Do you know/suspect your T uses text macros to respond to texts?

For length of response - my dissertation adviser once responded to an email with a 6-word sentence within 23 seconds of me sending it. (My personal record for an email to a student is 45.)

So it could also be, phone was right there, she wasn't doing anything, and that's her normal response to questions like that?

Bc I don't like emailing or texting my T, my communication is always short...disgustingly so. I do actually think T used a macro, but I could be wrong; I have no proof. (This part is identical to what was communicated 8 or 9 months ago...) I texted, "Are we okay?" The response was, "Why would we not be?" I texted back, "Just needed assurance, I think. Thanks." (This is the part that doesn't sound like my T...) T's response was, "Not a problem. Take care." T would have wanted more information as she did in the past. As I replied to Pennster, I don't think I could have found a better T, but I was in a bad place when I texted. At the time, it felt condescending, but a quick response is important to my T - for all of her clients. So, I will need to ask when T gets back from next week's vacation.

There was an article I found on CNET (I think) that touted AndroidTap as a way to use macros to dim your phone at certain times, silence your phone if you don't want calls during a meeting, etc. Of course, now I can't find the URL for the article. I'm thinking it might operate much like an out-of-office response when people call you. I have an Android and can record a message that responds to texts as a text - is that circuitous, or what?

When I find the article, I'll PM you the URL in case you can use it for your students.

I noticed the time I sent my text and the time I rec'd the response. Both were 9:00. I don't think there's anything inherently wrong about Ts using macros, but all clients interpret messages differently. There's a huge margin for error. I'm pretty sure my T wasn't just waiting to receive texts from clients.

I think there is most likely a log of texts that come in and the sender's name. That being said, I'm not absolutely sure, w/o a shadow of a doubt, that any Ts, mine included, use macros. I only suspect. I will ask T at our next appt. I'll have to think more about your statement re: what makes the response meaningful...

What you are describing is an autoresponder, not a macro. A macro is when the user actively types a character or two or pushes a button, and that results in an entire string of text. The user will still have read and chosen to respond to the txt; the macro does not activate itself. So you may have received a string of text that was programmed in ahead by your T, but then again, you might not - there is no way of knowing that with a text message. Most text autoresponders will have only one preprogrammed message (and it will arrive within a second or two).

There is no way this could have been an autoresponder detecting what you wrote and choosing an appropriate reply - technology is not quite that sophisticated (at least not outside the labs). The messages you describe could certainly be entered in 30 seconds or less, especially if your T uses Swype or something similar.

I definitely think you should bring this up, though. The fact that it bothers you so much is worth exploring and discussing.

What is a text macro? Is that like an automated response?

I'd say no but even if she did, "Okay see you then" is not really something I need her to type out by hand anyway.

I do assume that she always reads and responds herself, if that's what you mean.

What are text macros?

"Also called macroinstruction. Computers. an instruction that represents a sequence of instructions in abbreviated form."
Macro | Define Macro at Dictionary.com

I didn't know but now I do. Why would a T do such a thing? Why pretend to be concerned when you're not? Get real or get out of the business.

I don't think using a tool to automatically give a response means one is not concerned. I don't think therapists are concerned to begin with - but I also don't see that an response designed to reassure someone someone that the therapist is there in some ephemeral fashion is equal to lack of concern. With students I tell them I will respond within X number of hours (48). Often by the time I respond with anything, they write back saying they figured it out. Me rushing in would not help them and would annoy me because often they send off kneejerk requests to me for things I know they can do for themselves and should be doing for themselves as partners and judges will not be there to babysit them.