’t heal are on other meds (I didn’t start healing until I got off all meds) or there’s maybe something else going on. Or maybe they’re unlucky and will take 10-12 years but they too will get better if it’s just wd.

Keep in mind too of people 8-10 years out with pure mental symptoms that it could be something else mentally going on.

It helped me enormously.  I live I. Austealia & it’s honestly been next to impossible to find support here.  I have had one session with Baylissa & I literally bombarded her with questions. She was kind & patient & reassuring. I knew there was no magic answer but I desperately needed reassurance which I got.  I was in a dark dark place before I spoke to her & had lipstick all hope. I cpujdnt see the light at the end of the tunnel.  It really helped me. I’m going to speak to her again. I highly recommend her.

I think it depends. If I had known about her when my first wd started it would have totally saved my hide. Now? No hide to save.

I've had 2 sessions with Baylissa and I have one scheduled this week.

 

The sessions are very helpful because you get to actually talk to someone (versus typing) and hear her voice. Someone who went through it themself. Someone who has talked to many many many folks who've been through this. The amount of info this woman has on benzo withdrawal is HUGE.

 

I also have talked to a regular counselor. (Via video) . I had sessions with this person for 4 months. It was ok, I guess, not really. She was not benzo wise, so I had to educate her. She seemed a bit shocked that benzos can cause this and I had to send her links to legitimate medical info and the bb forum. And, I doubt she even looked at any of it, but she said she believed my experience. Nevertheless every session felt a bit uncomfortable because she just really did not understand. I was told to write a "burn letter", make a collage of my experience (and of my family issues because that is a problem I have too with my father and my sister) and to meditate. She would do a short 5 minute meditation with me each session and that helped, and I could vent to her, but she did not have much feedback. This was $80 a session.

 

Talking to Baylissa is way way way more beneficial. In fact, it is priceless. I obviously don't have to waste my energy educating her on benzos and then wonder if she believes me. That's most of the battle in this with counselors, doctors, family and people in general, and I am sick of that battle. I'm sick of having to explain myself. I'm sick of people who don't understand my struggle and they therefore have expectations of me that I just can't fulfill.

 

Baylissa is a peaceful haven and safe zone for me. If I'm having a rough day I listen to her webinars on her site and I don't feel alone anymore. If I'm having a really rough time, or I have a lot of questions, that I feel that benzo buddies just is not helping me with, then I schedule an appointment with her.

 

Just talking to someone on the phone who's a therapist who fully understands,  and has REAL empathy because they went through benzo withdrawal themself is worth their weight in gold.

She was lovely to me when we spoke. She validated everything I said I was struggling with and sent me an email dr ashton sent to her for one of her patients that really helped me have hope that I would heal one day too.

I spoke to her years ago and liked her a lot, first call.    But she asked about my 'support' and I don't have any and she didn't know what to say about that.  And have nothing to look forward to.  And she said she couldn't tell me that tapering off was the right thing.  At least she is very honest.

 

So here I am back at square one and no, I don't believe everyone heals.  I think that many probably go back on the drugs and that others, well, others...

 

 

I’m going to be a devil’s advocate here.......  my opinion as I can tell from these responses is going to be very unpopular. I think it’s a waste of money. She’s going to reassure you that everyone heals and validate your withdrawal. Which you can get from reading success stories here and just speaking to people on this site going through the same things. She has been through it herself yes, but she’s still basing her beliefs on seriously outdated data. To me I find more pertinent information on my own by searching myself and coming across NEW more up to date scientific studies. Having said that. If you are someone who needs to physically hear it from someone than paying that ridiculous amount of money may be for you. It’s all on what you feel you need to help you through this time because it is for sure a definite struggle.

I spoke to her years ago and liked her a lot, first call.    But she asked about my 'support' and I don't have any and she didn't know what to say about that.  And have nothing to look forward to.  And she said she couldn't tell me that tapering off was the right thing.  At least she is very honest.

 

So here I am back at square one and no, I don't believe everyone heals.  I think that many probably go back on the drugs and that others, well, others...

 

Hi,

 

I’m sorry to rad you don’t have support. Do you find that this hinders recovery? So my family all life overseas & im mostly friend poor.  I think having something to look forward to definitely helps.  I went on holiday late last year & visited friends & it definitely helps bring around people.  Please keep going - you are doing well. It’s definitely harder doing this with little to no support.

I thought her book Recovery and Renewal was more helpful than speaking with her. The book provides a long list of suggestions and coping methods.

I thought her book Recovery and Renewal was more helpful than speaking with her. The book provides a long list of suggestions and coping methods.

 

Ohhh I’m going to get this book. Where shouts did you get it from? I’m thinking her website would be the go.