Posted by cubbybear on September 20, 2003, at 5:59:57
In reply to Therapist died , posted by Lonely on September 20, 2003, at 1:16:06
I'm a regular reader/poster on this board and I don't recall reading anything (at least over the last 1-1/2 years) that touched on the subject of the death of a therapist. It was certainly worth your time to register and post; I have a feeling that a number of people will respond to your very touching note. This is a subject that probably gets shoved onto the back burners of our minds, since many of us who have been fortunate enough to get good therapists wouldn't want to think that they are mortals like all the rest of us.
If we become close to a therapist, they become like saviors of our lives, (at least this is the way I've felt) and the more we suffer from our own illnesses, the more we look forward to our sessions. They are much much more than just doctors; they are friends, confidants, mentors, and healers. They help point the way for us. They are to our minds as our mothers (and sometimes fathers) are to our hearts and physical well-being.
I myself had a terrific relationship with a psychiatrist when I lived in New York, up until 1988. After I moved to California that year, we kept in touch, and he was more than willing to mail prescriptions to my home and sometimes chat via phone at no charge, other than the cost of the phone call itself. Then I moved to Thailand in 1999 and we're STILL in touch. I can't obtain MAOI Parnate here, so he writes a prescription and sends it to my forwarding address (Mom's home) in Phoenix. We chat via phone when I return to the states for my annual visit. Our relationship has lasted for more than 20 years. I don't want to *think* of how I'll feel when he dies or even retires. This man has been a saint and savior to me for so long.
I somehow think that it would be a good idea if you could get a support group going of all your former therapists' patients, like yourself, so you could share your grief over the loss. And yet, I think that laws of confidentiality would prevent such a group from forming. Maybe you could post a message somewhere, looking to get in touch with other former patients, if you want to deal with your grief this way. If not, then rest assured that your grief is based on feelings of love and respect, and we're all here to support you at this time.
poster:cubbybear
thread:261848
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20030917/msgs/261887.html