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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 8 of 8. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 13:27:12
I know this sounds insipid on a board for professional therapists and experienced patients, but I have to ask and don't know where else to go. My second session with a psychotherapist is next week, we're supposed to discuss my 'history'. My 'history' is exactly why I didn't want to seek therapy. How do I overcome the anxiety of trying to explain my 'history' to a total stranger? My primary concern at the moment is confidentiality. The referral to this therapist came from a free counseling program at the office; the company pays for this therapy, ergo, I am convinced that the company will have access to the therapists notes and my 'history'. Any suggestions? FYI I've been on thyroid meds for many years, and have started effexor for depression, I contacted the phone counseling program voluntarily and voluntarily followed up with their recommended local therapist....sallyb
Posted by Poet on March 5, 2005, at 15:12:23
In reply to therapy anxiety, posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 12:11:36
Hi sallyb,
I guess after 2 1/2 years I am an experienced therapy patient, but I struggle each session with opening up.
Reveal the parts of your 'history' that you are most comfortable sharing. Talking about things that you want to keep buried isn't easy and your T should understand that. Some people can just walk in and blurt it out, some people can't. Trust takes time to build. Your T should understand that, too.
What you say in therapy and any notes taken should be completely confidential. Your company may receive billing statements since they are paying for it (like my health insurance company does)but no notes or diagnosis or anything else personal.
My T has my written permission to talk to my (now former, I fired him, long story) pdoc and vice versa. But both said they would not talk to each other without telling me first.
The only exception to the can't tell anyone rule is if you say you are going to hurt yourself or someone else. Then your therapist can notify your family, and anyone else who can help you not to hurt yourself. This happened to me last year when I told her I was going to kill myself. It's a good exception to confidentiality.
Let us know how it went. You have support here. This board is for everybody.
Poet
Posted by messadivoce on March 5, 2005, at 15:33:45
In reply to therapy anxiety, posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 12:11:36
Welcome to Babble! I know that in an insurance situation, often the T will have to make note of some symptoms the patient is having, in order to justify continuing treatment. I don't know if it's different when your workplace is paying for treatment. But I think that's an excellent question to start off your next session. How much do you write down? Who has access? Don't be afraid to ask. It's your history.
Voce
Posted by alexandra_k on March 5, 2005, at 16:38:32
In reply to therapy anxiety, posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 12:11:36
Yeah, I think voce's suggestion was a good one. Ask them. Ask them whether they write detailed notes or just a general outline. Ask who can access that. Ask what they will and will not tell if your company requests information.
Trust does take time to build.
Part of that trust is in trusting them that what you say is confidential. That is a huge part of therapy and your therapist should realise that.
I hope your appointment works out well.
Let us know how it goes!PS Welcome to Babble :-)
Posted by TamaraJ on March 5, 2005, at 18:44:32
In reply to therapy anxiety, posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 12:11:36
My understanding of an "Employee Assistance" type program of therapy is that, like any other type of therapy, it is confidential. The only time the therapist might reveal something (and this would be required by law, or at least it is in Canada) is if the patient revealed during a session that they were going to harm her/himself or another. I would think that the therapist you are seeing would have a document explaining the confidential nature of the service, which you would read and sign signalling your understanding of the services provided. So as not to sabotage your therapy, I would suggest that you raise this with the therapist.
Good luck to you.
Tamara
> I know this sounds insipid on a board for professional therapists and experienced patients, but I have to ask and don't know where else to go. My second session with a psychotherapist is next week, we're supposed to discuss my 'history'. My 'history' is exactly why I didn't want to seek therapy. How do I overcome the anxiety of trying to explain my 'history' to a total stranger? My primary concern at the moment is confidentiality. The referral to this therapist came from a free counseling program at the office; the company pays for this therapy, ergo, I am convinced that the company will have access to the therapists notes and my 'history'. Any suggestions? FYI I've been on thyroid meds for many years, and have started effexor for depression, I contacted the phone counseling program voluntarily and voluntarily followed up with their recommended local therapist....sallyb
Posted by Dinah on March 5, 2005, at 21:00:41
In reply to therapy anxiety, posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 12:11:36
My company pays directly for my therapy through a reimbursement program, and the diagnosis they got was pretty unspecific. Truthful, but nothing that would give them tons of information.
But in formal employee assistance programs, they're usually run by an outside company, and there is a ironclad screen for confidentiality, unless you are a danger to yourself or others.
I agree with everyone else. The best thing to do is to ask your therapist what the procedures are, and decide from there what to do.
Good luck, and let us know how it goes?
Posted by sallyb on March 6, 2005, at 10:57:18
In reply to Re: therapy anxiety, posted by Dinah on March 5, 2005, at 21:00:41
Posted by antigua on March 7, 2005, at 15:21:03
In reply to therapy anxiety, posted by sallyb on March 5, 2005, at 12:11:36
When I first saw a T suggested through an EAP program, I was only allowed to see her six times. I didn't know what this meant at first, but I certainly wasn't finished after six visits (13 years later I'm still here!!), so she was required to refer me out. I ended up telling my "history" twice, which was troublesome to me. I'm just suggesting that you check the ground rules first so there are no surprises.
Welcome to babble!
antigua
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