I have had both, but mostly I have gone to groups or clinics with common waiting rooms. In my experience, the common waiting room is fine. Often there is a television in there that nearly everyone focuses on. And as all waiting rooms there are the piles of stupid magazines available (whoever decided that I want to read about Golf or fly-fishing while waiting for my session?!?) ...

The staff I've dealt with has been very pleasant and professional. They are there for the business part of it; appointment scheduling, insurance matters, collecting copays. The one community clinic I went to in Ohio had a great receiptionist who I enjoyed talking with very much. She was very upbeat and made me smile.

The others in the waiting room.. are nervous, contemplating their appointment about to take place, sometimes talkative, always pleasant. Just like you!

Where I go now it is a group of therapists and a pdoc or two who rent offices there and some share the administrative staff. My therapist doesn't share the staff and there is no signing in or anything; I just sit till she comes out to get me. I don't much care to talk to others there, so I have a book with me or simply sit and think and often practice some breathing exercises because being relaxed helps me think and helps the session be more productive.

How to shop. You have shopped for now, I think. You went to EAP and shopped that way and got a recommendation. Give give him a try? I think seeing the person a few times is part of the shopping. Do you remember when I saw Dr M? It took a while but I discovered she wasn't what I wanted so I refined my search then, knowing more about what I wanted.

You can go with this new T now and make changes whenever you might want to, if you find you want to. This is about you and what feels good to you and what works for you.

((((((( SecretGarden )))))))