How many phone numbers? What method?

Dec 06, 2007 at 12:01 PM

I wanted to start a separate thread on this because I was interested to see how some people have their T's home phone numbers; others have cell phone numbers.

I only had my T's office number for the 2 years and 2 months. The other day we 'graduated' to me having his other office number, so I can leave a msg. at both. However, he is soon leaving the office I see him at, so we will be back at just 1 office number.

He has never given me his home or cell number. I am absolutely fine with how things are. I leave him a msg. he calls me back-- and then of course, there is the understanding that once it has passed a certain time, I will hear back from him the next day.

What about the rest of you? If you have various phone numbers for your T, what method of contact do you prefer? I like tin cans.

jacq10 · Dec 06, 2007 at 12:14 PM

I had her home and cell - her office was at my school, so if i wanted to talk with her i just went to the health center where she worked....

Also had her home and work email address's.

Now we just contact through email for the most part ... or i visit her How many phone numbers? What method?

Dec 06, 2007 at 12:26 PM

office and crisis answering service only.

Dec 06, 2007 at 12:33 PM

do you have his email pinky? i don't, and i envy those who do How many phone numbers? What method?

i just have his office voicemail same as you, no afterhours return calls... unless he happens to be there late. i did get one return call at like 8pm.

i'm ok with it mostly because i know he checks the voicemail all the time and i feel like he's "there" most of the time. He works a pain clinic sometimes elsewhere but i know he checks anyway. He'll *always* return my call as soon as he is able to. i know that and that has been enough most of the time.

i do wish his return call hours extended a little into the evening in case of extreme stress.... you know, like a number he would only give to clients who were in crisis.

i would never expect what i wish i had, 24/7... but crisis hits @ 2am and i am alone... in the morning it's not the same.

my wish list:

email addy
longer return call hours
crisis number for extended hours
possibility of extra sessions via phone in crisis times

and of course...

a fold out couch at his house for me to curl up on How many phone numbers? What method?

Cyran0 · Dec 06, 2007 at 12:34 PM

I'm between therapists but in the past, office and crisis only.

And as I think about this, that's all I'd want. I think I like those boundaries. If I'm down at 2am, I don't want to be stuck thinking, "maybe I should just call him." I don't need the stress of that temptation.

Cyran0

mel4 · Dec 06, 2007 at 12:51 PM

with my old T, i only had her office number....with my T for the past year-or-so, ive had her home/office number (she has some system where her office calls get forwarded to her house when shes out of her office), and her cell number.

melissa

RACEKA · Dec 06, 2007 at 01:15 PM

I have only a office number. I have to go through a receptionist to get to his voice mail. They have a crisis T available.

If things can't wait until he is there or can't be handled by a crisis T, then I better go to the hospital.

Perna · Dec 06, 2007 at 01:29 PM

My T gave me a business card and that had her cell number, don't remember if it had an "office" number or not. She moved between offices, all of which were a "share" thing with other therapists. I don't think she ever had an office of her own that she'd outfitted. We talked about that once because I was curious as to her "style" :-)

I knew her address, she was in the phone book :-) so I had her home phone number too. I only called that once. She called me to tell me she'd be late to a session because her garage door opener wasn't working and they didn't know how to open the garage door. I said "okay" and hung up and realized I knew how to get the garage door open but I had to work through my anxiety at the conflict going on inside about whether I should call her at home or not :-) I finally did and told her I knew how to open the garage door and she was grateful but her husband had already gone next door and a neighbor was helping them.

sunrise · Dec 06, 2007 at 01:59 PM

My T has an office number he gives to everyone. It is an answering machine. If you leave a message, he is really, really bad about calling back. I don't think he checks his voicemail every day. I don't like to use this number because if I leave a message and he doesn't call, I feel ignored, abandoned, and vulnerable. How many phone numbers? What method?

I almost never call my T.

I got his cell phone number because he has called me from his cell so I captured the number and saved it to my contacts list. One time, T told me to call him at a certain time (it was a desperate sort of thing) and his office voicemail was full, so I used his cell phone number, which he had never officially given me. I was worried about that, but he was fine with it and since then has told me a couple of times to call him on his cell.

I do not have his home number.

My lawyer gave me her office, cell, and home phone. How many phone numbers? What method?

She's great!

Rapunzel · Dec 06, 2007 at 02:18 PM

I'm not sure what numbers I have. The office number, yes. The recording when you call the office number has another to call in case of after hours emergency. And I have two more numbers because they showed up on caller ID. One is cell phone and the other might be home. I don't like phones though, so the only thing I ever call her for is if I'm late to an appointment. Even then, I avoid calling and have been in hot water for being late and not calling. That was how I got the cell number - she called to see if I was coming because I was late and hadn't called. I get really nervous when she calls me. Part of me wants to talk to her, but the rest just can't get off the phone fast enough.

