Posted by AKC on July 9, 2001, at 21:03:42
In reply to Re: How do you interview your shrink!!?, posted by judy1 on July 9, 2001, at 20:36:12
Everyone deserves the best shrink and therapist. I don't know quite how I have ended up with the team I have, but I feel I currently have the best shrink and therapist for me. I've shared this story about my pdoc before on this page or psycho-babble. I had moved to KC two years ago, was having a melt-down, my therapist was out-of-town, and her stand-in was insistent that I get in with someone. The first office she had me call was of no help (like getting me in in a few days, when I needed to be seen ASAP). She gave me the name of my current pdoc, who could not see me the next day, but who hooked me up with a pyschiatric nurse practioner who could. That next evening, that pdoc personnally called to make sure I had been seen - even though I was not her patient. I knew then I wanted to be her patient. I ended up in the hospital a couple of weeks later - and was seen by three different doctors over the three days I was there. Someone, I think judy1, posted that you can sense when there is a fit - I knew none of these doctors fit - first, they were all guys - and I knew I would better work with a woman (nothing against guys in general, just a preference, being a woman and all). So I called my pdoc and asked her to take me on and she agreed (boy, if she had only known - but I do pay my bills on time!) Anyway, while my pdoc came recommended, in so many ways, I lucked into finding her.
As far as my therapist goes, my old therapist in my previous city hooked me up. I thought my old therapist was pretty good - until I hooked up with my new one. I have a pretty big problem with trust. And I have begun, after two years of pretty big stuff to start to trust this person.
In both of these situations, recommendations were at the root. In both of these situations there was a sense I had early on that it was a pretty good fit. And in both of these situations, it has taken about two years for me to develop a trust that I'm in the right place. I had more "run-ins" with my pdoc than with my therapist, but I think that has to do with the fact that we don't see each other as often - but amazingly so, she has at times actually apologized for being wrong - something I didn't believe (wrongly) any doctor was very capable of.
I know now that I will be on meds the rest of my life. My pdoc is in her early to mid 50s (I'm 36) - I try not to think that she will retire someday. I'll be in therapy a long time to - with my therapist in her early 50s (same worry). I am just grabbing on and running with it for my life right now. If I could, I would grab on for everyone. I get so mad when I hear or read about different horror stories. I take it way too personally. But it gets back to my first line of this post - everyone, and I truly believe this, everyone deserves the best - life just deals too many of us - especially us who post here - shitty hands sometimes. Those of you who have not yet found the right shrink or the right therapist - keep looking - if I got lucky, so can you.
poster:AKC
thread:7208
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20010706/msgs/7269.html