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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 4 of 4. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by peddidle on September 19, 2007, at 17:42:44
I just need to vent. T hasn't had a session right before mine yet this semester, so she usually sees/hears when I come in. She was in a session when I got there today, so I said hello to the secretary, and went into the waiting room. There was another student in there waiting for his appointment as well. A few minutes later, his T came in and he went into her office with her. I checked the time, and it was only a couple minutes past the hour... OK, so she's running a few minutes late, not a big deal.
Then another student came into the waiting room, and sat for a few minutes until her psychologist came in, and then went back for her session. During this time, another student came in and just went right back into her psychologist's office... a little strange, but maybe he told her to do that.
I check the time again, and it's 8 minutes past the hour... starting to get a little annoyed, but maybe the person she's with needed extra time.
I finally hear her open the door, and hear the guy she's with say goodbye and stuff (he didn't seem upset, so I don't think he needed the extra time that much). T tells me to go into her office and she'll be right back (she had to go to the bathroom), but the secretary stops her for a few seconds to tell her something. I go sit in her office and the secretary apologizes for not letting my T know I was there; she said I'm so quiet in the waiting room that she just forgets, but she acknowledged that that was wrong of her. T finally comes in about a quarter past the hour and apologizes for not getting the call to switch her sessions. I don't remember my T ever getting a call to tell her that the next client was there, but maybe it's a new thing, or maybe she just hasn't usually had anyone after me.
So we start the session. Then about [what felt like] 20 or 25min later, her cell phone rings. She asked if it was mine or her's, and said she thought she put it on vibrate. She gets up to turn it off, but then checks to see who called and looks again to make sure that it was, in fact, on vibrate. She said she was expecting her husband to call earlier around lunchtime, so maybe she accidentally put it on vibrate AND ring by accident. That's understandable, it's just unfortunate that it happened when my session was already disrupted anyway.
She apologized again. Then a short time later, she ended the session. Not really abruptly or anything, I just didn't quite feel like it was time yet. Sure enough, when I walked out and looked at my phone, it was 5 of... which means the session was, at the most, 40min.
I'm not really mad at her, I just feel a little cheated. I think she is the one who is available for emergencies/walk-ins on Wednesdays, so I understand (sort of) that she can't go over into the next hour. And I know it's not her fault if the secretary didn't let her know I was there, but she wears a watch, and she should have realized how much she was going over. Like I said, I completely understand if one of her clients needs extra time in session (I'll be annoyed/jealous, but I'll understand), but it really didn't seem like that was the case.
I'm hoping she was just having an exceptionally off day for some reason, and that she didn't just want me to leave or something.
Anyway, sorry this got so long. Thanks for reading.
Posted by Dory on September 19, 2007, at 18:35:53
In reply to short session today (but ironically long post), posted by peddidle on September 19, 2007, at 17:42:44
i don't think you need to be too apologetic, you did get cheated. I mean, yeah, she probably was distracted and stuff, so it's gracious of you to be understanding, but a T has to be careful...it's not just a bad day at work.. considering what they do they should know how things affect clients. It's not exactly news that when a T cuts a session short most clients feel some measure of "(s)he wants to get rid of me." God... this stuff is pretty basic. Your rxns are perfectly normal.
and i know it's a uni T, so i don't know what or if you pay... but trust me, your tuition is paying plenty for it. You deserve as much respect as any private client and as much as someone dining in a very very expensive restaurant. i mean, i figure it'd be a wicked place to eat at the $140 i pay right?
that said, i think you are remarkably gracious and it's better for you in the long run if you are able to not let things like that eat you alive.
how's school?
Posted by Daisym on September 20, 2007, at 1:02:31
In reply to short session today (but ironically long post), posted by peddidle on September 19, 2007, at 17:42:44
I'd be kind of annoyed and upset if this had happened to me. I think you should at least bring it up next time.
It is strange that they use an interrupt signal externally - I think most therapists keep track of their own time. Something else to ask about.
And I have to say -- "you are so quiet in the waiting room..." -- well , geez. What are you supposed to do? Every waiting room I've been in is pretty quiet. And there is therapy going on all around you for Pete's sake! I don't know, this bothered me.
I'm hope your next session is better.
Posted by B2chica on September 20, 2007, at 8:02:20
In reply to Re: short session today (but ironically long post), posted by Daisym on September 20, 2007, at 1:02:31
> And I have to say -- "you are so quiet in the waiting room..." -- well , geez. What are you supposed to do? Every waiting room I've been in is pretty quiet. And there is therapy going on all around you for Pete's sake! I don't know, this bothered me.
LOL Daisy, i was thinking the EXACT same thing! do they expect you to be rehearsing your session? singing to the muzac? (heaven forbid) striking up conversation with others in the waiting room? what? i usually have my head down with my music on, reading or drawing. i don't even think i've coughed!
anyway peddidle, i am sorry you got cheated out of some valuable time like that. its really frustrating to have sessions like that.
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