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Posted 3/13/2017 4:53 AM (GMT 0)
I just learned recently that my psychologist has been diagnosed with cancer and will be undergoing treatments. She has put her practice on hold for at least 3-6 months, which I completely understand. A letter she sent indicated the prognosis is good for her recovery, which I truly hope is the case because she is not only a great psychologist, she is a wonderful woman. I'm pained right now knowing she is sick and would be devastated if she does not beat her disease. In the meantime, I'm not sure what to do about getting another psychologist. I have an appointment to see her partner, but that is not until late April, which is the earliest she could get me in. It took me a number of psychologists to find one that worked well with me, and I really don't feel up to making appointments with other psychologists (that might be able to see me earlier than late April) just to see if one of them will work out. It always takes me a number of appointments before I see whether there is a good match or not. I am hoping her partner will be a good match based on her association with my psychologist, but the wait until late April is going to be a long time for me. Being bipolar, and having some serious family issues going on right now, I really need to talk to someone with an objective viewpoint. I have been doing pretty well controlling my depression taking lamictal and seeing my psychologist on a regular basis, but this event in the family has been a major negative trigger, and I can feel myself sliding in a direction I don't want to go. I'm really lost right now, and I don't have a clear direction forward. Any thoughts, advice, suggestions - would be greatly appreciated. Taygeta
Posted 3/13/2017 1:25 PM (GMT 0)
Hi Taygeta,

I am sorry to hear about your psychologist diagnosis. I really hope that she pulls through this. Prayers and good thoughts for her.

I agree, finding a good psychologist who you can comfortable with can be hard sometimes. It took me a while before I was able to open up to my therapist.

I would suggest that you try to stay away from the negative triggers until your appointment if possible. However, if you think that you may need to see a psychologist before your app, try one of the others. Or maybe call and see if there are any cancellations and the psychologist can see you earlier.
Remember to use you coping skills as well. Whatever skills you learned in therapy, put them into practice. Mindfulness can be helpful and well as positive distractions. And you can post here anytime as we are here to listen as well smile

UA
Posted 3/13/2017 3:54 PM (GMT 0)
Taygeta:

Good that you reached out for different views.

You say,

1. "...my psychologist has been diagnosed with cancer and will be undergoing treatments. She has put her practice on hold for at least 3-6 months...."

2. "In the meantime, I'm not sure what to do about getting another psychologist."

3. "I have an appointment to see her partner, but that is not until late April...."

4. "Being bipolar, and having some serious family issues going on right now, I really need to talk to someone with an objective viewpoint."

5. "I have been doing pretty well controlling my depression taking lamictal and seeing my psychologist on a regular basis"

6. "but this event in the family has been a major negative trigger, and I can feel myself sliding in a direction I don't want to go.

7. I'm really lost right now, and I don't have a clear direction forward."

8. "Any thoughts, advice, suggestions - would be greatly appreciated. Taygeta"

Pretty tough situation. You don't really want to get hooked on a 2nd psychologist, then when your 1st one gets better, having to decide which one to go with.

I think you're going to have to think of yourself, and not the feelings of any of these psychologists, or your feelings about having to drop one of them.

I know it's tough, but what's even tougher is if you don't have a psychologist during these tough times.

I think it's better to have 2 psychologists, than none.

What do they say, "It's better to have (something) and not need it, than to need (something) and not have it."

That is, if you get out there in the middle of a situation and don't have a psychologist, that could be a problem.

But if you get out there in a situation and have two psychologists (One for now, one for several months from now), that's not as big of a problem.

Take the lesser problem, two psychologists. That's one level of thinking. Again, the other side of the problem is, no psychologist but perhaps big problems.

There could be a problem if you like both psychologists, but that's a lesser problem in degree from having no psychologist, but you've got anticipated problems, and ones you might not know about.

Prepare for the possible storm, not the possible fair weather.

You can find psychologists in the search engine by typing in "Real Yellow Pages for Your Home Town," then when those Yellow Pages come up on the screen, type in "psychologists for your hometown."

You can write down a few names, and call one. If that one doesn't work out, call another one.

