Posted by Dinah on October 30, 2003, at 8:00:13
In reply to wondering if anyone else has experinced this, posted by Anna C. on October 29, 2003, at 20:28:35
I once decided to fire my therapist, and sounded visibly.... upset when calling the person who had been referred to me. She didn't seem at all keen on seeing me, and wouldn't unless she first got an evaluation from the pdoc she worked with. I suspect that she screened potential patients for their potential trouble to her.
I'm torn on the practice of doing that. If they're screening out all patients who might be challenging and emotionally draining, I think they just may be in the wrong job. But I've seen a lot of advice in therapy books for therapists not to take on too many challenging clients at one time for fear of burnout. And I'm guessing that suicidal can be stressful and challenging to a therapist.
Mine has an emotional detachment (self protective I'm sure, and I empathize with him). But my picture was always of him looking at me and cooly saying that he wished I had made a better choice before walking away, unaffected and mildly disapproving. My biggest therapy breakthrough came when I happened to see him wince when I discussed my plan. It made me trust that he might actually mind if I went through with it. Or maybe his foot was asleep and it was just a happy coincidence. :)
I am entirely less clear on why a therapist would desert a person who was already a client at their most vulnerable. The most charitable explanation I can think of is that he thought that he had clearly failed to help you sufficiently, and that it would be better for you to have a therapist who could be more helpful.
poster:Dinah
thread:274811
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20031030/msgs/274934.html