I had always had private practice pdoc's & psychologists before the psychologist I have now. They would all just sit & listen to what I had to say without any feedback or questions to draw out more of my thoughts. When my depression was really bad years ago, I would just sit there in silence.

When I left my husband & moved across the country to where I didn't know anyone, I first started with a T in private practice, but couldn't afford him & couldn't handle the drive into the city. Another friend had a T that sounded really great, so I went to her for one meeting only my problems were too complicated for her to handle....the only referrals I got were so expensive there was just no way, I did try one of the referrals & the guy was so off base, I knew there was just no way he was going to relate to me. It took me awhile to get up the courage to go to the community mental health group because of all the bad things I had seen come out of them in California, but I started to hear good things about the psychologists there. I called up & they set me up with the one in the next town away from where I live as I just didn't want to be going to the one in my town & know anyone that was there or have them know me.

This psychologist is the best one I have ever had experience with. She not only listens, but she can ask the right questions that gets me to think deeper than I had previously been able to go with any of the others. Not only that, but I was struggling so much in my home with things that she also set up for the home care group to have a T come out to my farm & help me through the daily stresses I was experiencing. On top of that, they had grant money to help people out of really bad situations & my heat pump situation was one of those bad ones.....the guy I hired to put in my brand new system was a crook & I ended up without a system that was working....so no heat or air. Their grant money paid for me to get my system upgraded into a working heater & AC. I still can't afford to heat my house with the cost of electricity, but at least it works & I can keep the house warm enough that my pipes don't freeze in the winter.

My California Psychologist would hug at the end of the session. I know he cared & I saw him the times I was in the psych hospital.....he would always be there......he even took one of my puppies from the last litter we had. He worked out of the same office as my pdoc, so they kept up on how I was doing. I had been seeing him for almost 10 years & I know that he cared, but his psychology technique just didn't work with me. Can really see the difference now that I have something different to compare it to.

It's important to find someone we can relate to & can relate to us no matter where we find them.....never rule it out until you give them a chance. Think there should be a first time consultation visit just to see if there is a feeling of compatibility.