[Banana8282]

My wife and I are seeing a marriage therapist to discuss strategies for dealing with our conditions when they affect the relationship. I have ADHD and she has MDD
We both have individual therapists and psychiatrists.

I would like to know what level of cordination is usual beween all the professionals involved. Is it normal for a marriage therapist to want to consult with a psychiatrist?
I am very confused why our Marriage therapist sees it prudent to request authorization to talk with my psychiatrist about my diagnosis and medication. The Marrage therapist also said that she did not want authorization to talk to my individual therapist. I would think it more normal for her to talk with my therapist rather then psychiatrist.

[splitimage]

I would flat out ask her why she wants to speak to your psychiatrist.

In my experience with therapy and seeing a psychiatrist, unless they are part of the same treatment team, in the same institution, there's usually very little coordination. I've never had a T ask to speak to my psychiatrist, nor has my psychiatrist ever asked to speak to one of my T's.

I currently see an addictions Dr. and a psychiatrist, both of whom I've seen for multiple years, and they've never asked to consult with each other.

splitimage

[toomanycats]

Weird.
none of my therapists have wanted to talk to my psychiatrist

My Group T and individual T have permission to talk to one another, but that's it

[unaluna]

You sound defensive about your medication, no offense. A therapist cant diagnose you, so if your marriage counselor wants a diagnosis, the only person they can ask IS the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist has a higher (and much wider) level of education. The regular therapist and the marriage counselor are pretty much on the same level, so they would like be just exchanging opinions. Maybe the psychiatrist can give you something to chill you out? I think theres 2 kinds of people in the world - faster and slower. Im definitely a slower! Good luck

I agree with unaluna

Though, just to share my experience:
My T and pdoc coordinate. My psychotherapist who did my psychological evaluation can/did talk to my GP.

I didn't like when my GP and psychotherapist coordinated with each other. I felt I had no privacy about anything. My psychotherapist read all about my IBS, hospital stays (for medical stuff, not psych stuff), etc and put that information in my psychological evaluation, even though it had no relevance. It made me very upset. I don't want them ever communicating with each other again.

My therapist and pdoc? I'm okay with that. They both respect my privacy and ASK me what I want to tell the other person. They don't share my medical history or anything I don't want them to. But if one or both of them didn't respect my privacy, then it would make me very upset.

So my advice? Ask what they specifically want to communicate to each other about so that you don't get upset

[skeksi]

You can ask the marriage counselor why they want to talk to the psychiatrist.

You can also limit the information you allow the psychiatrist can share when you sign the waiver allowing them to speak. I had a list of stuff I told my T he could disclose to my psychiatrist (and told him a couple of things I did not give permission to share).

I wold be careful with releasing individual medical info to a marriage counselor. In divorce and child/animal custody cases these records can come back to haunt the person.

[unaluna]

[SoupDragon]

I think it would be reasonable for your T to put in writing what she wants to seek information on, from your psychiatrist and provide that to you, so that you can truely give your informed consent. I would then ask that your psychiatrists reply, firstly gets sent to you, so that you have the opportunity of reading it and deciding whether that information is accurate and that you continue to be willing to consent for its release to your T.

[Favorite Jeans]

My marriage counsellor wanted to talk to my T but didn't give much of a reason other than "to get more background" or some such thing. It made me uncomfortable so I said no. It was a bad marriage counselling experience and I now wonder if she'd have gotten a fuller or better perspective on me if she'd spoken to my T. But a larger part of me thinks it was just destined to be a total and utter disaster and i was right to not allow a direct connection between crazy MC and my T.

i have the idea that there is a great deal of communication between my entire mental and physical healthcare team. I know for certain there is coordination between my psychiatrist and general physician. I've seen letters on my file with my psychiatrist's letter head. I don't mind. They all have my health in mind an all the better they work together as a team.