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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 11 of 11. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 12:20:36
I am looking for a new T and went for an "exploratory" meeting today with a possible new T to see if we might be a match. I won't be seeing her and these are the reasons why.
1) She only gives 45 minute sessions. I asked her if she was flexible on that, say 50 minutes. She said absolutely not. I said, "what if a patient is having a crisis, do you just tell them it is time to leave?" and she said "I start to try to get them settled 5 minutes before their time is up". She was adamant that she absolutely will NOT go over 45 minutes for a therapy session even if the patient is feeling suicidal. (I actually asked that. What if a patient is feeling suicidal and is in the middle of a hysterical crying fit? She said "I try to calm them down 5 minutes before our session is over".) And went on to say absolutely no going over 45 minutes. Never.
2) She absolutely under NO circumstances takes phone calls from her patients in between sessions. Absolutely none. She flat out does not take phone calls from patients in between sessions. None, never, nada. You cannot reach her by phone in between sessions for any reason. She will not allow phone calls in between sessions.
3). She said if a patient is having a hard time she refuses to see them a second time in the same week. Even if they are self pay or have insurance that will pay for the second appointment. She refuses under any circumstances to see a patient more than once in one week, crisis or not. She said she has a big caseload and isn't going to use the time for someone to come in for a second visit no matter what. Ever.
She laid all this information out to me as she was introducing herself. I am in shock. Needless to say I will not be seeing her.
I can't even speak. I have no words to describe how inappropriate I think her policies are. All of them put together that is but each one individually. Even unethical!
Your comments please. ps I don't need help with this, just looking for comments. I absolutely cannot believe this. She has a PhD in psychology.
Posted by TherapyGirl on January 14, 2010, at 12:35:40
In reply to Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 12:20:36
Wow, indeed. She seems too rigid for the therapy field. I guess she only wants clients who don't have crises.
Posted by tetrix on January 14, 2010, at 13:54:14
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow! » rnny, posted by TherapyGirl on January 14, 2010, at 12:35:40
she is in the wrong field, she would do well in the army
Posted by Willful on January 14, 2010, at 14:20:58
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by tetrix on January 14, 2010, at 13:54:14
That's certainly far outside the norm.
She should have mentioned this on the phone before you came in. Many people would know right away it wasn't a fit-- why waste everyone's time?
Willful
Posted by TherapyGirl on January 14, 2010, at 16:57:50
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by Willful on January 14, 2010, at 14:20:58
I'm guessing having people come in for an initial interview is the only income she has. Who would come back?
Posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 17:37:09
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow! » Willful, posted by TherapyGirl on January 14, 2010, at 16:57:50
Oh Therapy Girl, that was so funny about her only making income from initial visits. I am still in shock over meeting her. And am getting paranoid now wondering if she was making some of that stuff up to scare me away back to the T I have been seeing. Because I can't conceive of how anyone with those standards could or would stay in business. The part with NO phone calls in between sessions sounds unethical to me. In this profession I would think it would be manadatory to take calls. And her attitude if someone is suicidal she would start calming them down five minutes before session was to end because she can't go over time even in emeregencies....well, I am just simply stunned. If she is serious I feel she needs to be reported to the board of ethics for the practice of psychology in the state in which I live because no one with any kind of serious mental or emotional health issues should even be around her as far as I am concerned. And the thing is, I liked her! I even told her I would "try" just seeing her for 45 minutes if that was her policy as I too had to be flexible but she then brought out her other arsenal of policies and I told her that the deal breaker then in this case was the no phone calls in between sessions. I mean I have never been one to call the therapist every day in between sessions but you should be able to reach ANY health care provider in between appointments. I am looking into if that is ethical because I swear, I WILL report her to the board of ethics if I can get a straigt answer on that one. I already called them and got some jerk who answered the phone and was about as helpful as a drunken I don't know...he was useless. He was just a complete (blank.)
Posted by emilyp on January 14, 2010, at 19:30:49
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 17:37:09
I realize that this therapist is not the one for you. And I would agree that her rules are very rigid. But some people need that structure - they have too often taken advantage of situations and they need to learn what boundaries are.
But regardless, why report her? It is not as if she damaged you. And you don't know for sure that she would not take calls. You only know what she said. And perhaps she has patients that really need her. You could ultimately cause problems. Just something to think about before you call again
Posted by Dinah on January 14, 2010, at 20:41:55
In reply to Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 12:20:36
Perhaps she's trying to limit her practice to the worried well. Certainly her speech would go a long way towards achieving that. But I agree that therapists ought to be up front about those things. Those initial sessions are often longer and cost more than continuing ones, and they can add up quickly for a client. Therapists ought to be sensitive to that fact.
My EMDR therapist was clear she'd only see me if I had a regular therapist because she didn't see anyone she thought might be high maintenance. Apparently I just screamed high maintenance to her. And I could definitely see biofeedback guy saying that, although I can't quite imagine why anyone would possibly want to see him between sessions or for longer than absolutely necessary during sessions.
Posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 21:02:09
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow! » rnny, posted by emilyp on January 14, 2010, at 19:30:49
emilyp, thanks for your feedback. while we disagree on this one thing, it is great to know there are people like you who aren't afraid to speak their mind. that is how we help one another. by sharing honestly but with tact. which is what you did!
Posted by Sigismund on January 15, 2010, at 0:34:53
In reply to Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by rnny on January 14, 2010, at 12:20:36
>3). She said if a patient is having a hard time she refuses to see them a second time in the same week.
What's the point in once a week therapy?
>She has a PhD in psychology.
Rats
Posted by Sigismund on January 15, 2010, at 0:36:33
In reply to Re: Wow, am in shock! Wow!, posted by tetrix on January 14, 2010, at 13:54:14
>she would do well in the army
Therapists are meant to be firm, but still....45 minutes?
This is the end of the thread.
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