Maybe the p-docs are in high demand and so they are sending people to see a clinical psychologist first to assess whether medication is likely to benefit. Does this seem right?

For people with trauma issues in particular, medication is of limited effectiveness. If you get flashbacks and the like then medication can drug you so that your emotions are more muted and the flashbacks aren't as bothersome to you, but there are other downsides to that (such as reduced motivation reduced ability to focus and the like). Sometimes people with trauma histories (or recurrent depression or anxiety that comes from unprocessed childhood stuff) go on the hunt for the medication cure. Unfortunately in those cases while medication might help take the edge off it a little, there really is no medication cure.

So I'm guessing that the psychologist will be assessing whether you are likely to benefit from medication. In this day and age people are typically very keen (both consumer and provider) to put people on medication. Consumers feel that it validates their distress and providers know consumer satisfaction is highest when the consumer leaves with a prescription. But it might well be that medication isn't really the answer...

> How many people will I have to keep telling my story of domestic violence,childhood abuse, mystification, and continue to be open and vulnerable to strangers to get to minimizing my pain or see if I have a chemical em balance; or to get a med that will help my depression?

Well... Until you find a therapist who is validating of your pain rather than minimising or dismissive of it. I have to say that I'm a little wary of cognitive behaviour therapists with respect to trauma based depression. The cogntive restructuring exercises are typically experienced (by those clients) as invalidating and dismissive. But that being said some therapists are able to transcend their theory. If you could manage to see someone who has some experience with DBT (hence with the notion of balancing acceptance with change) then you might be more likely to find that they have a sort of semi grasp on acceptance.

Sounds to me that the facts on paper (about the trauma) are precisely why they want the psychologist to assess whether medication is likely to benefit.

First meetings (and sometimes second and third meetings) are fairly scary. I really would think that psychological intervention is more likely to alleviate your symptoms than medication. But that being said both in conjunction can work really well for some people.