Hello Love Goddess, a while back you advised a client about seeing an AASECT certified therapist and then kindly attached a link.  The link worked fine, and I decided that I needed to set up an appointment for a problem that I thought could be addressed.  The selected counselor said she had too many clients but that she thought her group could help.  She referred me to two others in the group and had me go through their intake process.  Then the office was to call me back with an appointment.  I just got a call back, they are all too busy.  Frankly, I was not pleased to share a lot of personal information and not get an appointment.  Does this happen often?

Dear mike22,

If you are asking "does it happen often that you don't get an appointment," I can only speak for what ethics dictate in that situation. This means that if the therapist is "too busy" to take new clients, s/he should have referred you to at least one or two other individuals - which it seems she did, but they were too busy.

If this is "the same group," maybe the other therapists were interns, i.e. not licensed therapists yet? Otherwise it's highly unusual that a therapist goes through an intake form for his/her colleague. Or is this "group therapy?" If so, then the group would be too full in terms of participants. Or did you go through two intakes with two different therapists?

As to the "personal information," please be assured that this info is 100% confidential - particularly since you have not become a client. The info may be shredded or discarded in an appropriate manner. Each therapist has his/her own way of doing so. I get a a lot of inquiries in my practice, not all of which result in therapy appointments for a variety of reasons. I delete all such email correspondence from my computer. If the interested party has left his/her number on my voicemail, these get deleted. On the other hand, I don't ask for more than a name and phone number, so I'm not sure what sort of personal information you had to leave.

In any event, it's very difficult to assess the situation without having more information at hand. The best suggestion I can give is to try another therapist. Either that, or call back and insist on 3 referrals, which is ethical praxis.

Hope that works,
the Love Goddess

This looks like the field to get into.

Can I get credit for field experience?

Dear LG,
I thank you for your response.  It appears as if I will have to seek another in the area without any further assistance.  I exchanged e-mails with the therapist on the list who told me that I should see one of the two other therapists that she recommended.  She said call the office and speak to the manager who will do an intake and then set up the appointment.  The intake was extensive, not only name, address and insurance, but a description of the problem and then much further into my history and current situation.  It almost felt like I was talking with a therapist, not a nurse-manager.  I was uncomfortable but felt sure it would lead to an appointment and perhaps a resolution.  Instead the call back was from another in the office who simply said that all of the therapists were too busy, which the original therapist had never indicated.  No recommendations from the group at all and I felt like I had been asked way too much information.  And I can only hope that the office is ethical and does not reveal information that could get back to my wife and children.

Dear mike22,
By law, they have to store this information in an extremely confidential manner. I have yet to hear about an office taking active steps to reveal the contents of an intake to his/her family, unless it's Britney Spears going to UCLA for a mental breakdown...and then we ALL want to know . But I'm wondering about "the office" in general. Most of us therapists don't have "busy group practices" - this sounds more like an MD than a psychotherapist. As to the intake person, yes, they have training to be "nice and empathic." Please remember that some people calling for therapy appointments are seriously impacted, some even near suicide. That's why those who take calls often display a mix of sweetness and curiosity. But a therapist with such a big office? I mean, even those of us who make a reasonable living don't have assistants taking calls. What was this - a psychiatrist or social services place??

My advice to you is to call the "busy office" and ask them for a referral. I'm still perplexed - here in Los Angeles, the West Coast mecca of neurosis, therapists are experiencing a 40% decline in new and existing clients. For someone to be so busy in this economy sounds utterly weird - unless you're in a rural community where there is one mental health professional for the entire area.

Good luck,
the Love Goddess

but not in a public forum.  The therapist on your list is part of a group and the location is the suburban NYC metro area.

Thank you mike22,

That was helpful. On that list, I have had some past collegial/professional experience with Ms. Kit Rachlin and she is a very good clinician. But she is in the middle of Manhattan and I can understand the headaches getting in and out of the city...

More fish in the sea, thankfully,
the Love Goddess

...in the event you're ever caught with your pants down...

"Officer, I was seeing my therapist"

BS

Plus you have patient/client confidentiality to fall back on. Sounds like a brilliant idea.

I also followed the link to AASECT and found a therapist. I had no problems getting an appointment with her.I'm really enjoying my sessions and hope they solve my problem.