Hi genetic,
Thanks for your reply. My therapist even offered going to my first appt. with me to my new therapist or calling my new therapist ahead of time knowing how much I was struggling with all of this. She's been with me for years!
But this new therapist said that he would not allow any previous healthcare giver to accompany me to my appt. and only family members! He said he didn't want any interferance or previous assumptions about me (or something like that) but that my current therapist could fax over the last 6 months of my progress notes and he would read them prior to my appt. and that if he needed to he would contact her over the phone.
I spoke with my therapist and shared all of this with her and she said that it sounds like my new therapist is very strict in his ways or likes to go by the books (?) (something like that) which she didn't have a problem with but that since we met twice a week or more for the last 6 months that in her opinion no doctor was going to read 6 months worth of notes, but that if I signed a waiver she would be more than happy for me to pick up my notes and pass them on to him. She said she would never fax personal files like that for anyone other than the doctor to read. (There are lots of doctors in this office).
Anyway, she suggested that we meet another time over the phone before my appt. with my new doctor to make up an outline of my history and key notations that he should know about. She said she would help me and that it is much easier than I am making it out to be and that in her opinion I will be perfectly fine and that this may turn out to be very good for me. She said that she is looking to retire in a year or two anyway and that she would always be available to me over the phone if I ever needed to talk with her. That's how I've been communicating with her so far since I'm not covered any longer. Talk about having such a caring therapist!!!!!
So, we will have this phone conference tomorrow. I hope it all works out well. I will trust her but I still wish she could be there for my first appointment. Besides, I think I should be able to bring anyone I want to. But...
I'm not seeking a new insurance agency since I can not afford insurance on my own. I use the insurance company offered through my husband's place of employment! Icky insurance, but it's all I have.
I will definitely keep you posted. Thank you.
~sukay~