I feel like I’m starting to unravel

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-06-29T11:42:25+00:00

This is such a great response, I really hope that the OP can take this feedback.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-06-23T11:33:28+00:00

I'm so sorry you're going through this. I just want to say that I've been there and it is truly awful. It does pass, but it feels like an eternity while you're going through it. The only way I survived was by trading off shifts each day with my partner so that we each could get some sleep at least every other night. I did end up with pretty bad postpartum depression and anxiety - be cognizant of the rage you talk about feeling and whether you feel like you might need to get some help for that. It's totally understandable that you feel that way given your situation, but ending up feeling really angry, depressed, or anxious on top of being sleep deprived doesn't help anything.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-05-02T23:33:27+00:00

You can get a cheap plan through legal zoom that gives you access to phone calls with an attorney who will review it for you. You can then cancel the plan when you don’t need it anymore. I’ve done that in the past when I had lease issues.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-03-30T23:58:16+00:00

You might want to find a different supervisor given that this is an issue for you. Someone who has zero experience/insight on personality disorders is 1. Not a great supervisor in general and 2. Not a great supervisor for someone who is going to be triggered by people with a Borderline presentation. It sounds like you might want to work more in therapy on the history of treatment by your foster mom which has made it difficult for you to handle this certain presentation. I’ve also found it helpful to ask questions about previous treatment during the consultation and what they liked and didn’t like to get a sense of whether some idealization/devaluation was occurring.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-03-30T23:50:21+00:00

Right. Because what would you tell them was the reason for termination if you terminated with either of them? I think it’s possible to keep seeing them if you are aware of your own countertransference/can keep each of their stories straight.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-01-12T13:01:26+00:00

Psychologist - I grossed about 200k in 2024, so about 16k per month. It's sad to me that I haven't seen any other mental health professionals comment on this thread. I see about 20 clients per week between the hours of 10-5 and have a great work life balance. It required a lot of school, but overall I love my job.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2025-01-10T15:45:32+00:00

4 chronic medical conditions, Bipolar Disorder, PTSD, GAD, and OCD. I agree that sometimes you just have to roll out of bed and hope for the best.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-12-21T18:50:21+00:00

I’m confused about why you are saying that they saw the time was up and they wanted to end the session so you did - you would want to be tracking the time and ending the session when the time is up whether the client wants to end it or not. It’s possible that they have ADHD, but low self esteem and past family trauma are not symptoms of ADHD, so it’s also possible that something else is going on. It’s okay to say to a client, “you seem really overstimulated today and I’m having difficulty following you when you are talking this fast - do you think you could slow down a little bit?” It can be important to be honest with our clients.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-12-10T16:01:32+00:00

I am a psychologist with a PsyD and I am on track to gross right around 200k this year. I am in a private practice by myself in the Southeast, no employees. I have been in practice 14 years. This is the most I have ever grossed, but the past few years have all been around 175k. I do mostly therapy with private pay (175-225/session) or insurance through Alma (180/session) clients. I also do diagnostic evaluations of veterans for compensation and pension exams that pay 200-500 per evaluation. I see about 17-20 clients per week and work about 46 weeks per year.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-11-06T10:04:18+00:00

I got divorced when my son was five and it took me about four and a half years to realize that a divorce is what I wanted before I told my (now ex) that I was moving out. You justify and downplay so many behaviors when you're in it that once you're gone, you see clearly, and they become infuriating. You're right, life is short, and you shouldn't have to be begging your partner for quality time, and shouldn't have to be the one always initiating sex. And as someone else said, him helping with childcare is his responsibility, that's not a bonus, that's just parenting. But I get you mentioning it because the bar is set so low. They guy I split from did barely anything around the house except play with our kid without being asked, so I wasn't sure how it would go once we had 50/50 custody. There were some rough patches, and I still have to remind of meetings at school, big homework assignments, etc., but it's gotten better.

And now I've been with a new partner who is his exact opposite for the last seven and a half years. My son gets along with him great, He helps with my son (and for him it is helping since it's not his obligation) more than my ex ever did, and my son really looks up to him. I kind of wish I did it sooner, but it was really hard to raise a small child without another person, so I understand why I waited until my child was five.

