Posted by mair on October 21, 2004, at 16:10:46
In reply to taking out the therapy component, posted by Joslynn on October 21, 2004, at 13:32:32
I did this, but not quite in the same way.
I saw my ex pdoc for regular therapy for about 2 years, then for less regular therapy for maybe another 2 years. At some point I decided that I needed to go back to weekly therapy sessions but I didn't want to do it with him. I asked him for a referral to a therapist who did short term CBT. I couched things in this way solely because I didn't really want to hurt his feelings. (he could be touchy). I knew he didn't do that kind of therapy so I figured he wouldn't be as offended if I left him to switch to another kind of therapy. He gave me the name of my current T and until he retired a couple of years ago, I continued with him for periodic meds checks.
To be honest, things were a little awkward, maybe particularly after it became clear to him that I had settled into long term therapy with my new T. I didn't see him all that often because I wasn't making many meds changes, and had been on the meds I was taking for a pretty long time. Usually my T would insist that I coordinate my pdoc appointments to coincide with times when she was going to be away, but I did feel defensive whenever we got off the issue of meds. After I had been seeing the new T maybe about 1 1/2 years, my pdoc announced that he was going to retire. It was around this time that it became abundantly evident that I really did need to make a meds change. I held off longer than I should have so I could start new meds with a new pdoc.
I honestly think he lost some interest in me after we stopped therapy and I certainly lost some interest in him. I think this hindered me some working with him on meds.
Some of the defensiveness may also just be me. I like the pdoc I have now, but I don't really like it when she asks me therapy-type questions. I tend to stiffen up when she gets too personal.
Hope this helps.
Mair
poster:mair
thread:405498
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20041016/msgs/405559.html