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Therapist informed me he is taking extended break

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FauxLiz

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For four years I felt safe and trusting/trusted with my therapist. Then 11 months ago my life turned upside down I had to relocate for work and it took me 6 months to find a therapist that I thought I could build safety and trust with (after two horrible attempts) so this new therapist and we have been working together regularly since January. I arrived at our session today and he handed me a piece of paper. His wife has been accepted to a 13 week educational program in another state beginning in September and he will be temporarily relocating with her. What this means is that as his client I have one of four options, 1) teletherapy on a much reduced schedule while he is gone for 3 and 1/2 months with the possibility of two in person sessions when he makes short trips back, 2) Wrap up treatment before he leaves, 3) Take a reprieve from therapy while he is gone and resume when he returns, or 4) transition to another therapist.

I feel lost, I was just beginning to consider another admission to River Oaks but I know I can't do that without an outpatient therapist. I was also supposed to have an initial consult for ketamine infusion therapy today but they are behind and it has been pushed out at least another week. I don't know what I am going to do, I can't try to find another therapist. I applied to a new job that would take me back to the area that I lived previously so possibly a return to my long term therapist. I just feel like I can't get a break when in comes to my mental health treatments and I just hate everything in my life right now.
 
The timing might actually work quite well, if you schedule your inpatient stay towards the end of his leave instead of the beginning?

I applied to a new job that would take me back to the area that I lived previously so possibly a return to my long term therapist.

Ditto... if I’m remembering correctly the holidays are a particularly bad time for you? So the added support of inpatient care in Dec (or Nov?), the vacation time from your last job / added space before starting your next one, and maaaaaaybe even saving on at least 1 months rent AND having 2 badass therapists (your old one, and this one) as you transition from inpatient to new job/home?

There are a lot of moving pieces right now, for sure... but the whole thing sounds like it might just work out amazingly well for you.
 
Oh so sorry! I know how difficult it was to find this therapist!
I think if you work well together maybe take the telesession into consideration? You could do that plus see him those one or two times he visits, plusbmaybe have another referral for someone’s you can see in person once in a while if something pressing comes up. By then hopefully you’ll know if you’re staying or moving back to your old area. Best of luck! You got this.
 
@wishforescape I have tried telesessions before and I don't like them there always seems to be a lag with the video, I don't feel like I can trust that they are alone because all you see is where the camera is facing. I understand that it can be helpful and if it were only going to be a couple sessions but 3 1/2 months without face to face sessions would be a waste of time and money. I am leaning toward just taking a break from therapy. I don't have it in me to try and transition to a new T again right now.
 
When will you know about the job? Before Sept? This seems like really bad luck but maybe, like Friday says, it will actually work out to be a good thing in the end.
 
It is a government job so the timeframe for finding out is very vague. I would like to know by September but I can't say for sure. I would like to believe that something will work out but I am as usual not to optimistic.
 
Therapy curveballs are rough. But, don’t get stuck on the downsides. There are some upsides. Perhaps as a telehealth therpaist he can help you sill get plugged back into River Oaks where you get face to face treatment that you did find really helpful before. Not an ideal way to get there, but maybe doable? I don’t much like telehealth either - the eye contact is all weird. But he’s kept his office private he likely has the ethics to keep the telehealth private. You were facing less than ideal options picking this therpaist but you did the best you could with what you had and it worked out well enough that this is a disappointment. This had to be hard to hear but it might actually have some flexibility you need as you make other changes and invest in your recovery in other ways.
 
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