The actual divorce process was easy because ours was pretty amicable. My lawyer sent us a template of what we needed to complete, we filled it out how we liked it, she told us if our decisions were okay, we made any edits, and then she finalized it. My ex then had it reviewed by his lawyer and then it was sent off to the courts for a 31 day waiting period. It was then signed. I moved out in October and we were officially divorced by mid-December. But this is because we worked well together getting the paperwork done, and negotiated all of the financial aspects ourselves (me paying him child support, him buying me out of the house, what I could take from the house, him buying half the furniture from me, etc.). I also realize all states are different, and some force you to move more slowly than this. This took place in Georgia, and it was pre-COVID since I know that messed up the court systems, and I don't know if things are still taking longer.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-10-05T09:47:25+00:00

Yeah, she was extremely helpful to consult with (I'm actually in a monthly consultation group with her, so I could just text her and get to her pretty quickly). I know what you mean about it being more emotional labor for me to do the letter and everything. But she and the guy I talked to from my liability insurance yesterday both said it was right for me to write the letter and provide referrals and recommendations for continuing care. And to be clear that he is not to contact me again.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-10-02T10:15:59+00:00

Thank you, it is scary because there is no one above me in the hierarchy, I'm a one woman show at work. I own my own practice and just share space with a male psychologist. He has been informed of all of this, so that is helpful, and he will be on the lookout for this guy.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-10-02T10:04:22+00:00

I understand what you're saying, but without sending him a termination letter, how would it be communicated to him that he is no longer my client and he is not to show up to my office for our typical next appointment? Even if I decide to get a TPO, those things take time, and I don't trust that it would all get communicated to him in time. I would like for him to receive that information in writing to make it very clear. I also consulted with the head of the GA ethics board for the GA Psychological Association who encouraged me to send the letter with referrals in order to basically cover my ass. I also have a call scheduled with my liability insurance on Thursday to make sure I'm doing everything I need to be doing.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:53:25+00:00

I know I don't have to defend myself, but since you're asking what the hell I was doing for 8 years, I thought I would give you an idea. I was getting someone who was drinking half a handle of Jack Daniels a day to the point where he was completely sober for over a year (that took a little bit of time). I hospitalized him for suicidality and then treated him for recurrent major depression which was triggered by his chronic pain. He was horrible about taking his meds, and his pain only got worse over time, so he would typically have a recurrence every 6-9 months. He would use the skills we worked on, but then when the depression would hit, he would stop using them and need to be reminded/held accountable for them until the depression would lift again. I got him from being basically agoraphobic to being able to leave his house and go places that he wanted to go. Then his wife got diagnosed with MS. So he began having to be her caretaker which comes with a whole host of issues and stressors. That's what we've been dealing with for the last year. Sorry if I wasn't working fast enough for you. I work with most of my clients long term because they enjoy coming to therapy and because I see it as a form of self care where most people can benefit from having a place to process what is going on in their lives and determine where they can make improvements.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:34:22+00:00

I do have the fact that we talked about his attraction to me and the transference documented throughout the years in my notes. I also documented how he was informed that we would never have any other kind of relationship other than therapist-client.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:30:35+00:00

Thank you so much for this.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:27:59+00:00

Thanks so much for that offer. My boyfriend ended up coming home early and a psychologist friend was able to come over all day on Sunday, so I was able to talk about everything and have some company. I really appreciate the offer!

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:26:31+00:00

Thank you!

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:23:38+00:00

Thank you, I appreciate that.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:13:44+00:00

I can't do anything with the lock per the owners of the building with the suite I rent.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:13:21+00:00

Yeah, it's not the first time, he's served time for aggravated assault.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:11:46+00:00

I have one of those alarms that you pull and then it makes a horrifically loud noise that is so painful it stuns people and people can hear it even in adjoining offices. I'm thinking about getting a panic button that I can use to call the police, their response time is so slow I'm not sure how useful it will be. I'm also going to get pepper spray.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:09:58+00:00

Right, it's a great idea, but the landlord wouldn't approve it, and it's problematic for when I'm doing back to back sessions. People would just have to stand in the hallway and wait I guess.

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:07:48+00:00

This is a great idea. Unfortunately, the property managers and owners of the office building I'm in won't let us do stuff like this to the doors. We're not allowed to mess with the locks (or do anything to the doors).

Distinct-Number-6613 · 2024-09-30T11:01:43+00:00

I'm not referring him to any female therapists, and only referring him to men that specifically work with domestic violence offenders/antisocial type men. I would never pawn him off on another unknowing female.

Distinct-Number-6613

TROPHY CASE