HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE! I sought out counseling because of conflict with our future DIL and I brought my spouse in so we could be on the same page. I saw this person twice, my husband saw her once and we together met with her once. Read the emails:
Subject: appointmenmt times
Hello - I want to say I very much dislike having a rushed conclusion to the appointment, 10 minutes late for my next client who was patiently waiting. Sessions are 50-55 minutes and will start at 5 after the time scheduled or 5 minutes after you arrive if late - in which case we still end at the top or bottom of the hour depending on how I schedule that day. I find it really disrupts the helpfulness of the relationship when I have to abruptly end the session and am getting frustrated that the end of the session time isn't easily accomplished between me and the client. Lets make this situation work and wrap up and take care of scheduling and payments if necessary prior to the end of the clock hour and wrap up on time.
Heide. I'm not sure how to respond to your email. We arrived on time to our session - you arrived late. We waited in the waiting room for you to get ready. Bob & I sat down on your couch together at 2:11pm. You sat down at 2:14pm, joined in on our conversation of the red chairs you talked about acquiring them till 2:19pm. I was in front of the clock watching the time. I felt during our session you talked more about yourself than we were able to communicate about why we were there. Over half of our time after you sat down consisted of your life: the chairs, son, hockey, daughter, brother, sister-in-law, nephew, car, co-worker etc....
My husband said at his 1st meeting with you that you mostly talked about yourself. I was surprised because I felt you and I had communicated very well on our two sessions. After our rushed session and leaving, I told my husband I was very disappointed, that I felt nothing was accomplished in our session and that I agreed with him you talked mostly about yourself in this one.
Receiving your very insensitive email made me upset. Reading it to my husband, he replied it was a mutual failure but that you are the professional in this field and are ultimately responsible.
We've decided that this is not the kind of counseling we were looking for and we have canceled our upcoming appointments. We will send you a $30 copay for our last session.
No need. I cancelled the sessions blocked the accounts after the last session as I wasn't willing to reschedule. I only work in situations where people are willing to see their part of the problem and solution. Obviously you miss the common elements in the sharing of information and examples of life that were related hoping you would see the commonalities before you end up further estranged from your son and hoping to help you salvage the relationship with your future daughter in law. Apparently you didn't see or hear the points of those relative examples to show how others have successfully made it through difficult relationships and how to better view your own situation. Therapists share to reveal common links to how we all have situations that can be handled successfully. I'm sorry the stories weren't related to or that the examples not seen for the aspects that could help you learn from them. It was clear that although your husband is able to see the greater wisdom and politics of how to have good future relationships, you are bent on confrontation and allegiance from him- to you which will further compromise the family and not end up with growing positive relations with your future daughter in law. If you don't change it will all be tumultuous. I am afraid you missed all the points in what was shared hoping you don't implode the situation. Don't send the check. It won't be cashed. read more