[dlnewhouse]

Is there any way to see a psychologist as a public officeholder?

[NP_Complete]

Psychologists have confidentiality rules they must abide by, including not disclosing who their clients are. Any person can go see one.

Yes-

1. Don't use insurance and pay by cash
2. Ensure the therapist doesn't use any type of electronic record
3. If possible, ensure the therapist doesn't take notes or ask them not to

The therapist would have to be in private practice to meet this criteria.

[peacelizard]

As other people have said. The only thing I would add is, depending upon the location of the office and how well-known you are, someone could recognize you in the waiting room. I can speak from personal experience on that one too (as someone who recognized a person in public office).

He was actually a client of my therapist's and my therapist had made vague references to him a time or two as a teaching moment for me, even mentioning that he told the guy someone might recognize him in the waiting room, since he was in politics of a nearby town.

At the time, I had no idea who he was (didn't think I'd recognize him either, even if someone pointed him out in a lineup). But sure enough, one week our times lined up. He had the slot before me and I was waiting for my turn. When he came out and walked through the waiting area, I immediately recognized him (because he was in politics for quite awhile in my home town).

I never said anything to him 'cause 1) it's none of my business and 2) good for him to be getting help for whatever; it's the only way to work on destigmatizing mental health.

At the end of the day, I think the likelihood of someone recognizing you, unless you're really up there, is pretty low. The only reason I did was two-fold luck: that I grew up in that specific town, which I doubt 99% of people going to that practice did and our appointment times crossing so I could even see his face