What's wrong with my therapist?

[QUOTE=Hummingbird1950;6613116]
I wonder if they just don't care. Patients must be complaining about her disturbing behavior, including having that picture there. She probably denies having it. But it looks like everything is just being swept under the carpet. I would bet they are just not doing anything about the complaints.

I wonder if many providers left due to being really unsatisfied there.

I am so glad that you don't have to go back there. I hope things go well with your new therapist!

Hello Going ~ She is a Psychologist, the only one at that practice and the only therapist that accepts Medicare, so guessing she's a keeper for now. It's easy to get an appointment with her. Looking at her calendar, it's wide open for appointments throughout the week.


Yes, the providers have a revolving door, major complaints on yelp.com about this. Will continuing looking elsewhere for a new psych doc as I don't want to have anymore to do with this practice.


I have set up two appointments with the new therapist for next week, so, fingers crossed, she will be okay. But will continue looking anyway, don't want to put all my eggs in one basket again, options are important.


Thanks for your continued support and validation, soo very important.

Birdie





[QUOTE=Going Ballistic;6613257]

Oops mistake

Hummingbird1950

Oh sorry. I think I misunderstood you. I thought you had found another psychologist in another practice.

She is so horrifying that it is not surprising that she has many openings.

I really hope that you can get into a Day program.

Please correct me if I misunderstood you.

Good morning Going ~ You got it right, I did find another psychologist in another practice and I have two appointments with her next week, so no worries

Yes, the psychologist I just saw last week that has many openings is easily explained. I'm soo relieved that I never have to go back to her again. Some of her comments are still haunting me. I hope to work out some of the fears that arose seeing the former psychologist with the new psychologist next week.

Good to hear from you.

Birdie

Hi!

Oh that is really good news! I am so glad that you don't have to go back to her again! I bet your next psychologist would be better. I agree that it would be a good idea to discuss being traumatized by her with the new psychologist.


Thank you for explaining. Please update us on how things with the new psychologist go. Good luck with your new doctor.

Thank you Going . I hope the new psychologist pans out, as I have a propensity of selecting all the wrong ones.


I usually do alot of research before I make an appointment, so taking a leap of faith on this new one as there was nothing out there about her, other than her license history which was all good.


I'll let you know how it goes.

Birdie

Hi Hummingbird1950!

That is very wise of you to do your research on whoever you are going to see. When we need to see someone, it is so easy to just go to whoever is available. So good job on doing your homework!

If I remember correctly, you mentioned that this new psychologist has good reviews and has been in practice for a long time. I think it would be safe to say that you more than likely will find yourself on earth and not the Twilight Zone or another planet. It is just unfortunate that you now have even more trauma to process on because of that witch. That picture that you mentioned is very disturbing among everything else she said and did to you. I don't blame you for not being able to forget what happened. It would really be stuck on my mind. I would have a hard time focusing on anything. Have you ever done EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE (EFT)? I was thinking that you could try this in the meantime. I mean even two or three days of waiting is a loooong time. I will look for the YouTube video on it.

I wanted to also mention that Biofeedback can be very helpful for trauma victims. It doesn't matter what type of trauma that you've experienced.

Hello Going ~ I wrote a detailed message back to you but it never made it here, so hope I am not duplicating my reply.

Yes, I did research on the new therapist, she is clear with her license but there is nothing online adverse or anything at all. So, taking this as no news is good news.

I will look up YouTube for EFT and see how that will work and I do biofeedback. I have a program called Heart Math.


I want to commend you, Going, for your very helpful comments and following my thread. It has helped me tremendously and I will never forget your comment about "The Twilight Zone", hahahaha.



Birdie

Hi Hummingbird!

You are very welcome! I am really glad that I could be of some help.

I think the EFT video that I was referring to was taken down. But, here is a similar one YouTube

That is great that you are already doing Biofeedback. I have heard of Heart Math before. Do you find Biofeedback to be helpful? How long are your sessions? What are they like?

Biofeedback is complicated, esp with Heart Math. You almost need a degree to understand the instructions and how to read out the results.

Essentially, one puts an attachment to one finger and another into the computer, while Heart Math is up on the screen and opened. It starts reading my heart rate. Basically you stare at a screen that is black and white and the more you relax and can focus solely on the picture and your heart rate is in what they call "Coherence", then the picture will slowly turn colors and in one of my favorites, animals and flowers at a pond will appear and color in. You can save your work. I don't do this on a regular basis, which I should. Like anything, it takes alot of time and practice.


Do I feel better when doing this biofeedback, not, not really. But overtime, I am guessing one will reap the benefits. I have trouble sticking to anything like this as my mood fluctuates soo much, one day I am keen on it and then months will go back and I will start it back up again.


One has to be very disciplined to stick with this, which, sadly, I am not.


The program is much more complicated than what I explained to you, there are many more reports one can generate on their mindfulness and how it affects heart rate. It really is a very unique method, just have to remain committed.

Hope this helps some *smiles*

Birdie

Thank you for the explanation. It certainly does help. I realize there are many different types of biofeedback. I knew people going for EEG Neurofeedback. They simply would have electrodes attached to certain areas of their head and they would sit and watch a game for about an hour or so. Depending on the client's response, the provider would move the electrodes around the head and set up new treatment protocols during the patients treatment.

What do you think of writing a letter to the psychologist that traumatized you? Are you considering doing a Yelp review on her?

Hello Going ~ When I see the psych doc at the scary psychologist's office, I'll talk to her about what happened. May put it up on Yelp.com.

