VERY annoyed. Weird issue with therapist office...... Your opinion requested.

I have no idea what "category" this should be put under - so I am just going to drop it here and the moderators can move it if they want....

Okay, here is my little drama of the day. I am seeing several therapists - but one main one. The gal is pretty good. She clearly cares and she also knows her stuff. With my insurance (which is pretty good), I only have to pay $25 co-pay each time I see her.

(I am not good at remembering how long ago something occurred so do not write this in stone)..... About a year ago I received a bill in the mail for $25 - saying that I did not pay for a session..... I was pretty certain that I did pay - but since I pay in cash - I really could not prove it. So, now I always make sure to get a receipt.

Then two weeks ago, we had a group session on a different day & time than normal. I got in late and was in a hurry. Handed the receptionist (who knows me well) the money and said "no time for a receipt) and went into group..... well - you guessed it - late last week I got a bill for $25.

I AM SO PISSED. I know it may be kind of petty - after all $25 certainly is no big deal to me. But the concept that "someone" is ripping me off has my blood pressure way up today. I have therapy this afternoon and I am stewing over how I am going to handle this........

I think I will simply go in and try to be calm. Give the receptionist the letter and explain that I did pay. And if they give me ANY crap - I think I will say 'fine' and pay $25 (for the missed payment) and demand a receipt - then LEAVE and do not go to session... and tell them outright - cancel ALL future appointments.

I really do not want to quit seeing this therapist. But I do not think I will be able to 'let go' of this. It is soooo under my skin that I could barely sleep last night....

Am I being a jerk?

No, you have been wronged but it is not worth shooting yourself in the foot over it. Don't give up on the therapy because of the payment issue afterall it's not your therapist that has made the mistake. Just be real calm and state that you have already paid it and yes make sure you get a receipt no matter what!

This would greatly bother me, too.
Does the admin side of the practice have an office manager? You might consider taking the issue - the pattern - up with them. (If it's happening to you, it might be happening to others.)

Wishing you a positive outcome, UM.

Have you brought this up in group? It is a valid concern especially spence you are thinking of quitting over this. There may be more than just you having this problem.

UM, you are not a jerk. You have every right to get your receipt. You have the right to be heard about this dispute. I would not let it go. Speak to the office manager (calmly). In the future, you may want to put the name of the person you gave the money to. Hope you can get justice.

I agree with Pegasus and Rohag. The problem is the receptionist not your therapist. It's hard to find a good therapist that you can relate to.

Talk to management or maybe even the receptionist when seeing you will remember that you did pay.

Meanwhile, work on some relaxation techniqes. Good luck and I'm so sorry this has happened to you twice.

No you are right to feel pissed.
The dynamic changes when money issues come up.
I felt angry because my new(now previous)therapist gave me an easter egg!
I have mother issues.

I don't think you're being a jerk. It's normal to feel annoyed over money issues.

Like what others have said, if this T has been helping in your path to wellness, please please do not quit seeing her. Talk it out with the person in charge, and if need be.. talk about it with T and she might be able to help.

Being really scatty when it comes to my own finances (training to be an accountant and when it's other people's money I am very organised and methodical) I'd be one of those they'd catch out and I really wouldn't remember.

As such I make sure, when viable to pay by card, that way you've got clear evidence of what has/has not gone out of your account.

I agree with others that it's probably not worth losing a good T due to an admin cock up... So yeah view it as a lesson learnt and put it in terms of 'they aren't going to do it to me again' rather than stewing on something that's done and could be stressful to argue over?

Hopefully this is just a billing error.

If the receptionist doesn't remember that you already paid her and give you a receipt for your payment, I would definitely go to management. It could be that someone is pocketing payments instead of recording them...

I don't think I would blame the therapist as she probably doesn't deal with that stuff. I don't think you should dump the therapist. I would be thoroughly pissed as well. In the last year and a half I have dealt with so much incompetence both with government agencies but surprisingly private institutions are just as bad these days. It has become a joke for me. I will sit on the phone on hold for two hours just because it has become a game. I got tired of getting so mad and frustrated. I would not pay the money though if I did not owe it. Go over her head and get to the bottom of it.

