So, I'm not officially diagnosed, although my T believes I very much fit in with AvPD. I got put into counselling when diagnosed with bp2, but we don't really do much about my bipolar - well the depression but not a whole lot.

Instead, he's made it a goal (for himself as well as me really) to view him as a safe, trustworthy person. I've been seeing him for about 2.5 years and about the most I can say would be "more than I used to".

So really, it's actually useful for me. I keep thinking he will end counselling with me (it's free,not like he's keeping me for a paycheque as he is paid a salary and not per client). For me, it's a lot of practice just talking "in the moment" about how I'm feeling... and to practice not lying about how I'm feeling... things like that. It's hard to share how I'm feeling and what I'm actually thinking, so I find it useful for that. Even after 2.5 years I still can't bring up the things that matter most to me - I'll avoid them like the plague once I'm in the room. So I email him if there's stuff I know I won't say that I need to say.

Currently he has decided that we're working on identifying my actual first emotions in situations. Which,although it sounds simple.... isn't actually all that simple for me!