[Bells129]

Dr Jane Smith for example, it says on letters when people refer to my T. We have such a casual relationship though and call eachother by first names so it's weird to me to think of her as a doctor. What does it mean for me if she's a doctor, would it mean she has stricter boundaries? Could that be a reason for her barely disclosing anything? I hope this makes sense

[junkDNA]

my T will be a doctor next year. i dont think he will change anything about the way our relationship is though. hes not like that

[lostwonder]

Yes, my T is also an MD. I don't think I've ever called him Dr. to his face though.

[HazelGirl]

No, mine's an LCSW.

[wotchermuggle]

No, mine is not a doctor. Mine does not disclose very much. I think disclosure is dependent upon the therapy approach and what type of relationship you have with your T.

[Sometimes psychotic]

Yes she is a phd but then so am I....I do call her dr X and I do respect her more for it....

Originally Posted by Bells129

Dr Jane Smith for example, it says on letters when people refer to my T. We have such a casual relationship though and call eachother by first names so it's weird to me to think of her as a doctor. What does it mean for me if she's a doctor, would it mean she has stricter boundaries? Could that be a reason for her barely disclosing anything? I hope this makes sense

My therapist isn't an M.D./psychiatrist. She does, however, have her PhD in Clinical Psychology and out of respect, I put "Her Name" with PhD following it when addressing her in written form--as in writing my check or sending her a follow-up letter. When I first met her, she immediately held out her hand and introduced herself with her first name. I'm very comfortable calling her by her first name.

[guilloche]

Yup. The T I'm currently seeing is a PhD type doctor. He hasn't given me any direction on what to call him... when I email and use his name, it's Dr. So-and-So. The first session, I asked how to make out the check (since some people want it written to their business' name) and he said "Dr. So and So".

So, OK. I kind of don't like it. Not to disrespect him, but it feels a little hoity-toity at this point in my life. I think I'd prefer someone who feels a bit more equal.

No........

I saw an analyst with a PhD that others referred to as Dr. such and such. I called him by his first name though, not out of disrespect, but because it kept our relationship more equal. I don't think he minded. He'd had years of his own analysis, so he didn't get wrapped up in himself.

[Wren_]

mine is ... as was my previous one
their boundaries and way of doing therapy are completely different though
seems to be more about individual T's and their therapy style or background than whether they are qualified with a doctorate that connects with whether they disclose much or not

[LilacLime]

Mine's a doctor. I call her by her first name in session, but if I'm on the phone with her receptionist I ask if I can speak to Dr [insert her last name here]. I don't know why though. It's just what I've always done.

[archipelago]

This is funny because today, after him being away for a while and helping with an intense thing that resolved, he greeted me with "Good morning, Dr. Archipelago." So I responded "Good morning, Dr. Therapist." Using our formal titles was a playful, teasing type of thing, because we were so glad to see each other and are generally very informal. But it is funny how titles do have this air about them. I really dislike using titles and am a bit suspicious when people insist.

I was at a school where the teachers insisted on being called Dr. X. I asked once why Dr. and not Prof. which you would think would be the "higher" title. Didn't get an answer. My therapist, who is an MD type doctor, wondered if psychologists have an issue with not being MDs and also being higher than MA level therapists that somehow they get hung up. Not sure, but it was a consistent thing.

[stopdog]

No I do not see mds at all nor are the therapists I see ph.ds

[ScarletPimpernel]

My T's a Dr. (Ph.D). I asked her how she wanted me to address her. She said I could call her Dr. [Last Name] or if I could pronounce her first name I could address her by that.

I call her by her first name. She discloses some things with me (at least the things I want to know).

My T is an MD (psychiatrist) which is good because he also manages my medication. It doesn't change who he is or how he works. I'm a PhD and many of my friends are, too, and so I am very much aware of the fact that a doctorate changes nothing (except your salary if you work in academia).

Neither of the Ts I saw before current T was a doctor, and neither of them told me a single thing about themselves. I was not interested to know, either. Current T has disclosed a very little, after two years, but I don't think I would want to know whether he has a family, for instance. In any case the level of disclosure doesn't seem to have anything to do with whether they have a doctorate or not.

[lunatic soul]

He is psychiatrist but he doesnt prescribe me meds. I call him in his first name.

[The_little_didgee]

My therapist is a psychiatrist. I like seeing her because we get along and she does my therapy and medication management. I refuse to see separate people. It makes no sense to me since my response to medication directly affects therapy.

I call her by her first name since that is what she usually calls herself. I see her in the community where it is much more relaxed than in a hospital. Addressing her that way has eliminated some of the power difference that has affected my response to other psychiatrists.

Every now and then she calls herself Dr. [insert name here] which she only does that on the phone.

[Amandasmom]

My T is a PSYD. I call her by her first name (rarely).

[anilam]

My T is PhD, I call him Doc, he'd prefer first name but I like it that way- less personal

[lrt1978]

My T has the Dr title but it's not used in the therapy room but if I call the place I go I will ask if Dr so and so is a there or ask to pass a message on. When I arrive and check in at reception I always refer to t as Dr so and so.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[healed84]

My t is a doctor of psychology.. Psy. D. I refer to him as dr. Last name and write dr in emails. I once heard one of his clients refer to him by his first name.. It felt weird!

[Leah123]

I spent two years w/a T who was, and being much younger too, I called her "Doctor"

In retrospect, it wasn't a good experience, between the power differential (which she stressed) and her style.

My T now is "just" an LMFT/LPC, so she has a master's and some specialized training. But I think really it's her focus and experience (20 years) plus personality that does the trick, not the titles.

I just remembered that I'm about to start seeing a Dr who uses her first name after "Dr."

She's really young and just a few years out of school. I was bothered by all of this at first, until we emailed back and forth a couple times and talked briefly, and I liked her responses a lot. No ego. A lot of common sense and grounding, combined with flexibility. Suddenly the age and the Dr Firstname was not an issue at all. I think she might have started using it because of her work with kids and youth, but that's just a guess. It doesn't feel as cornball as I first thought.

[justdesserts]

Yes, mine is PhD, but I call him by his first name. All the other therapists in his practice are PhDs, but go by their first names. I can't imagine establishing a therapeutic rapport with someone I called "doctor." That said, my I call my pdoc "doctor" but I see his role in my life as supportive, but completely different from that of a therapist, even though he is extremely kind. I don't know that I see a connection between self-disclosure and the title they use. I how much a t discloses is much more related to their beliefs about self-disclosure and their therapeutic orientation.