Susan's Place Transgender Resources

Community Conversation => Transitioning => Therapy => Topic started by: ReplacementSarah on May 15, 2018, 11:38:28 AM

Title: Is this normal?
Post by: ReplacementSarah on May 15, 2018, 11:38:28 AM
Was supposed to have my second session this morning. We had a potential scheduling conflict with a doctor's appointment for my son, so I called my Therapist last week and left a voice mail about rescheduling. I heard nothing back from her, so we managed to reschedule my son's appointment instead.

So, I showed up for the original appointment time and there was no sign of my therapist anywhere. I mean, I get that I said I needed to reschedule, but she never contacted me back to acknowledge my message or set up a new time. It was very frustrating... my first session we barely touched on gender issues at all, and so much has happened since then that I really needed someone to talk to about.

Now I'm wondering if I need a different therapist, but of course that means starting from scratch and probably not being able to get to my actual genders issues for weeks.  >:(
Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: Deborah on May 15, 2018, 12:08:19 PM
That happened to me too.  Then they would never return my contacts with them to reschedule.  So I quit going.  You would think that people running a business would be more interested in retaining paying customers.


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Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: Laurie on May 15, 2018, 06:17:43 PM
 It is my personal opinion that if someone you are doing business with is not responsive to my needs they do not want / need my business. Dump them.

Laurie
Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: Lady Sarah on May 15, 2018, 07:34:33 PM
I have also had a psychologist fail to be at an appointment I had, and the staff failed to reschedule. All I got was "we'll call you", and I took it as " don't call us, we'll call you". I was right. A month later, I called, to find out I was not welcome there.
Find someone else.
Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: Dani on May 16, 2018, 06:36:48 AM
This happened to me once before, my therapist forgot to schedule me on her appointment list. One time is no big deal. If it happen routinely, then we have a problem.

Therapists are people too. We make mistakes. We apologize profusely. We move on. It just happens, sometimes.
Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: ReplacementSarah on May 16, 2018, 02:48:04 PM
I don't really understand it. Things seemed to go good at the first appointment, and now it's like she dropped off the face of the Earth.

Anyhow, have an appointment with a new therapist scheduled for Friday. The new one already seems much better at communication (though, tbh, any communication is an improvement), and is also located much closer.

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Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: LizK on May 16, 2018, 09:05:28 PM
Quote from: ReplacementSarah on May 16, 2018, 02:48:04 PM
I don't really understand it. Things seemed to go good at the first appointment, and now it's like she dropped off the face of the Earth.

Anyhow, have an appointment with a new therapist scheduled for Friday. The new one already seems much better at communication (though, tbh, any communication is an improvement), and is also located much closer.

Sent from my Moto E (4) using Tapatalk

Sometimes I think these therapists think they are able to help when in actual fact it becomes obvious to them that they are out of their comfort zone. I have been lucky with my therapists and  any rescheduling has been handled really well with no missed appointments. To be able to find a therapist that clicks with you is such a great thing and imho makes for much better therapy.


Hope the next one is a winner


Take care

Liz
Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: Donna on May 16, 2018, 10:46:51 PM
I have to agree with Elizabeth. You probably got a therapist that was out of their league with you. I search lots of site and noted a common trend. They all seemed to list trans under the relationship column. So I got pickier and found offices that trans was in the main section of expertise instead. I called and left a message and had a call back later that evening and an appointment. It has made a world of difference being in an office that is dedicated to us. A work around to the problem is call an endocrinologist office and ask which therapists can do the paper work for you. In the city I'm in the list is rather short but I managed to pick one from the list. If I hadn't I would have had to change offices. Another bonus for me was my counselor is also transgender and we clicked right away. Guess it was a lucky pick for me.
Title: Re: Is this normal?
Post by: ReplacementSarah on May 17, 2018, 12:27:13 AM
Quote from: Donna on May 16, 2018, 10:46:51 PM
I have to agree with Elizabeth. You probably got a therapist that was out of their league with you. I search lots of site and noted a common trend. They all seemed to list trans under the relationship column. So I got pickier and found offices that trans was in the main section of expertise instead. I called and left a message and had a call back later that evening and an appointment. It has made a world of difference being in an office that is dedicated to us. A work around to the problem is call an endocrinologist office and ask which therapists can do the paper work for you. In the city I'm in the list is rather short but I managed to pick one from the list. If I hadn't I would have had to change offices. Another bonus for me was my counselor is also transgender and we clicked right away. Guess it was a lucky pick for me.

Actually she does specialize in gender issues. When I initially reached out to her, she made it clear that she wouldn't have accepted me as a patient if I wasn't trans. It's really baffling.  ???

New therapist now, though, so I'll probably never know why the old one flaked.