Va Therapist Forced To Resign... Don't Know Why :(

[hedgey]

Hi, everyone. I hope this isn't something that many people have experience because it's been hell, but maybe someone can say something that will help.

I had been seeing the same VA therapist for years. I was among the first patients they had when they came to the VA, so we sort of "grew up" together - I mean a lot of our sessions were full of "isn't the VA crazy the way they do things?" Went every week and very rarely missed an appointment.

So a couple of months ago I went to a session, all was as usual. Then I called scheduling the next day to change the next appointment because spouse had a conflicting appointment. Was told that my Therapist was on Admninstrative Leave.

After weeks of asking questions and getting no answers, I was finally told at the beginning of the month that Therapist had resigned (been forced!). My VA psychiatrist can only say that she doesn't know anything about what happened, only that Therapist surely would not have left patients high and dry if there had been any alternative. Privacy & confidentiality prevent the VA from saying anything about the circumstances.

So WTF. I was such a fool, wasn't I? I actually allowed myself to open up to someone, to reveal a lot of myself to someone, and the VA just steps in and they're gone.

Yes, I know that this must be the same thing regardless of whether it's the VA or a private provider. I'm just lost and so damned depressed.

I have a C&P next week and I don't give a flying fish about it. Do for a minute, get mad at the VA and want to rail and gnash my teeth and jump up and down. Then deflate and just don't care.

The VA is supposed to fix me up with another therapist, but in this area they're severely short-staffed (good time to fire a provider - oops, I mean accept the resignation of a provider) and it will be weeks before I can see someone, unless I want to travel to the VAMC. Not.

Sorry. I'm rambling. Thanks for reading. I'd say I'll be okay, but I'm starting to think that maybe I won't.

[Barbamatt]

I've had to change doc's/therapist in the past year because I've moved to a new area. I know that it is hard to start over with someone new. It can seem like you are taking steps backwards to start over....but try to look at it as moving forward. Maybe you will find someone else who is genuinely interested in your care and you will get along with that person too.

I agree with Henry S about the VA letting go good employees for various reasons that have more to do with management than something bad that they have done. I have seen it happen personally...so your therapist may have just clashed with management....and it is not a reflection on the care she gave you.

I hope that you will go to your C&P exam and be open and honest so that you will get the rating that you deserve. I also hope that you continue in your treatment and work with a new therapist as hard as it may be. You will get past this and it will get easier.

[Tbird]

Hedgey first things first Do Not Miss Your C & P.

Recently my therapist of 13 years accepted a promotion and I now go to a civilian therapist. I am still grieving.

I had a psychiatrist disappear like that once, one day she was there next appointment not. New psychiatrist decided to degrade her to me and said she had me on a lot of experimental medicine and basically she didn't know what she was doing. I changed psychiatrist's after that visit he was not a fan of women veterans.

I chatted up a few different people and rumor had it that she had a mental breakdown and left. Which left me questioning every session I had with her and we did not have the usual 15 minute med check appointments. They were full 50 minute sessions.

Tbird

[hedgey]

Thank you all for the compassion and good advice. I feel like kicking over the traces, but I know that missing a C&P will just be the worst thing to do for myself, so I will be there. DH will be taking me and plans to stay with me the whole time (hope they don't fuss about that!!). We'll be getting there at least an hour ahead of the appointment time, just in case.

As for my dear therapist.... It's hard to fire any government employee unless there's been counseling and bad performance, etc. paper trail in their records.

BUT .. my VA psychiatrist (who is almost as upset as I am because she sees the turmoil all this has caused for so many patients) indicated that the issue was that my fantastic therapist was not playing by VA rules precisely. As in took the Vietnam Vet wednesday group off-site to the town park to fly kites. Good exposure and child-like fun. They made their own kites from sticks, string and newspapers, and they had a good time. Another time they went to a small local restaurant to celebrate a group member's birthday.

Psychiatrist says that the VA goes spastic about providers "exceeding the scope of their duties". Un-authorized overtime for the provider, possible insurance issues. You get the picture.

So here was a great provider, the ONLY one I ever met who personally suffered from PTSD and was able to find a way to live and manage it. A real human being who went above and beyond to help fellow vets. Instead of making a hero and holding them up as a model employee, there're charges, an investigation and .... oh hell.

I'm trying to get in to see the VA therapist who was my therapist's intern. If she was mentored by best, I can't help but hope she might understand. If not, I'll start looking outside.

Part of me knows I need the therapy, desperately. The other part of me feels like it's pointless.

Thanks again, everyone. Hadit always helps.

[carlie]

hedgey,

Don't forget to give your Vet Center a try.

www.vetcenter.va.gov