5 ms·

Totally speculative, but I think this might have something to do with a high demand for good therapists. For instance, I spoke recently with a friend who was st

Totally speculative, but I think this might have something to do with a high demand for good therapists. For instance, I spoke recently with a friend who was studying to practice psychoanalysis and when I asked him if he was looking for clients, he turned me down in such a way as to suggest 'you're not on the level of my clientele' or at least 'I have all the clients I need.' This was in New York where I'm sure there's a huge base of wealthy potential clients willing to pay a premium. If therapists have no problem finding clients, word of mouth may actually be the best system for them. Please correct me if I'm off-base here.

judk 11y ago
It's a classic NY/Jewish joke that the only doctor worth seeing is a doctor whose schedule is fully booked.
jmnicolas 11y ago
Or maybe he didn't want a friend as a patient. You're not supposed to bond with your therapist but if you're already a friend it's too late. So his rejection may have been ethical and not about your worth as a patient.
- electronvolt 11y ago
  I know as someone who was a caretaker[0] for a partner, it's incredibly hard to separate making responsible choices for someone who can't always make them from your regular actual friendship or relationship with them. If you were already friends with the person, I really don't see them ever wanting to treat you formally. In the worst case they might have to make the almost impossible decision between involuntarily committing you (if they think you are a danger to yourself/others) and losing a valued friendship, or not committing you against their better instincts to preserve their friendship and risking you harming yourself/others. (Not that you are necessarily in that category ever, but if you're making a decision like "Can I ethically provide treatment for this person?" you really have to think about worst cases.) [0] I don't have any medical/therapy training, but I wound up spending a few months taking care of someone I was dating who was having a pretty severe manic episode. Very irresponsible of her doctor, in retrospect, who later said the reason he hadn't hospitalized her was because she had me to help take care of her/watch her--and we were both college students and he had met me once, briefly.
- msutherl 11y ago
  Should have mentioned he was more of a friend-of-a-friend and he also mentioned to me that he does see acquaintances.

judk 11y ago

It's a classic NY/Jewish joke that the only doctor worth seeing is a doctor whose schedule is fully booked.

jmnicolas 11y ago

Or maybe he didn't want a friend as a patient. You're not supposed to bond with your therapist but if you're already a friend it's too late. So his rejection may have been ethical and not about your worth as a patient.

electronvolt 11y ago
I know as someone who was a caretaker[0] for a partner, it's incredibly hard to separate making responsible choices for someone who can't always make them from your regular actual friendship or relationship with them. If you were already friends with the person, I really don't see them ever wanting to treat you formally. In the worst case they might have to make the almost impossible decision between involuntarily committing you (if they think you are a danger to yourself/others) and losing a valued friendship, or not committing you against their better instincts to preserve their friendship and risking you harming yourself/others. (Not that you are necessarily in that category ever, but if you're making a decision like "Can I ethically provide treatment for this person?" you really have to think about worst cases.) [0] I don't have any medical/therapy training, but I wound up spending a few months taking care of someone I was dating who was having a pretty severe manic episode. Very irresponsible of her doctor, in retrospect, who later said the reason he hadn't hospitalized her was because she had me to help take care of her/watch her--and we were both college students and he had met me once, briefly.
msutherl 11y ago
Should have mentioned he was more of a friend-of-a-friend and he also mentioned to me that he does see acquaintances.