I do therapy online. The service host is an impersonal corporation. I've recently had cause to wonder, if my therapist died or experienced a crisis (injury, illness, disaster, etc.) how would I ever know? How would I get any closure. She's not currently ill, but she's in her late 60s and life is unpredictable anyway.

If I saw a therapist in a brick and mortar group practice, and some such issue came up, the agency would let me know she wasn't available. If she died, I presume someone at the office would let me know.

If I saw a therapist in private practice or at her home, perhaps there'd be no one to notify me, but I would at least have an address as a starting point.

Currently, I realize, I have nothing. If my therapist was in a crisis, I'd have no inkling if she was unable to email me. If my therapist died, I believe I would find out eventually, but that would be by scanning obituaries for her home city, an imprecise and potentially long process. I think of those who don't have funeral services until a week or more later, and other potential complications.

I'm scared, nervous and upset thinking about this possibility.

I wondered if anyone here might have ideas or help me brainstorm a way around this. Although I'm not supposed to, I do have my therapist's home phone number and address. She knows I have those, though I don't use them. So, one thought was for me to leave a message on her answering machine if I didn't hear from her for one week and ask whoever picks up messages to call me, but... that's a longshot.

I think I could track down her ex-husband's office number to ask for news, if a week went by and I heard nothing, but I'm not positive.

I did share this concern with her and she replied:

"As far as you being notified if were to die, I don't believe that would be possible. But I will think about the issue as it is a very legitimate concern you have, XXXXXX"

Anyone?

Sigh, I'm tempted to delete this now that I've written it. It occurs to me... if she dies, there's nothing knowing sooner would help with, except saving me from panicking for the interim week. Still....worrying for a week is worth avoiding. And if she's in a crisis... what could I do to help anyway. But it would still be good to know... I could still at least send my prayers and flowers or something. Again... if I didn't hear, I could send prayers anyway...

so I dunno if this is all moot or not, but it doesn't feel moot.