Quote:
Originally Posted by amandalouise
here in america mental health agencies generally are able to treat all mental disorders recognized in the DSM 5, though some patients/clients ask for a specialist and the therapist or psychiatrist can if they wish refer them to someone else. because they want to not because they have to due to law or ethics. I
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That hasn't been my experience. I've had a therapist that I had worked with for a year, gotten nowhere, and was sent for a conslutation for dissociative disorders. Was diagnosed, and my T refused to work with me anymore - because he had no experience with dissociative disorders (even though they are in the DSM).
I don't think it was a legal issue, but he was clear that it was an ethical one - if a T (in America) doesn't feel they have the expertise to treat you properly, my understanding is that they are ethically supposed to refer you out. Even my current T has said that if he thought I had a serious dissociative disorder (he doesn't at this point), he would *have* to refer me out (his words, not mine), because he doesn't have the expertise to treat that.
My understanding from reading here (and I could be wrong) was that eating disorders were one of those things where having specialized treatment makes a big difference.
Good luck to the original poster... whatever you decide to do!