Non tech-savvy therapist...?

[gooblax]

I was recently referred to a psychologist by my GP, however this psychologist doesn't have their own website and only lists a name, phone/fax numbers and office address. It took me a good couple of hours to find a website where they're actually listed and have an appropriate level of information (if anyone's interested it's an Aussie website where they pay an annual fee to stay listed:link).

I'm not sure whether or not I'm being ridiculous, but there are a few things that already suggest to me that it won't be a good match for therapy:

• I think listing an email address (at minimum) is a basic 21st century requirement of any business/service. The fact that it's not information available via standard search engine suggests to me that she's not particularly 'with the times' or tech-savvy. That sort of thing is important to me, and I would have thought plenty of other people in my generation. If getting clients from my generation was something she was interested in, a website is really the only way to go even just for marketing purposes.
• From the information I've finally tracked down, I can definitively place her in a particular age range. In my experience, most females in that age range don't "get" me. If they're not technically minded, then it seems reaaaaally unlikely to work out.

I need the referral from the GP to be eligible for the medicare rebate here. Do you guys think this is enough of a reason to ask the doctor to changed the referral to someone different, or do you think I should make an attempt at one session?

For now, I've emailed the psychologist (via the difficult-to-find email address, which is under an old host name so who even knows if it's current) to find out possible appointment times and ask a couple of other basic questions, but I'm already 97.5% convinced that it's not going to work out.

 

[Andy]

In my opinion, you really can't judge how a psychologist is going to be until you have seen them. There may be reasons that she doesn't have an up to date website etc. I don't know. I think the only way you will know if she is a good fit for you is if you go see her the one time at least. If you don't fit THEN ask your doctor for another referral, but if you have pretty much already made your mind up that she isn't someone you want to see then don't waste her time just go back to your doctor and ask for someone else.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

On the other hand, while I don't disagree with Andy, I would say if you feel uncomfortable with the information you have so far, by all means ask your doctor to refer you to someone else. Most doctors have more than one person on their list.

 

[gooblax]

I'm not sure how much of the issue is how difficult it is for me to make phone calls. Not having information that I could find without having to call was a big deal and was stressing me out all week until I found the extra stuff last night. I'm not sure if she'll get the email, but at least now I've halved the number of questions I'd need to ask via phone.
But it's probably still at least one phone call whether I book with her or whether I have to go back to the doctor. I always make things so much more difficult than they have to be. :facepalm:

 

[PrincessX]

I am wondering would it be possible to ask her directly before the appointment why she doesn't have a website with more information. And also what is her experience and success rate with people in your age group and your condition. Of course you will get her own subjective answers, but you might get a hint of whether you want to see her. And I don't know how the system there works, do you lose a lot of time if you ask for a new referral? Can you chose someone from the referral list based on your interest to see them? I think these may be some things to consider when deciding whether to give it a try. Also I agree with what Dr. Baxter said.

 

[Andy]

I just thought, I recently had to get a referal for something non psych related but when I did I asked her to send it to a particular doctor that I had seen before and she was fine with that. So if you have someone else in mind then maybe you could try that too.

 

[gooblax]

I just thought, I recently had to get a referal for something non psych related but when I did I asked her to send it to a particular doctor that I had seen before and she was fine with that. So if you have someone else in mind then maybe you could try that too.

That's what I should've done to begin with when I saw the doctor in-person, but I failed to prepare myself to have that part of the conversation. I had already identified someone different as a possibility, but missed the window of opportunity to mention it because I wasn't adequately prepared.

I am wondering would it be possible to ask her directly before the appointment why she doesn't have a website with more information. And also what is her experience and success rate with people in your age group and your condition. Of course you will get her own subjective answers, but you might get a hint of whether you want to see her.

I'd save the website question to in-person, if that eventuates. Asked the condition question in the email, and wanted to do the age group one but wasn't sure how to word it so I left that one off.

And I don't know how the system there works, do you lose a lot of time if you ask for a new referral? Can you chose someone from the referral list based on your interest to see them?

From my understanding they pretty much let you pick from anyone who's registered through Medicare to provide the service. I only lose time because it takes me forever to get in contact with people if I have to call them. One poorly executed Dr's visit has set me back a week and probably two phone calls worth of time, whatever those happen to take... and again it's just more self imposed needless difficulty.

Anyway, thanks guys. I've just gotta get my **** together and get things done correctly the first time.

 

[gooblax]

Ended up going. Wasn't terrible but I don't think it'll be helpful. Plus I pigeonholed myself (ie. "down the wrong track" game) by trying to pick the initiating issue as the thing to mention in the first appointment, which was dumb because although that is bothering me, I don't really relate to the general description of what that is, and it's something that I generally have under control.
Not sure why I wanted to see anyone anyway... It's certainly less stressful having decided that there's no need for it.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Or could that just be a rationalization for not going back to her?


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[gooblax]

Or could that just be a rationalization for not going back to her?

I don't really see that it matters either way.
But nah, this way I know I only have myself to rely on and have to accept that things are within my ability to handle. It stops being acceptable to not handle it, and I shouldn't need external motivation for something that only affects me... That doesn't exist, and nor should it.

 

[forgetmenot]

I don't really see that it matters either way.
But nah, this way I know I only have myself to rely on and have to accept that things are within my ability to handle. It stops being acceptable to not handle it, and I shouldn't need external motivation for something that only affects me... That doesn't exist, and nor should it.

I am understanding yet not understanding are you saying that external help to help you is not acceptable

Things are withing you ability to handle are they perhaps this is why you are reaching out because you feel that that you do need some external help

Depending on yourself i get that much i do my internal tape says the same thing i look after me no one else but sometimes it is good to talk things out with someone to make sure you have clarity on what is going on Hope that i am making sense

 

[gooblax]

Ok let me try to explain...

When I try to open myself up to the idea of getting external help, it becomes all I can think about. I get clingy, needy, feel lonely, spend almost every spare minute thinking about myself etc.
Whereas when I shut that avenue down, I can do a much better job of shutting the rest of it down along with it. I know there's nowhere to go with any upsetting feelings/thoughts so I just have to let them slide. I know that there's no one to talk to about what's going on, so there's no reason to allow anything to go on at all. Things don't feel as urgent, and it's much easier to return everything to normal. This can only become problematic if I choose not to deal with things in an appropriate way, so I just have to keep a handle on that.

I've tried to find a middle ground, but there isn't one. So I have to choose the option that makes better sense.

 

[David Baxter PhD]

Understood. You need to do what works for you now. There may come a time when shutting it down doesn't work anymore but for now if it works go with it.


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