Seeing a counsellor re work-related issues. Tell your manager or not?

I saw a counsellor a few years ago after being signed off with work-related stress. It was great and it helped a lot. I often have issues with my boss – related to my relationship with my Dad.
Anyway, I'm currently in a situation with a particularly nasty and manipulative boss – his antics are well known and he's hated by pretty much anyone who ever has to work with him. Most people have simply refused to work with him.
I've raised it with the Head of Dept several times but he's too chicken to tackle the problem – I was warned he'd be a master of inaction when I first went to speak to him.
The point of this is that even tho I know I often have issues with my boss, this guy is known to be a horror to all and sundry and there's only so much I can do about my own behaviour to resolve the situation.
Nevertheless I'm finding myself constantly angry with him and head of dept for creating and letting the situation arise and continue. I'm now job hunting as clearly nothing's going to change.
But I also know that I could help myself by being less angry about the whole situation and was thinking about going back to my counsellor for a few sessions, if only to help get my mind in a more positive place while I find a new job. I definitely need a confidence boost if I'm going to do myself justice in interviews.
Question is, I'll have to do this during the working day. So do I tell work I have a regular doctor's appt (I could believably use physio as an excuse) or do I say 'I'm struggling to cope with my boss's behaviour which I've raised previously and is well known to you and am going to see a counsellor to get some help.'

I think that to a degree this is confrontational and they won't like it but it's also the truth and feel that they ought to at some level, take account of the impact of their failure to deal with this guy.
Any thoughts?

Lying is never a good long-term solution for any situation. Tell them the truth.

Also start keeping some notes of incidents and conversations if you can.

And good luck – not an easy situation, but don't start making stuff up as it could well come back to haunt you.

Do you have any kinf od employee rep ?

Its a tricky one.

If you want to change the situation at work and want to let your bosses bosses know what problems he is causing then use Hels advice. Be prepared to get involved in a fight / row tho.

If you want to make as few waves as possible then keep quiet.

Any reasonable boss would understand and encourage it. You don't seem to have any of those though. Tricky.

It's possible that HR/those above the master of inaction would want to know.

I'm in a similar position but I don't think I am going to make it public as the little-hitler in question runs our (small) office and is remote from the head office.

Could you not find another counsellor who can accommodate you after work?

If you think a few sessions may help then this may give you a little bit of space to see if things improve before needing to raise the issue with work.

not 😐

do I say 'I'm struggling to cope with my boss's behaviour which I've raised previously and is well known to you and am going to see a counsellor to get some help.'

Sounds perfect to me.

Speak to HR first and tell them you want them to inform your boss if you're not comfortable doing it yourself.

Sounds like things are pretty bad anyway, you're hardly likely to make them worse by taking the right course of action.

I have stopped drinking at the moment, rather strange given my career choice. I was binging alot at weekends, nothing at all till 5pm Friday, then went abit mad. I have no self control. So I stopped altogether.
The crap I am getting from my boss is unbelievable .
I have not been able to fully explain my dad was a heavy drinker and it killed him, plus now I am the wrong side of 40 the hangovers last for ever and really were starting to effect my riding.
He wants to go to the Tuckers Maltings beer festival. I want to go out on my bike. He made me work from 0530 – 2100 the other day, he tried it on the next day and when I went home ( he was out) I get a text saying 'I hate you ' because he had to cover a group visit.
Dont want to leave , dont want to stay either.
hmmm

That text is so out of order it is not true. Make sure you keep it and any other messages from your boss.

check the info on bullying on the TUC site – You need to take charge of the situation and get it stopped. Record everything – report to the bosses boss. Report to HR – just keep escalating it until you do get action.

he cannot make you work hours like that – simply against the law ( except in very particular circumstances.)

Your work should not make you ill.

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/health/bullying

Singletrackmind, that's awful!
I recommend this book -it'll help you fight back
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Sheeps-Clothing-Understanding-Dealing-Manipulative/dp/096516960X/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top