[Merope]

This isn’t a thing that is happening, but I was just wondering, if a therapist leaves a practice to go to a new practice in the same city, would they be allowed to tell their patients about their new practice, or would this be considered a conflict of interest? If my therapist were to leave the practice I see him at, I would rather go to this new practice than be referred. Does anyone have any experience with this?

[LostOne369]

I am assuming there wouldn't be a conflict of interest because I've "followed" my T 3 times! She started out in one practice, moved to another to do her doctoral internship, and now opened up her own practice.

[stopdog]

In the US it more often will depend upon the agreement they have with the employer than any general ethical or therapisty rule.

[Merope]

Originally Posted by LostOne369

I am assuming there wouldn't be a conflict of interest because I've "followed" my T 3 times! She started out in one practice, moved to another to do her doctoral internship, and now opened up her own practice.

Thank you for answering! That’s good to know—I think I’d definitely want to follow him if he ever changes practice. The idea of any other therapist fills me with dread-it took me months to open up to him and we are finally in a good place now.

[ElectricManatee]

I followed my T from the (admittedly overburdened) university counseling center where she was a staff psychologist to private practice in the same city with no problems. Another thing to consider is that you're a consumer of therapy services with no obligation to go to any particular practice. Unless you're court-ordered or otherwise constrained, it seems likely that you could choose to "terminate" with your T at the current practice and then re-start services as a new client at the new place. When I started seeing my T is private practice, she re-did the intake as though I were a new client (it took all of ten minutes the second time). Then she asked me to sign a release that would grant her access to the therapy notes that she herself had written. That made me laugh.

[Merope]

Originally Posted by ElectricManatee

I followed my T from the (admittedly overburdened) university counseling center where she was a staff psychologist to private practice in the same city with no problems. Another thing to consider is that you're a consumer of therapy services with no obligation to go to any particular practice. Unless you're court-ordered or otherwise constrained, it seems likely that you could choose to "terminate" with your T at the current practice and then re-start services as a new client at the new place. When I started seeing my T is private practice, she re-did the intake as though I were a new client (it took all of ten minutes the second time). Then she asked me to sign a release that would grant her access to the therapy notes that she herself had written. That made me laugh.

Ahhh thank you! This brings me peace of mind. I think part of me would be worried of seeming a little too attached to him (which I totally am) and him saying it’d be better for me to see someone else. But I guess it’s a very human thing to do—seeking someone who is familiar and with whom one has a good relationship.

My intense fear of abandonment by authority figures makes me want to consider all options.

[ElectricManatee]

Originally Posted by Merope

Ahhh thank you! This brings me peace of mind. I think part of me would be worried of seeming a little too attached to him (which I totally am) and him saying it’d be better for me to see someone else. But I guess it’s a very human thing to do—seeking someone who is familiar and with whom one has a good relationship.

My intense fear of abandonment by authority figures makes me want to consider all options.

Oh yeah, that's the stuff of therapy! I think if there were an issue with you being attached to him in a way he found troubling, he would address that as it arose. It would be cowardly and counterproductive on his part to use a job change to try to "get rid" of you.

I remember being really nervous when my T told me that she was leaving her position to go into private practice because I didn't think she would want me to follow her. I had this thought as she was handing me her new business card. It turns out that she really likes working with me (which I could not fathom at the time) and part of why she was leaving was because she wanted to be free to do deeper, longer-term work with clients who were ready and willing (like me) rather than be forced to give people a few sessions and then send them on their way (like the counseling center wanted her to do).

[satsuma]

I'm just wondering - is this a hypothetical question, or does it have something to do with what you said previously, that you thought your T would move because of his parther's job (if I remember correctly)? You don't have to answer - I'm just being nosy!!

I agree with what the others have said - you are the "customer" of therapy so of course you can choose to follow your T if he changes practice. I would do the same.

[Elio]

I followed my T from clinic to private practice. It seemed many did. I redid the HIPAA paperwork but nothing else from that perspective. We did lots of other stuff because of my issues.

[CharlieStarDust]

Same here. I started with her at her previous place and then she opened her own practice and I followed.

[maybeblue]

I really don't think that following your therapist to a new practice, if that came up would make you look too attached. Finding a new therapist is a pain in the neck...especially if you have a therapist that works well for you. If my therapist moved to a new place and it was feasible for me to go to that place I would absolutely do it.

[Merope]

Originally Posted by satsuma

I'm just wondering - is this a hypothetical question, or does it have something to do with what you said previously, that you thought your T would move because of his parther's job (if I remember correctly)? You don't have to answer - I'm just being nosy!!

I agree with what the others have said - you are the "customer" of therapy so of course you can choose to follow your T if he changes practice. I would do the same.

Haha no worries, I’m usually the nosy one. It does and it doesn’t. As far as I can tell without having had an actual conversation with him about it, he’s staying in the country and his partner is moving. I’m jusg trying to figure out if I could, hypothetically speaking, follow him to a new practice. I think finding out that he might leave really messed with my head at the time, so now I’m super paranoid about any possible scenario where he many no longer be available to me.

Like stopdog said, it's going to depend on each individual practice and whether or not they have a non-complete cause or something along those lines. I'm not a lawyer, so your mileage may vary.

My therapist has said that he's actively looking to move to a new practice, and that I'm allowed to follow him.

[Merope]

Thank you all!

With my first therapist, I followed her to three different places.There was no problem.

[nottrustin]

I suspect it depends on the policy of their current employer. Where I work, providers are not suppose to offer, however, of a patient/client asks then it is fine.

[skeksi]

I followed my T from a group practice to an independent one. There were no issues with it.