How Many Therapists in Your Life?

[Retired]

In receiving treatment for the disorder or illness for one's diagnosis, the journey through working with various specialties of mental health providers often begins.

There might be a Family Doctor who refers to a Psychiatrist who then engages the assistance of a Psychologist. There may be testing, evaluations, and further consultations.

How many mental health providers are currently on your healthcare team and do they work as a team, sharing information, so your treatment plan can be fine tuned as you make progress.

Which of the mental health providers on your team has been most influential in contributing to your improvement?

Have you dropped any from the team?

 

[forgetmenot]

I have my family doctor who i only see when i am in extreme physical pain. He orders test such as scans and pills. Does not get into any emotional stuff

My psychologist has been the only constant since the other one dropped me and i say the most helpful in that he got me to trust a bit more and open up.

I was to see another doctor but refused wouldn't go there thats when my family doctor sent me to the psychologist i have now. Thank God he did.

 

[NicNak]

I was treated by my Family Doctor for nine years. I was evaluated at CAMH and the Psychiatrist there concluded that my treatment was going well and gave my family doctor a list of alternate treatments if I had a bad relapse.

I started seeing a Psychiatrist four years ago when my symptoms got really bad. My family doctor was able to stabilize me with the advice of the previous doctor, until I could get into see my current Psychiatrist. My current Psychiatrist does a combination of pharmatology and therapy with me.

I have had the same doctors all along. Both my Family doctor and Psychiatrist work together to assist me. My family doctor has an open door policy, I can make an appointment and see her when ever I like. My psychiatrist is available by phone between appointments.

I feel pretty lucky.

 

[Charity]

I relied on Family Doctors alone for everything until last year. Now I also have a Clinical Psychologist (recommended by my current doc) whom I see once weekly.

I feel I'm now much better off, having both sides of things.

 

[Retired]

How did you find the ability of your Family Doctor to understand and treat your emotional and mental health issues?

 

[Charity]

How did you find the ability of your Family Doctor to understand and treat your emotional and mental health issues?

Some are wonderful, others horrible... But in my experience, all are lacking. My current doctor is the best I've ever had, and yet even he can't know everything he needs to about mental health/disorders. It's understandable, I guess, since he has to leave space in his brain for all the stuff about knees and hearts and medications and viruses and foot fungus... etc. He's wonderful in helping me get my meds right. He just doesn't have the training or experience for any kind of talk therapy.

 

[NicNak]

How did you find the ability of your Family Doctor to understand and treat your emotional and mental health issues?

My family doctor is wonderful. Still is a big part of my support structure. She always has been very intune with my emotional and mental well being.

She initally diagnosed me and saw me through to a remission of OCD.

After a run of major trama, she refered me to a psychiatrist. She did not hesitate to admit that I needed to see a specialist at that point. She assured me, that even though I had the Psychiatrist that she was still there for me anytime.

 

[Cat Dancer]

My family doctor is wonderful. Better than any psychiatrist I've ever seen. She's the best.

 

[Jazzey]

My general practictioner & my psychologist work in concert. I feel the most grateful for my general practictioner. He takes the time to ask me very specific questions, he knows me by now and takes none of my guff. Wouldn't trade him for the world.

 

[texasgirl]

I have a psychologist and a psychiatrist. I see the psychologist once a week and my psychiatrist once a month (sometimes every two months since he just sees me for 15 mins. to write my prescriptions). My family doctor is not involved.

TG

 

[suewatters1]

I see a Psychoanalyst a Psychiatrist a Case Manager from CMHA and a nurse that works with the Hospital Day Program.
I am also takes classes from the Day program. I just started the day programs and it's only 3 classes a week and I quit when I go back to work.
My family Dr I don't see him because he has been sick for a long time so I go to the local clinic when ever I needed to see a DR. I usually see the same one.
But now I have a Psychiatrist I don't need to go to the clinic anymore.

Sue

 

[Retired]

So which one of these providers on your team is the coordinator or quarterback? Which one assimilates the consultations from the others and assigns or directs the therapeutic strategy?

 

[NicNak]

My Family Doctor is aware of the approaches and medications as well.

My Family Doctor is important during a relapse as well as usually she is the one quickest available and also runs my blood work to ensure it is infact my mental illness and not a thyroid or another problem causing the new or increase of symptoms.

My Psychiatrist also asks me about the test results or if any other medical issues have came up.

I am very open to both of them, so they both know all the medical issues going on with me.

I think it is important cause even if a health issue is not directly related to my mental health, it can still affect it. Like when I had pre-cancer. It stressed me out and my Psychiarist helped me with that too as well as my Family doctor.

Neither of them dismiss anything I am concerned about. Psychiatrist would not say "Oh that is not my area of specialty" and brush off other medical concerns I am worrying about, and neither would my Family doctor say "Oh you have a Psychiatrist to deal with that." and not deal with my mental health issues.

For my over all, entire health. I consider my Family Doctor to be the co-ordinator. She always inquires on any treatments I am getting, any results she may not have gotten as of yet. She will also not hesitate to take the reigns if need be, if she thinks it is in my best interest.

Hope I answered the question to what you were asking Steve.

 

[forgetmenot]

My family doctor is for physical ailments only does not deal with emotional issues at all which is fine by me having to explain everything to one person is stressful enough.