Posted by DaisyM on February 2, 2004, at 23:55:18
In reply to How to tell someone about diagnosis, posted by gardenergirl on February 2, 2004, at 21:01:44
I think you have to ask yourself the question: why, at this point in therapy, is it REALLY important to have this discussion? If you can answer it clearly and calmly for yourself, you are ready to have it. It seems to me that if a client is new to you, she might not trust your opinions of her yet. Not that you are wrong, just the age old question of "how could she know *that* after 2-4-6 sessions?"
My Therapist said he was dxing me with "adjustment disorder" something he does routinely with a lot of people at the beginning. It gives the insurance companies what they need, etc. When he had a write a treatment plan, he came in and said, "if I write what they really want, you will hate it. There will be a record of PTSD around...and you have political ambitions. What do you want me to do?" We talked about the DSM IV, possible other DXs, etc. It was a very open discussion, not HE knew what I had...I appreciated this very much. I was surprised that he completely refused to diagnosis depression. He said that insurance companies see that, want you to throw meds at it and be done in 12 sessions. Not that he was against meds, he is against insurance companies. LOL
I think gentle, sensitive and slow might be best. But lots and lots of explanation, like Dinah said. Labels can hurt, even if they are accurate.
poster:DaisyM
thread:308679
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20040131/msgs/308736.html