You know, I would bring this up to the office manager after your next appointment. As someone else noted, (a) there may be other people with the same issue and (b) it sounds like that seemingly harmless receptionist is pocketing the money knowing it would be hard to prove otherwise. I try not to think the worst of people but I think it is no coincidence you received a bill the time you were in a rush and couldn't stop for the receipt

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for all the support.....

I am completely UNcomfortable talking to a person (face to face) on this kind of stuff and calling on the phone is worse..... however - I did summon up the gnads to bring this up yesterday when I arrived and the account manager said she would look into it but she did not think I owed them anything.....

so - I guess I spent the last few days internally enraged for no reason.

:/

Hope it all gets cleared up.

well - it sure gave me plenty to talk about during my individual session....

Hi UM, I'm guessing real worry/concern/irritation/frustration you could really have done without?? and some (a lot) anxiety in there?? And that would be completely understandable. But what are you taking away from this afterwards?! Wow....look you got up the courage AND confidence to speak to someone about it, made your point, didn't just sit there and take it!!!
Now the way you've been feeling, I'd REALLY "get it" if you started doubting yourself that you'd paid (even though inside you knew that you did), you decided you just hadn't the energy to dispute it and paid again, decided that it was pointless saying/doing anything and paid, just sunk deeper with yet something else thrown at you and didn't even bother going to session........BUT you did NONE of that!!!!!!!!!!!!
And that is SO something to take away with you from all this!!!! It really is!!!!
I won't hope that would happen to you every session!!
But.........good on you!!!



Alison

thanks alison,

but I also know (and my therapist correctly pointed out) that I spent days "stewing" over this issue. Plotting and planning how I would create this big scene and storm out. I didn't sleep much Sunday night. It had me completely enraged within myself (yet externally it probably looked like nothing).

Very self destructive. Very energy consuming. Pointless.

AND it points back to some of the garbage I endured as a kid (nothing big compared to most people here - but it messed me up). Arg

Hi UM, I'd say that it would have been way too much for her to ask/want you to, kind of "take it in your stride" anyway.
Sure one way to handle it might have been to know logically you'd paid it, recognise they'd made a mistake, tell them and "sorted".
But that's a place you (should) feel safe, there should be trust there that they're going to make things run smoothly/that your only real concern should be getting the support from the T you need, where the anxieties of the admin etc of the outside world aren't a concern, where you can know that once you've paid you've paid..............so yes, I'd say that what happened would naturally throw you.
And considering the way you were feeling anyway before this happened......."not your best"!! Now maybe if it had happened at another time it might have been that little bit easier......??
Still if that's throwing an emphasis on how you're coping with things in general lately that can't be a bad thing, right?? I mean you did seriously do really well in coming away from the way you were feeling over the weekend to talk to someone about it, but if you can get a little more help based on how you've been feeling overall then the whole experience has done something.
And while you're dealing with that with them, don't forget the strength you did show/bring out from somewhere in talking to someone about the payment, OK??!! Use it, it is there!!!
But what you endured as a kid, doesn't matter how "big", how "small" or anywhere in between it was. All that matters is the effect!! All that matters is the effect it had on you!!
Hurt is hurt, there's no changing that fact, it's real whatever the circumstances, and there shouldn't be any trying to dismiss it/downgrade it just because it doesn't match some sort of "criteria". If it's there it's just as important, no matter what!! You/your feelings are just as important!!
And if you want to talk anytime................
Alison

HA HA HA HA

You almost had me believing you.




And not that it really matters - but on the original issue - I did not get a receipt that day (like I normally do) because I came in late and was in a hurry. So - I had convinced myself that this billing issue clearly was "one more example of how the world is screwing me over and I won't take it anymore!!"

When in fact, it was probably just a simple error. FACT is - I get far to disregulated far too easily.

I am named Useless for a reason.

Need I refer you to previous message!! And you're only called Useless because the moderators probably wouldn't allow us to change your name on your behalf!!!