Madelijn * (27) has been dealing with her relationship with men for years, something that has taken her to a psychologist in the past. Her constant need for reassurance caused her to put men on a pedestal and to neglect herself. The fear that otherwise she would not find happiness and wasn’t worth the effort, was something she could lose herself in completely. She decided to go into treatment with NiceDay and this is her experience story.
Relapse
“A few years ago I received treatment for my mental issues, after which I was doing good again! After the completion of my treatment I remained single and mainly focused on what I wanted in life. I decided to travel, but as soon as I returned I fell into a negative spiral. I started to get involved with men again and started to value them more than I would like. That feeling terrified me; I didn’t want to fall back into that same pattern. I knew I had to do something, but I didn’t want to go back to a full therapy program. When a friend told me about the NiceDay app I decided to download it. ”
The step for help
“My friend wasn’t undergoing treatment at NiceDay, but used the app for herself. She registered her feelings and thoughts, but told me that you can also start treatment.
When I downloaded the app I had mixed feelings about the online treatment. The app made seeking help easy and accessible. However, I wasn’t sure if you could really express your feelings through video calling. It had its pros and cons, but I decided to try it; it doesn’t hurt to try. ”
The first contact
“Before you get into contact with a NiceDay practitioner, first you must fill in a few things. That took some figuring out, but as soon as I started doing this I noticed that it felt good to write down my thoughts. I really liked writing down everything that goes on in your head, with the idea that there is someone who reads and thinks along without judgment!
The NiceDay Team linked me to the therapist Sarah, based on the information I entered. I had a good relationship with her and I really appreciated the contact we had. She was always calm and listened carefully. In the end I also liked the video calling; you can simply have the sessions from the comfort of your own home and schedule them at a time that suits you. ”
Registrations in the app
“During the therapy that I had before, I also had to do assignments, but it sometimes felt like I had to do homework. Back then I didn’t feel like doing that at all. I found writing via the app a lot more pleasant; this time I really did it for myself, because I knew and felt what I was going to get out of it. It didn’t feel like a huge task or assignment, because you can easily fill in a few things on your phone. It felt like I could write about whatever I wanted, it didn’t matter that much!
I regularly used the registrations in the app: I tried to fill in the diary every day, but I also used the feelings tracker when I could not find the words to write it down. The writing itself already helped me with my complaints. I also really liked that you can adjust the registrations at any time; whether you fill it in today, tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.”
Would you recommend NiceDay?
“NiceDay was the helping hand I needed. I wasn’t looking for a full treatment, but wanted to discuss the things that I actually already knew with someone else. The writing and registration is very much up to you, so you have to have a certain discipline to keep up with that. But that also means that you can help yourself very well. I would definitely recommend the app; I’ve even done this several times! ”
Madelijn received online help through the NiceDay app. Would you like to know more about online help via NiceDay? Click here for more information.
* Madelijn’s real name is known to the editors
