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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 17 of 17. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
I signed up for this thing, which tracks emails, and lets you know when your email was opened, how many times, and how many times it's been forwarded.
So, that week, after my T told me we were to terminate, i sent him several emails. I, understandably, was in terrible state, scared and angry and confused and in diebelief. So i pored my heart out in those emails. And guess what, this online tracking thing tell me that some of those email have been forwarded up to three times! Wtf?
Who did he let read my letters? Is he allowed to do that? Why did he do that? Was he consulting someone? But he himself is experienced and a supervisor to other Ts. Was he just talking about me to a buddy, like, Hey, i have this client, look what she wrote.
This whole termination thing, together with email-forwarding mystery, makes me feel so tired.
Posted by Maria01 on August 27, 2008, at 0:07:41
In reply to My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
Wow. That was unethical and maybe illegal. It might be a good idea to find out if you signed a Release of Information form when you first filled out your new client paperwork. Even then, information is only limited to disclosures to an insurance co., or to crisis/law enforcement personnel in the event someone is deemed to be dangerous to self or others.
Regardless, what he did was shady and you would do best to call him on it.
Posted by Phillipa on August 27, 2008, at 0:56:23
In reply to Re: My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by Maria01 on August 27, 2008, at 0:07:41
Yes it's illegal to disclose what a patient says does this apply out side of theraphy also. Since computers this is kind of new? Love Phillipa
Posted by Daisym on August 27, 2008, at 0:56:47
In reply to My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
I think you need to talk to him before you jump to conclusions here. I often forward things from my home computer to my office email or vice versa. So unless this tracking system tells you who he forwarded things to, it may have only been to himself. Also, we use electronic records, so many things are forwarded to the server which holds client records. All the files are secured with passwords and encrypted but I can see how it might look like we were passing info around.
I'm sorry things are so tough right now. I hope it works out for you.
Posted by seldomseen on August 27, 2008, at 3:01:28
In reply to My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
The laws regarding therapist/client confidentiality are not absolute. There are exceptions when communication can be revealed to outside parties.
Also, you are offered a measured amount of protection from The HIPAA laws, but if the provider deems it medically necessary for your treatment, information can be disclosed. This is usually reserved for emergent situations though.
He may also have removed any identifying information from the body of the email, although if the recipient wanted to, I'm sure they can easily find that out.
As Daisy indicated, it is probably just him forwarding the email to another account, or different servers bouncing the email around.
What in interesting piece of software you have there. Can it tell you to whom the email was forarded?
Seldom
Posted by Nadezda on August 27, 2008, at 9:17:20
In reply to Re: My therpaist let someone else read my emails. » nebulae, posted by seldomseen on August 27, 2008, at 3:01:28
I also had the thought that he may have forwarded it to other of his own accounts. I frequently do this with emails.
But I'm curious: what's the name of the software?
Nadezda
Posted by sunnydays on August 27, 2008, at 11:25:26
In reply to My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
My T's email has a little thing at the bottom of his subject line that says, "Be aware that email is NOT a secure or confidential means of communication." This is because he has to put my emails in my chart, and you also don't know who can intercept emails. Also, my T has 'let' other people read my emails. He typically asks my permission, but, for example, he has probably shown some of them to his supervisor, but I have no knowledge of that. Getting supervision is necessary for every T, no matter what their experience, so that would be normal. I'm sorry this is causing you anxiety. Can you call and ask?
sunnydays
Posted by healing928 on August 27, 2008, at 13:09:22
In reply to Re: My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by sunnydays on August 27, 2008, at 11:25:26
"Getting supervision is necessary for every T, no matter what their experience, so that would be normal."
I would just like to add, my therapist is in private practice. He is not supervised. Most states have a board of regulation/ethics board, but they aren't supervised. THat is for complaints by clients for unethical behavior.
Posted by Dinah on August 27, 2008, at 14:15:29
In reply to Re: My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by sunnydays on August 27, 2008, at 11:25:26
My understanding is that even in supervision they're not supposed to use names. Forwarding would give names. I'd be really angry with my therapist if he did that.
However, it might have been forwarded to another of his own emails. You can ask.
Posted by raisinb on August 27, 2008, at 16:24:29
In reply to Re: My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by Dinah on August 27, 2008, at 14:15:29
I'd bet it's either a) for consultation purposes (which is ethical, as long as he removed your name from the text), or b) forwarding it to another account of his.
My therapist gets consultation on my therapy. During a rough patch, I wrote her a couple of very personal letters. She told me she'd read one over the phone to the consultant and felt it was valuable because it was from me, not filtered through her perspective. I still felt uncomfortable about it, though, and we agreed that if there were any future letters, we'd discuss whether I wanted them shared or not.
I'd talk to your therapist to find out the purpose and to make it clear what you're comfortable with.
