Posted by Dinah Seeks Support on March 7, 2014, at 20:23:20
Nearly three weeks ago, I got a call from someone saying that my therapist had a family emergency and would call in a couple of weeks when he returned to town. I assumed it had something to do with his elderly parent. The person definitely said "family emergency" and "back in town".
Today I got an impersonal email addressed to me from my therapist. It was in first person. He apologized several times, said that he was out on emergency medical leave for an undetermined duration, and wasn't able to schedule new or current clients for a minimum of four months, probably more. He said he didn't know at this time when he might be able to come back. He gave a name of someone he had never mentioned before, and suggested that I contact him to "continue your treatment".
I suppose I should be glad it didn't happen earlier in therapy. Now I am often late to appointments and cancelling several. Obviously I'm not as dependent as I once was.
But somehow that isn't helping the fear. I've seen him twice a week for twenty years. Obviously something is very wrong with someone I care about a lot, but I don't know what. The impersonal nature of the note frightens me.
I guess there's nothing I can do. I have no desire to "continue my treatment" with this stranger, and I'm not sure I need to unless he can tell me what's wrong with my therapist. I think I'm just finished, and am determined not to care about anyone ever again outside my immediate family.
I don't even know what I'm feeling, other than anxious.
poster:Dinah Seeks Support
thread:1062006
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20131211/msgs/1062006.html