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dumped by therapist

Discussion in 'General Support and Advice' started by CL1990, Sep 10, 2018.

  1. CL1990

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    sorry this is not LGBT related but i have been seing a therapist for almost 2 years and before the summer break she mentioned terminating therapy but then started talking about something else...

    fast forward to the back of holidays we havnt had any appointments but she texted saying she has other comitments and cant see me anymore. i dont know how to feel but i do know im quite upset and kind of disapointed. its all mixed feelings really cuz i feel i have progressed so much and im grateful to her but it all feels quite sudden and via text i feel like i dont have a clean ending...life i guess!any similar experiences or advice please?
     
  2. Lexa

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    I had a therapist once that told me after 5 sessions that she couldn't help me anymore... Just like that, without mentioning another option...

    Did your therapist give you other options? Because I think she should have. I think it's wrong to just send people away.

    Anyway, I think there is nothing you can do except look for another therapist.
     
    #2 Lexa, Sep 10, 2018
    Last edited: Sep 10, 2018
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  3. Chip

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    In both of these cases, this is a pretty serious violation of the therapist's ethical responsibility to his or her client.

    It's perfectly reasonable for a therapist to say "I don't feel like my skills are the best match for what you need, and I don't think continuing therapy would be in your best interest". The therapist should then offer referrals (ones that s/he has vetted and feels like would be a good fit.) But to say "I have other commitments" or "I can't help you" is just wrong, and, to be honest, would be actionable against the therapist's license, at least in California.

    I'm sorry this happened to both of you. I do agree that simply finding another therapist may be the best way forward. And talking about your experience with the previous therapist will be one of the first topics of discussion with the new one.
     
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  4. CL1990

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    thabk you both for your replies...the truth is i feel a bit heartbroken but i guess it is what it is and the more i think about it the worse i feel about myself
     
  5. Chip

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    It would be very, very reasonable to text or call her. If it were me, I'd say that this feels like client abandonment, and from an ethical perspective, at the very least, she owes it to you to have a couple of sessions for closure, and to refer you to someone she knows and trusts. No matter how busy she is, she should do that. The concept of client abandonment is in the ethical codes of just about every state licensing board for psychotherapists, and it is one of the worst violations a therapist can commit, simply because of what you are experiencing right now.

    You owe it to yourself and your well being to ask for what you need. If she doesn't respond, or isn't helpful, then at that point, I would file an ethical complaint. If you decided you wanted to do that and need help doing so, PM me.
     
  6. Melkay88

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    I’m sorry that happened to you. I’m a therapist and I cannot imaging terminating someone over a text message. This is absolutely an ethical violation and you can file a report with her licensing board if you like. Ethically, she is required to at least refer you to someone else.

    That said, please don’t give up on finding help. There are therapists out there who would be more than happy to help you. Her behavior has nothing to do with you as a person... it sounds as if she’s dealing with some problems of her own.
     
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  7. CL1990

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    thank you guys for taking the time to reply...i feel bad because i feel like i was thinking about terminating therapy because during the summer break i felt super confortable with my sexuality that was the main reason for me to be there...i just feel it wasnt the clean break i expected but i think ill just take it as a new challenge to acxept that things cant always go my way and that is ok. thanks again for your replies!