That's just my thinking.
Posted 3/13/2017 4:56 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for your thoughts, Tim Tam. I certainly see your point of not having a psychologist possibly turning into a big problem, and the lesser issue of having to make a decision at some point of which psychologist I will be seeing if I have two of them. The issue right now is that I feel, based on this family crisis trigger, that I need to see someone as soon as possible instead of waiting and going through all of the issues without the observations and advice of an objective individual. I'm having a difficult time dealing with things, and family, though love them dearly, is not the place to seek answers because they too are caught up in this mess.

I will see if I can get in with another psychologist sooner than late April, but for now I will still keep the appointment I have already scheduled for April - and by then, well, will just see where things stand and where they are going. I really appreciate your thoughtful response and your analysis and suggestions. I guess the good thing is I realize I'm being eaten up by the family issues, and that the meds my pdoc has me on are not the entire solution. I saw her a couple weeks ago, and I told her about what happened, but she's a psychiatrist, not a psychologist, so she really couldn't discuss things at length, and that's not what she does anyway.

You are so right about this, "Prepare for the possible storm, not the possible fair weather."

Thanks again for your response.

Taygeta
Posted 3/13/2017 4:59 PM (GMT 0)
UA,

"Remember to use you coping skills as well. Whatever skills you learned in therapy, put them into practice. Mindfulness can be helpful and well as positive distractions. And you can post here anytime as we are here to listen as well smile."

So right about this. I'm trying my best with those skills, but this unfortunately, is a very big problem, completely unexpected, and it is going to last for some time. I'm still trying to shake off my stun, and it's already been a couple of weeks since things went to hell.

Thanks for your response and thoughts. They are much appreciated.

Taygeta
Posted 3/13/2017 9:10 PM (GMT 0)
Taygeta:

Thanks for your nice response.

You said, "but this unfortunately, is a very big problem, completely unexpected, and it is going to last for some time. I'm still trying to shake off my stun, and it's already been a couple of weeks since things went to hell."

I can just imagine what I would do if my psychiatrist told me she was giving it up, or whatever. That would be the end of me. I have thought of that. What if she quits?

Psychiatry is a finesse situation. I have had the heavy hand, and I can't go back. I have to have a certain temperament. My psychic has been roughed up, and it won't let me go through that again.

One thing I would suggest for a new psychologist (counselor, social worker) is to call a women's health center and see if they can recommend one. I've gotten two good ones by doing that.

Again, you could use the computer search engine, "Real Yellow Pages" for "Your Hometown." You could then type in, "Women's Health Centers" for "Your Hometown."

Call a few numbers and ask if they can recommend somebody. I got two good recommendations that way. One of them is my psychiatrist that I have today, and I've had her for 3 or 4 years.

I got my psychiatrist by calling a Mental Health Association, or Mental Health Friendship Center, because I had been there before.

I also knew this woman, she was the director. And I asked her for the name of a good psychiatrist, and she said, "Dr. Jane Jones, I'd go to her myself."

I tell you what , that's pretty valuable information.

So, under Yellow Pages, you might type in, "Psychiatric" or "Mental Health" for your hometown. Write down numbers that sound promising. Call a few of them.
Posted 3/14/2017 12:02 AM (GMT 0)
I would call and see about getting on a cancellation list if they have one. I would try to stay in the same office if you can make it until then. It will be less complicated. Call them and let them know if you feel you are going into crisis.

Hang in there.

Hugs, Karen...
Posted 3/14/2017 12:46 AM (GMT 0)
Thanks, Karen.

I did put myself on the cancellation list of the doctor I have for the April appointment. Unfortunately, what I think is she is taking on a lot of patients because she is a partner of my therapist, so I don't feel a cancellation is likely, but it could happen.

In the meantime, I scheduled an appointment with another psych for the end of the month, as a precautionary measure, just in case I continue to spiral downward and need someone to talk to. That's about the best I could do as I went through a clinic with quite a few doctors, and unless I wanted to drive a long distance, the end of the month was the best they could do for me. Holding kind of steady today, but the weekend was not good at all. This whole situation is kind of messy, and quite the downer, to say the least. Will see how the rest of the week progresses. Positive thoughts, positive thoughts . . .

Thanks again for responding.

Taygeta
Posted 3/21/2017 12:27 PM (GMT 0)
Hope you are doing okay Taygeta!
Did you get through with an earlier app?

UA
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