Shame on Franca! I wish I could give her no stars or half a star.
I am legally disabled with both severe PTSD as well as Occipital Neuralgia, which is what I was going to her to treat. This is something that my mother told her when she made an appointment for me, as I need someone to drive me and escort me, so she was fully aware when she took me on as a client. She mentioned my disability to both make her aware, and to find a quiet time to come.
The first session went well, and I was in less pain. I was very excited about the possibility of living in less pain and possibly being able to do something other than go from bed to my couch (that is literally how much pain I am in). She did mention the importance of adopting cats. I told her I had just lost both of mine (3 months ago and a year ago) and I was in no place for numerous reasons.
During the second session she started lecturing me on adopting cats once again. I reminded her, and asked her to please not talk about it. She started yelling "oh just get over it and get more!" She went into a whole rant about how she has had 14 cats, she has 8 now, and it's our duty to get more, etc. She was literally screaming, I was getting more agitated and upset, while my mom both tried to change the subject and reminded her this wasn't the time and place.
Franca's hands got aggressive before she finally finished the session. We scheduled another session, because as far as I know, she is the only person who can treat my condition. To try to stay in her good graces, my mother scheduled a session with her, and made a donation to the charity she had posters for in her lobby.
Less than 10 minutes later she called my mother (little did she know she was on speaker phone in the car) and told her that she felt "it wasn't working for her", and she has a name of a therapist I should see. (By therapist she meant a mental health therapist...who I already see. I needed her to treat my Occipital Neuralgia, not my PTSD. All she had to do was not talk / lecture me about cats). She was very hostile, and continued on about how selfish I was about not getting more cats because...(my mother hung up). My mother later called to cancel both of our appointments.
So if you suffer from PTSD, or any other other mental illness, Franca is both toxic and harmful for your health. Her office is also NOT handicap accessible. Her people skills are deplorable. She had no right to lecture me / anyone...about anything, ESPECIALLY after requesting her not to. Her insensitivity towards someone who does suffer from trauma and is grieving over loss, and had been notified of legal disability is abhorrent, ESPECIALLY considering she is supposed to be a part of the medical community. She shouldn't be allowed near anyone.
Again, shame on Franca. read more