ScaredSad: I just wanted to say that referrals to a psychiatrist are not typically legally regulated unless it's part of a court ordered discharge agreement or there's abuse/neglect/danger... If the therapist said anything to the contrary, I'd definitely request clarification to see why he is required to refer his clients out... could be agency policy, could be some jacked-up collusion with the drug companies, etc.

Hello ScaredSad,
As I understand it -- and I may well be wrong -- a professional is legally and ethically mandated to refer if they feel the client's/patient's difficulties are beyond the scope of their skill and expertise. Most psychologists do not have the ability to prescribe medications and medications are considered by many to be "thee" essential component of treatment for psychosis. As a result, if a psychologist is working with a client and they suspect psychosis, they will refer as based on their inability to prescribe medication. Too, this decision may be coupled with their lack of faith in their own profession's ability to offer effective treatment. Traditionally, talk therapies have not been promoted as an effective form of treatment although CBT does seem to be making some inroads. Numbers' opening post suggests to me that this is precisely what happened...

...he seems to think I'm psychotic (actually he seems very sure of it) and he says that I'm probably going to need medication because there's only so much he can do, and it's not even his exact field of psychology.

That doesn't mean Numbers can no longer talk with his psychologist. I'm hopeful he can continue, especially since he's found it to be so helpful. However, that may depend on his psychologist's comfort levels.

My own explorations have suggested that psychotherapy can be highly effective in the hands of a skilled clinician, but finding such a clinician can be very difficult. John Weir Perry, Jaakko Seikkula, Loren Mosher, Bertram Karon -- these are all examples of Western-based psychiatrists or psychologists who relied on forms of talk therapy as coupled with reduced or no medication. Unfortunately, at least two of those individuals are dead, a third is in Finland/Norway. That leaves Dr. Karon but I've no idea if he's still practicing. If individuals wish to pursue talk therapies as treatment, it's always possible they'll be able to find professionals who practice in a similar vein. The odds of doing so appear to be somewhat better in Northern Europe.