[NoddaProbBob]

I saw a therapist about 7 years ago and it didn't exactly end or go the way I wanted it. It's a long and complicated story.

Anyways, now that I'm in a different place I decided that I wanted to revisit that part of my life because I feel as if I haven't dealt with it. A lot of it I don't remember simply due to trauma and blocking things out.

So, I called the therapist and left a voice mail letting her know that I wanted to get a copy of my records. I know that I will likely not get the entire file but I want some of it so that I can work through it. When I called her voice mail message said that she was going to be out of the office until Monday June 16th. I called on June 7th. I'm trying to be patient because she just got back in the office this week, but I am unsure of how to take it. I know that she still is required to keep records this long because at the time I was a minor. According to her license standards, minor records are to be kept for 10 years after the last professional contact. So in essence I know that she should still have the records. It has been a long time though so I am taking into account that she may have to take time to get to them.

That being said, I just am wondering at what point it is appropriate to call and ask again. I am still being sensitive to the fact that I'm sure she's busy after being gone from her practice for a week. So I guess I'm just not sure at what point I should attempt to call again.

What do you think?

[gma45]

I think I would give her a week back and not call on a Monday. Mondays are usually busy days. Being that it has been so long they may be in storage unless she has everything on computer. I hope everything turns out the best for you.

[NoddaProbBob]

Originally Posted by gma45

I think I would give her a week back and not call on a Monday. Mondays are usually busy days. Being that it has been so long they may be in storage unless she has everything on computer. I hope everything turns out the best for you.

Thank you for your advice. I just didn't want to be disrespectful by calling too soon. But this is really important to me, so I'm trying to balance my desire to call her again along with patience.

She is only human.

[Wysteria]

Dear Nodda,

I think it is very respectful of you to give her a bit of time. Not knowing what you were dealing with 7 years ago, I'm not sure of my advice. I would assume that she will have to have the request in writing for HIPPA purposes and it would also help you to keep a written record. (look up some formats for Hippa requests for information and types of records)...they are also allowed to charge an administrative fee for copying and such..

Secondly, knowing that you were traumatized in some way, she may feel more comfortable knowing that you have a current T or pdoc and more comfortable releasing the information she has to them so that you have someone to help you put it into context and not re-traumatize you.

Also, most T's keep limited records so that there is less chance of anyone else being able to use their words against you or for things to be taken out of context. what you might get is much more just lists of visits, dx codes and some general notes...Again, another T or Pdoc might get more information than you would.

I just wanted to put those things out there so that your expectations are reasonable and you won't be disappointed. I don't know if T traumatized your or was helping you deal with other trauma...so I don't know how reluctant they will be to produce.

I'm proud of you for continuing to struggle and deal with the past and try to heal...
take good care of yourself,
Wysteria Blue

[Victoria'smom]

I'm moving my T wants to release my records to my new clinic. She looked like she was hit with a ton of bricks when I said I wanted my file. She informed me that it would cost well over $150 dollars. That means printed its over 200 pages but each entry is its own page. Plus whatever she wrote about the hundreds of notes she's got over the years. Plus I'm sure she wants to write a note to the new therapist.

Anyways I'm off track its free to release it to the new t but will cost if you get the file for yourself and depending on the state its up to $2 a page. Its best if you release the documents to your new t before your first session because it really will help.

[NoddaProbBob]

Originally Posted by Wysteria

Dear Nodda,

I think it is very respectful of you to give her a bit of time. Not knowing what you were dealing with 7 years ago, I'm not sure of my advice. I would assume that she will have to have the request in writing for HIPPA purposes and it would also help you to keep a written record. (look up some formats for Hippa requests for information and types of records)...they are also allowed to charge an administrative fee for copying and such..

Secondly, knowing that you were traumatized in some way, she may feel more comfortable knowing that you have a current T or pdoc and more comfortable releasing the information she has to them so that you have someone to help you put it into context and not re-traumatize you.

Also, most T's keep limited records so that there is less chance of anyone else being able to use their words against you or for things to be taken out of context. what you might get is much more just lists of visits, dx codes and some general notes...Again, another T or Pdoc might get more information than you would.

I just wanted to put those things out there so that your expectations are reasonable and you won't be disappointed. I don't know if T traumatized your or was helping you deal with other trauma...so I don't know how reluctant they will be to produce.

I'm proud of you for continuing to struggle and deal with the past and try to heal...
take good care of yourself,
Wysteria Blue

Hi Wysteria,

Thank you for this. I was in need of some comforting.
I thought as well that I would need to put the request in writing but wasn't exactly sure how to go about doing that effectively so I wanted to start with the phone call. I had hoped at least by now that I would have received a call instructing me of the appropriate process. So perhaps that was what I have been waiting for.

This T didn't traumatize me. But I eventually stopped going because I didn't feel like I was getting anywhere. My parents didn't care for her (which is funny because they forced me to see her) and I was tired of hearing them complain that I wasn't "healed" yet. I think I just got as far as I could go with her. At that point I wasn't ready to deal with everything else. So I stopped going. I didn't feel like we were connecting anymore anyways.

I didn't even think about trying to get the records through my current T. I didn't even tell her that I requested them. I don't exactly know what my expectations are for what I'll get. I'm preparing for the possibility that I may get a whole lot of nothing. I am being cautiously optimistic that I will get something that will resonate within me to give me some closure.

[NoddaProbBob]

Originally Posted by Miguel'smom

I'm moving my T wants to release my records to my new clinic. She looked like she was hit with a ton of bricks when I said I wanted my file. She informed me that it would cost well over $150 dollars. That means printed its over 200 pages but each entry is its own page. Plus whatever she wrote about the hundreds of notes she's got over the years. Plus I'm sure she wants to write a note to the new therapist.

Anyways I'm off track its free to release it to the new t but will cost if you get the file for yourself and depending on the state its up to $2 a page. Its best if you release the documents to your new t before your first session because it really will help.

Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

That is a lot of money for records. But I hope that your transition into the new clinic goes well for you!

I wasn't seeing this therapist for a long time. Maybe a half a year or a little bit more. I wasn't thinking there was going to be too much to give me. I expected that there would be a cost but not anything astronomical. I'm not sure what I'm hoping to get out of this. I'm tempted to make an appointment with her just so that I can have the termination session I never had. Now that I'm an adult and going into the field myself, I have so many questions and curiosities.