[lenjan]

Sorry, you guys.

I *was* doing so well after, I thought, "graduating" from therapy -- but last night I scored 56 on the depression quiz here and today decided to look for a therapist. (My old one and I both moved to different states.)

I need a referral from my primary care guy, so I called. I was on hold for an HOUR and finally gave up. How frustrating can it get?! I feel bad enough for being enough of a loser to have fallen right back into the abyss after being so obnoxious to everyone about how well I was doing -- it took a lot for me to make the call. And then it got me nowhere! And now I have to muster up the courage again tomorrow.

Does anybody on Medicaid have any experience with finding T's? I'm just wondering if I'm just going to get assigned one randomly, or if I can look for my own. Nobody is ever going to replace Gregory, but I'm desperate for someone to vent to so I can stop dumping on my friends.

Candy

depends on the agency protocals. here You go in for an "intake" appointment - filling out papers and talking to a receptionist/therapist. Then the file gets handed in to one of th e supervisors and that supervisor reads the file of what you said during the intake and reads the paper work, locates the therapist with the agency that one does not have a full case load yet and two works with what your problems are. Insurance does not figure in on who you get as a therapist. for example I got assigned to LL because LL is the DID therapist with this agency. not because I am on state medical card. She sees cliets who use a variety of payment options from cash, state insurance or private insurance companies.

your best bet at getting in quicker might be dropping in to a therapy agency and asking to fill out intake forms and an appointment for one of their available therapists. Then once you go to that appointment that professional can forward the information to whoever assigns the case loads to a therapist and possibly one of your choice of gender.

[Fuzzybear]

I don't think you are a loser at all..... it's very hard to make "that" call

(((((((((((((((( Candy ))))))))))))))))

(((((((((candybear))))))))
your on the right road to recovery. at your own pace in your own time. be gentle.

[wi_fighter]

Candy, you aren't a letdown. I don't want to see you talking to yourself like that. You're in a stressful living environment without a job right now. It's no wonder you're in relapse mode.

It sounds like maybe you're another one of us lucky ones who needs lifelong treatment and not just every once in a while.

[JustBen]

Being put on hold and then forgotten about is such a crappy situation. I don't think you're a loser at all...think about this way, if someone else on the board told the same story you just did, would you call them a loser?

[kimmydawn]

Well said, Ben.

(((((((((((((Candy)))))))))))))))))

There's alot of words I associate to you but "let-down" "loser" and "obnoxious" are not of them. Some words would be, strong, intelligent, gifted, creative, suvivor, caring... I could go on.

We have to deal with what we have to deal with at times. You've been through alot, and need to talk it out somewhere. That's ok.

I hope you have better luck today. Please tell them what happened yesterday.

You're in my thoughts.

Love,

KD

[desirae]

So sorry you feel that way. Sometimes people fall down a little but that don't mean you can't get back up. I believe after you find your help you will recover....believe it okay.

[lenjan]

Thank you, everyone, for the kind words. Now I just need to believe them.

I got an appointment with a GP ... for SEPTEMBER 1ST. Then I called the mental health people and asked what I needed to do next. They said, "Find a T and pdoc who will take your insurance."

This means I spent an hour on hold yesterday for no reason, because despite what the "rulebook" says, I don't have to go through my GP to get a referral to mental health assistance.

ARGH.

(BTW, today I spent less than 90 seconds on hold before getting to a real live human being!)

So now I just need to know how to find a T in a strange city where I don't know any other mentally ill people who can make recommendations. Ideas? For once, I don't need to worry about cost, as the state of Minnesota is paying my way these days.

Candy

Ask your family physician who he/she would recommend, open the phone book to the topics of - mental health, community services, psychology, psychiatry, crisis centers, any of those will turn up a wealth of options. then its just a matter of calling them and asking if they have any opening or are they on waiting lists and if they accept your insurance and if they work with what you want to work on. when you fine ones that have favorable responses schedule consultation appointments so that you can go in to each one with your list of questions - what their therapy approach is, qualifications, specialty area and so on, (the workbook and textbook The courage to heal by Laura Davis has a section in it for locating therapists and forms you can copy that can help you in the kindds of things to ask and so on) once you have gone to a few consultation appointments look at all your questionaires and decide which one of the batch that you interviewed suits what you need. Then call that person to start therapy appoinments with them.

Good luck and hang in there.

[January]

Oh Candy!!

You're not a loser!!! All of us need help sometimes. It took courage to call. Remember, the smart people get help.

Love and hugs,

Jan

[nothemama8]

Candybear (Poopiebear), you are Not a loser, you are just going through a rough spell. You have been such a supportive person to so many now let us support you
Angie

[lenjan]

Thank you, Angie. I feel like all I do here is suck the life out of everybody else -- I don't feel like I've been very supportive. But thank you.

Love, Poopiebear

[ster]

When I had to get mental health workers. I called my ins. told them my primary wanted me to get heath treatment. I called they gave me one there address and phone number and an authorization for three vists to get setup then the dr or theripyst cnatacts your ins to continue, could you tey that to see how if it works. My ins was very helpful in getting the correct help that I needed.