That situation sounds frustrating and I can see that it's causing you anxiety. I don't know how it is at your uni, but I started a few weeks late because I negotiated to get something closer to where I live. And that was okay and not unusual. I ended up getting a clinical placement at the hospital (I'm on placement now ). All I can say is to keep negotiating and see if you can settle on something in the middle. If you're unable to build the skills you need on placement another option available to you is volunteer work or volunteer telephone counselling. Reach outside the course/university for your needs and don't wholly rely on your uni to provide everything - try to be proactive.

If it feels like you're struggling with your issues it might be a good idea to consider outside help because placement and studies should not really be used as self-therapy. It causes all sorts of complications which I will not get into right now. It can also cause problems for you if you're relating all this information to your supervisor or field-placement coordinator because people do judge (irrespective of whether you're actually wrong or right). The issues you relay to them might be confidential, but it will be on the back of their minds and will affect you in the long-run. So, try to focus on your positives when speaking to them rather than on the negatives. In saying all that, I do think it was brave of you to share your insecurities with them and I do hope you hang in there!

As a fellow social work student (with baggage ) I can empathise and extend my support to you. Hmm, I guess I can clarify what I meant about what you say to others will affect you in the long-run. I will use my own experience. For example, a few week's back when I first started my placement I asked one of my supervisors about why mortuary visits were listed on the student program at the main hospital. I also relayed my own experience that I had when I was young when I went with my mother and sister to identify my father at the morgue, and how dead bodies still kinda weird me out. Anyway to cut the story short, the group supervisor at the main hospital invited me to a morgue visit with the other social work students. My supervisors intervened and said that it was inappropriate for me to attend and let the group supervisor know. They also blocked an education session on counselling and dealing with sudden death at the morgue - I wasn't allowed to attend that! Their actions were a contradiction to what they said to me individually i.e. I'm an adult and I am free to make my own choices and that at the end of the day I would be the best judge of what is appropriate or not appropriate. This protective behaviour is nice, but it's not appreciated because I do believe in exposure therapy...to move through anxiety issues. I was frustrated because it blocked my process (and learning) and I now need to clear up the misunderstandings. I thought I did the right thing by saying that I 'might' become anxious if I go into that situation and was taking precautionary measures. However, sometimes less is best. IMO, it is best to discuss any triggers or issues with someone outside of the university and placement settings. Does that make sense?