That's interesting about doing an EEG with biofeedback. There are alot of impressive studies, but I never get included in any of this nor seeing anything published on this. My former psych doc used to travel to NIMH to present difficult cases for help. He would travel up there several times a month. He is a very bright intelligent psych doc and I miss him soo.


Today, having a fear reaction over going to see the new psychologist. I physically shut down when the emotions are too intense, so I feel incredibly sleepy and having a difficult time getting myself motivated to go. Trying breathing techniques and playing internet games to distract and of course playing with my cat too, but nothing is working.


With knees knocking, I'll be heading down in a few hours to leave the safety of my home. With Agoraphobia, it makes it tough to leave home anyway.


How are you doing?


Birdie

So... saw the new therapist today and I think she will do just fine. She was very interactive, called me by name, very empathetic and validating. I will be going back to her on Thursday and then once a week thereafter.

Now the new dilemma with the new psychiatrist. I bought secondary insurance so that I would not have a copayment. Talking with that group today, they will continue to collect a co-payment until 90 days have passed and I cannot afford the 20%, so I guess I will continue to look for a new psych doctor and not go back to that practice, which in a way is a relief not to go back there.

So, all in all, it was a very good day !!

Birdie

Glad new T worked out Birdie!

Thank you Kitty !! Me toooo.


She's my age, so she gets what I have been going thru. She seems someone I can nestle down with and enjoy my experience with her.


She doesn't miss a beat with me either.


Birdie

Hi Humminbird!

I am sorry that I didn't get back to you before you went to your new psychologist. I wanted to wish you well and to tell you to hang in there. I knew you must have been very nervous and scared! Congratulations on finding a much much better one than the last one!!!!! I am really happy for you.

If you don't mind me asking, did you get to tell her about what happened to you. I know that that was so traumatizing. I wonder if you can get your money back for that visit. That was not a visit. But, I am happy and relieved for you that she seems like someone you can work with. At least, she doesn't have 2 heads, you know.

I'm sorry about the financial struggle regarding the new psychiatrist. You know if you get into a Day program, you can more than likely get assigned to a psychiatrist there. I hope you can get either one soon. In the meantime, if you are already set on your medications, you can ask your primary care doctor to prescribe them for you. This would be until you find a new psychiatrist or enter a day program were they would more than likely have one available to you.

Thank you for updating us! I am happy for you!!

That is such a good idea Going, thank you !! I never thought of going back to my primary and asking for my psych meds until I get straightened out with a new psych doc. She did order me a months supply of Klonopin in the hopes I would get settled with a new psych doc. So, will send her a text tomorrow to inquire if she will agree to this. Wow, you have such insight and great ideas !!!

Once I was in the car and traveling and chatting with my volunteer driver, one of my favorites, I calmed down and enjoyed the ride there. I am very familiar with the location of this office as it's right across the street from where I used to live.


She had a beautiful office, very large with lots of sunny windows looking over a sunny pasture. Very comfortable chairs and pretty wall hangings too (no scary pictures) and she was funny and I immediately relaxed and then..................came some of her tough questions............. and it scared me that she might decide not to see me again, so I did not tell her everything. She kept trying to get me to admit I dissociate, but I kept deferring to the fact that it might be absonse seizures I have as actually there is really no test to determine either. I did not tell her I have BiPolar ll, but she knows my s. ideations and my many hospitalizations in the past. I have had two instances in the past where a therapist has turned me away due to my diagnoses which has made me very gunshy, so I slowly want to let her know about being BiPolar. She got stuck on my former spouse, the sociopath and she kept asking if I was still in contact with him and had I seen him recently and looked hard at me when I told her about going thru a domestic violence women's shelter for safety against former spouse. So, I got most of the worst over with. She did agree to see me on Thursday and the following Thursday and she really didn't seem to want my co-payment, she said it will all come out in the wash, she was not worried. But the three issues she is concerned with is ... do I dissociate, where is the former spouse and not knowing I have BiPolar. Other than that, the whole hour went smashingly well.


No, I did not tell her about that other therapist, yet. We did talk about the peculiarities of my former psych doc and his business arrangements which were very odd and worrisome and she concurred that it was best not to go back to him.


So, I am looking forward to seeing my new therapist in two days, yay !! I hope she will continue to see me, feeling very vulnerable over this.

Birdie

Hi Hummingbird1950!

Thanks for the update! It sounds like there is a good chance that your Primary Care Physician will agree to prescribe your medication for you. I am sure that she will understand your situation. I wonder if it might be a good idea to go and see her. It might be easier to explain everything in person than in a text message. I hope she agrees to it!

I am so very sorry that you have been in a domestic violence relationship with your ex-husband. I am sorry for the trauma that he caused you. Your psychologist is very, very concerned about you. I am too. I am glad that you shared all of that with her. Please be safe.

What a nice change! She is a keeper. She is more concerned about your safety and you getting the help that you need than getting paid. On top of that, she is funny and she makes you feel very relaxed. I am really happy for you! I agree that you should tell her about your bipolar 2 diagnosis. I get the impression that you can trust her. I hope all of your appointments go well with her. I think that she will continue to see you; otherwise, she wouldn't have agreed to another appointment! But, I understand your being nervous and anxious.

Good luck to you with everything. Also, please be safe.

Hummingbird1950!

I forgot to mention this in my previous post. Have you ever read The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker? It is a very informative book that I believe you might find helpful. The author is a world widely know expert on violence and protection. He runs an enormous security agency and has also provided his expertise to police departments, the CIA, and other government officials.

Here is a video of him giving a talk to college students: YouTube