Posted by nebulae on August 27, 2008, at 23:43:19
In reply to My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
This thing tells you what time your email was opened. So every time my email was forwarded, it was also opened right then or a few minutes later, and then forwarded again, and opened again. I don't think my T. wanted for whatever reason to read my same email several times within a few minutes on his different email accounts. I do think he was communicating with someone else and they forwarded my emails back and forth.
This thing is called pointofmail, you can look it up. You can use free trial, which is what i did.
It also tells you how many times your letter has been opened and for how long it was read. My T. read mine several times, and very late at night. Wow! Makes you wonder why, and what made him re-read this stuff. And why is he reading his client's emails so late? Shouldn't he be cuddling with his wife at this time?
Posted by nebulae on August 27, 2008, at 23:46:10
In reply to Judging by the timing, emails were read by others., posted by nebulae on August 27, 2008, at 23:43:19
You may discover things you did not want to know, like me. Or you'll start obsessing or play an endless guessing game. ;)
Posted by Jouezmoi on August 28, 2008, at 7:20:28
In reply to Now don't go singing up for this! ;), posted by nebulae on August 27, 2008, at 23:46:10
Nebulae .. Hi. I think your T may have taken what has transpired very seriously (which is a good sign). I think he may be re-thinking his actions, your actions and the result. If he is seeking consultation, that is OK. Whether in private practice or not, most Ts have Ts (else they would be crazier than they are). Do not worry about who is reading what. It is not going to take anything away from you. You are much more than that.
Don't go thinking about the most negative conclusions. You do matter to him. Transference is a complex thing and even with training, may intimidate Ts when it is intense. Transference neurosis could easily get out of hand because much of it is delusional (you yourself may look back at this some day and realise times where you misread an action, or overreacted ... I was there .. I know). Countertransference is usually as strong as the transference. Therapy can be risky business.
If the T thinks the situation is becoming explosive, it may be best to terminate. How it is done is based on the experience of the T and his own hangups and weaknesses. In this case he may very well be seeking advice, which is good. It may be an acknowledgement that he may not have handled it in the manner that he should have.
Posted by susan47 on August 28, 2008, at 11:39:06
In reply to Judging by the timing, emails were read by others., posted by nebulae on August 27, 2008, at 23:43:19
> This thing tells you what time your email was opened. So every time my email was forwarded, it was also opened right then or a few minutes later, and then forwarded again, and opened again. I don't think my T. wanted for whatever reason to read my same email several times within a few minutes on his different email accounts. I do think he was communicating with someone else and they forwarded my emails back and forth.
> This thing is called pointofmail, you can look it up. You can use free trial, which is what i did.
> It also tells you how many times your letter has been opened and for how long it was read. My T. read mine several times, and very late at night. Wow! Makes you wonder why, and what made him re-read this stuff. And why is he reading his client's emails so late? Shouldn't he be cuddling with his wife at this time?Careful of thinking about what he should be doing late at night. Careful of thinking about him with his wife .. you're in Erotic Transference territory. Maybe he can't sleep because he's realizing he has a problem and he has to deal with it intelligently, thoughtfully, and with the least damage to all parties concerned. You, being a concern. So yes, you're on his radar. But be careful about how.
Posted by susan47 on August 28, 2008, at 11:41:32
In reply to Re: Now don't go singing up for this! ;), posted by Jouezmoi on August 28, 2008, at 7:20:28
If my ex-T had only sought advice long, long, long before he ever did! What a different picture we might have here today.
Posted by WaterSapphire on August 29, 2008, at 3:54:42
In reply to My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by nebulae on August 26, 2008, at 23:15:51
I think this in itself would have really gotten to me and I would not be able to stop obsessively worrying about it. But, I do believe that as some have mentioned sometimes therapists and other mental health professionals can seek out collaboration from their colleagues under certain circumstances. I am not sure though, and maybe someone could provide you with a way to find out.
I really hope you can get through this quagmire, and feeling better too...
Peace
Chelle
Posted by susan47 on August 29, 2008, at 10:16:00
In reply to Re: My therpaist let someone else read my emails., posted by WaterSapphire on August 29, 2008, at 3:54:42
My ex-T actually told me in a letter, informed me that someone else, a third party, would be listening in on my phone calls. And that became just fine with me, actually. Because at that time I'd been making calls for probably close to two years and I was exhausted, I needed someone else to hear the whole story, and man I just Loved that someone else, a third party, was going to hear the whole story. And I let them have it, and nothing ever came of this, and I wonder why. Because my calls didn't decrease much; if anything they may have increased for a time, I really don't remember anymore. I remember this, though; I felt satisfaction knowing that I was finally being taken seriously, and that he would have to face what's happened here, in "therapy". Hah. And I let them know about him staring at my breasts (it sounds so stupid, and it really is, but people's eyes go to places they shouldn't, even in the T's office, and that's okay, but when it becomes open staring that's unprofessional TO SAY THE LEAST; in someone who's been raped it's ...what? What is it????).
F*ck him.
I love him.
What the hell am I supposed to do?
This is the end of the thread.
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