My Therapist Is Gone

[BlackbirdSinging]

I haven't had therapy for two weeks now. The first week I got a call from my therapist's office saying she was sick. The next week I got a call saying she was still sick and was going to be out for another two weeks. This morning I got a call that my therapist is going to be out indefinitely. They don't know why other than it's personal. They don't know if she'll be back. But they hope she will.

In the meantime they're giving me another therapist. I'm trying to be positive but I can't help thinking I'm going to go backwards. I'm going to have first establish some level of trust and then I'm going to have to at least cover my complex trauma all over again and probably from the beginning. I hope my therapist and her family are ok. But I can't help feeling frustrated.

 

[Lucycat]

This has really made me think! I have only ever had one therapist - and it is nearly 4 years now. I just cannot imagine starting afresh with a new T if mine got sick. I think I would find it hard to continue with therapy - refuse a new T and then have no where to turn when I next hit a crisis. Not a good plan at all.

I am glad that you have been offered somebody new, even though it must be really hard. I think frustration is an understatement!

I don't think you should expect to go backwards but maybe not move forwards either for a session or two.I assume that your T will have kept some records that the new T can read first before meeting with you so at least he has the heads up.

Do let us know how it goes when you have your first session with replacement T.

 

[Joan]

So sorry this has happened to you. I have had several therapists and so understand the frustration and fear. Surely your prior T can share some things with the new one so he/she at least has a little background. Give yourself time to build that trust though...that is vital. hope that it works out...maybe even better than before...try to be kind to yourself in the meantime.

 

[Lady of Longbourn]

I am very sorry about your therapist.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

I am glad that you have been offered somebody new, even though it must be really hard. I think frustration is an understatement!

It's a bit scary. And I feel a little guilty because clearly there was some kind of emergency. But I can't help feeling frustrated. I know notes will be read and all that which kind of makes me feel a little vulnerable knowing my deepest and darkest are going to be read by a stranger. Even if that stranger is a professional. It's still someone I don't know yet and they're going to know really private information about me before I even meet her. I'm just really kind of struggling with this. I'm trying to be positive but it's not easy.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

Thank you everyone. I really appreciate your support. It's scary. And I definitely feel like I have to put where I'm at now on hold to do a review of sorts. I'm not too happy about that because there's still a lot I haven't covered yet. And some I've just touched on. I've had so many secrets for so long. I only started therapy this past November. So it's almost been a year opening up about all of this. And it kind of feels like I'm going to have to start all over again.

 

[ninja]

Blackbird,

Could you request that the new T not read the notes until after the first three or four sessions? Do you think that would help you?

Sending support and :hug:

 

[LisawithPTSD]

Its hard to find a good therapist and starting all over is just as bad. I hope the new one is good for you. Maybe it will be a good thing.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

Ninja that's a really good idea. I wish I would have thought to ask that when I got the call the other day. I'm not sure if it's too late to ask now because I have my first appointment with the new therapist on Wednesday.

Lisa you're so right. I'm trying to be positive and think maybe this therapist will be better than my other one. Not that she was bad because she wasn't. But I'm just trying to think of the positive things.

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

I'm trying hard to fight this on my own. But I can feel how hard it is to do without therapy. I need therapy so bad now that it almost takes over my anxiety about my new therapist. I need it bad. I'm really starting to struggle.

 

[Joan]

Hang on...when is your appt with the new therapist? Here with you...you are not alone during this wait period,

 

[BlackbirdSinging]

Thank you so much Joan. I've been having such a hard time for the past few days. I had a nightmare the other night that made me so anxious all the next day. And then I had a series of disturbing dreams all last night too. So I've been an anxious mess all day today. More than the other 2 days.

My appointment is Wednesday. Every time I think about it I feel myself get anxious. But at this point I need a session so bad I almost don't care. I'm just not looking forward to putting my recent struggles on hold to catch the new therapist up on what's gone on with me in the past couple of weeks.