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Cuddling is always a good thing. I am thinking of buying a giant teddybear. Picking the cat up for a minute helps too.

I'm not into animals or cuddly toys...sorry

Define "real man". One of those guys on the dating sites who have nothing but pics of their tatts, bikes and themselves with beers in their hand? That means "yobbo" to me.

Well I guess that is really in the eye of the beholder I guess.

It depends on the person. Some people prefer professionals. I would never date a "tradie" the last guy I dated was Australian and a software programmer.

Not really, most men these days aren't "real" men, just a bunch of w*kers that think they are real men.

At the end of the day, you will know if you come across a real man like when you know if you come across a real woman, I have personally only met 2 "real" women in my life that make me drool, most other women are pretty much meh to me as they have blonde hair and go for the "obvious beauty" look.

lol, you'd never date a tradie? That's a little pathetic. I'd never date whatever you are with an attitude like that.

This phrase struck me as curious. The psychotherapist I was with for 3 years was very open about working on things that I wanted to change. But as we worked on breaking down certain barriers, it became clear that I had very precious attachments to detrimental psychological states of mind.

This is why your statement struck me as curious. I had the same reaction in therapy a number of times. My anger at the world had become such a part of my personality, I wanted to hold on to it. In order to hold on to that anger, I exaggerated, to myself, what my therapist was trying to do: Namely trying to change me into something I wasn't. Which, as it turns out, wasn't true at all. In fact, what she was trying to do, and in fact ended up doing, was help me RECLAIM the person I was before I had accumulated all this detrimental anger.

I really don't think psychologists work to change ENITIRE personalities. That is a defense mechanism used by the patient to rationalize remaining stuck. It's resistance. Our mind does ridiculous things to sabotage us sometimes, especially if we're stuck in a destructive pattern to begin with.

I realize you said you feel like you can't afford such therapy. That may or may not be another rationalization to remain stuck. When I was in therapy, it was $50 per session, and I had 2 sessions per week for 2 years, and then 1 session a week for 1 year. At $400 a month, it was pretty expensive (even with a rate that is fairly low). And there were many times when I got pissed at my therapist, and then tried to justifying leaving because I couldn't afford it (which was a lie to myself). So being able to afford the cost really is something only you can decide...but you have to be extremely honest with yourself.

That's fine, you're welcome to choose who you do or don't want to date.
Tradies are often crude, and I don't understand their lifestyle. I'm generally not attracted to the type of people tradies are.

This is quite interesting statement:-

This is the facts - I get a Chiropractic Appointment once a month at $50 per month, I get $35 back out of that, which only costs me $15 per month. Psychotherapists appointments are more important than a Chiropractic Appointment - so the Health Funds, really have to lift their game - and quickly.

The medicare benefit/mental health care plan over covers 12 sessions though, then you have to get the GP to endorse another 6 if needed, then when they're spent...you have to pay full price per session.

I think the plan was originally created for people who only need a few sessions, not for people who need months of intensive psychotherapy.

Sure. Thanks for the clarification. As MJC said, above, there really needs to be a fix for the system.

I will offer this suggestion. Not sure how it works in Australia. I found my therapist through a University program that trains therapists for professional work under the guidance of qualified practitioners -- you know, similar to the way medical school graduates work for a few years under the mentorship of fully qualified doctors. Anyway, perhaps there are such programs in Australia. It was significantly cheaper than standard rates.

Maybe I dunno. I know some universities in Australia that run Psychology courses have a clinic on campus staffed by graduates (can even recall a past member here getting DX'ed with AS at one). It depends whereabouts the OP lives I guess. Regional areas pretty much suck in terms of services and access to them, as I should know.

I was thinking about how messed up the cost of mental health services are. The people who need it most are likely least able to afford it because the issues they suffer from can prevent them from earning enough money.

Sorry, this is off topic and not helping the OP at all...

I've been on one of those plans for about four years. It's 12 sessions per calendar year, every year, so long as a GP will renew the plan. How you choose to use those 12 sessions is up to you - use them all up in 6 weeks or spread them out over a year. I also don't pay anything for my sessions, but that may be because I am on DSP.