I also have her email. We used to do therapy by email most of the time. Now email is out (I use it to hide from real f2f interaction) and I drive 2.5 hours to see her each way.

Dec 06, 2007 at 02:24 PM

I have her office and home phone number, as well as her email address. She has a cell phone but doesn't use it and so she thinks it's a bad way to try to reach her because it's off most of the time. On her answering machine is a number to reach a crisis line after hours. I email her a LOT and call her when I need something (usually my little ones call her when they need to be reassured, it's about a 2 minute conversation). I have never called her home yet, but my roommate has when she's been worried about me.

wanttoheal · Dec 06, 2007 at 03:27 PM

I have T's office, home and cell phone numbers and her home email address (which she can also check at work). Depending on if I want her to pick up or not is what determines which number I call (Or what the emergency is).

I don't do phones well, or much, so sometimes I will call the office phone if I know she's left for the day or I will call her cell phone when I know that she's in a session. I am getting braver though and I do call her cell phone on occasion, knowing she will pick up. How many phone numbers? What method?

My communication of choice is email or text messages to her cell phone (I text if I need immediate feedback, email if it's not urgent). She lives up the street from me, and while I've been in her house, I would never just pop in on her, though she has said in an emergency (when son rages, etc), I could do that.

She doesn't do that with all of her clients, but we are a special case because of other factors. I'm thankful she is there.

lauren_helene · Dec 06, 2007 at 05:22 PM

I've only officially got his office number. However, once he called me from a cell number, I'm assuming it is his. He said to call back on the office number though.

So, I've never used the cell number. How's that for keeping his boundaries without him even asking! The only reason it is saved in my phone at all is so i don't ignore the call next time...I do that with everyone I know though. I have three phone numbers for each of my friends...etc.

(JD) · Dec 06, 2007 at 05:38 PM

I have that too... and those numbers are listed as DNC (do not call) but I have them in the phone with a different ring so I know when my doctor is calling me! How many phone numbers? What method?

MissCharlotte · Dec 06, 2007 at 05:43 PM

I have 3 numbers: office, cell, home. T said I should call him if I need to speak to him. I rarely use the cell or home but have on occasion.

How many phone numbers? What method?

Dec 06, 2007 at 05:53 PM

Stupid, stupid me called him today on only ONE of the two numbers, when he clearly instructed me to leave a msg. on BOTH numbers when I need him. Now he hasn't called back. And it's my own fault. I felt stupid enough for having to call him a 2nd time this week and then even stupider for leaving a msg. on both numbers, so I skipped that part. When will I ever learn??? What does he have to do to let me know that certain things are okay?

scott88keys · Dec 06, 2007 at 09:55 PM

I have my therapist's office number. When he is out of the office, that number automatically goes to his cell. If he calls from the office, that number shows up on my phone. If he calls from his cell, he blocks it somehow. He's very good about checking his voice mail. Sometimes I just call it to hear his voice--big dork, me.

I can also call the office after hours and push 0 to talk to the answering service in case of an emergency. They would contact him right away.

(JD) · Dec 06, 2007 at 10:30 PM

The very fact that you couldn't follow all his directions just shows that you need assistance, imo. Ts can try all they wish to help you learn the best way to contact them, and it is always a process. Don't beat yourself up over it. Go back through the process if he didn't respond and you think you messed up a bit. ((((hugs))))

Dec 06, 2007 at 10:42 PM

Oh, I forgot to mention-- I have his mother's number too, just in case I can't reach him right away.

Seriously though, I don't have his email. That has never been mentioned. I don't think I would want his email. With the way I am with writing, his computer would undoubtedly explode with the amount of emails I would send.

krazibean · Dec 06, 2007 at 10:45 PM

pink: "Hi, um T's mom? I just wanted to call because i'm in love with your son and um, i was wondering if maybe i could keep him. you don't need him anymore anyway right? oh yea, and thanks for giving birth to him."

hahahaha.

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How many phone numbers? What method?

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jacq10 Magnate Member Since Aug 2006 Location: U.S. Posts: 2,723 17 194 hugs given	Dec 06, 2007 at 12:14 PM #2 I had her home and cell - her office was at my school, so if i wanted to talk with her i just went to the health center where she worked.... Also had her home and work email address's. Now we just contact through email for the most part ... or i visit her __________________ The unexamined life is not worth living. -Socrates
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Guest Posts: n/a	Dec 06, 2007 at 12:26 PM #3 office and crisis answering service only.
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mel4 Veteran Member Member Since Jul 2006 Location: US Posts: 404 17	Dec 06, 2007 at 12:51 PM #6 with my old T, i only had her office number....with my T for the past year-or-so, ive had her home/office number (she has some system where her office calls get forwarded to her house when shes out of her office), and her cell number. melissa
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RACEKA Veteran Member Member Since Jan 2007 Location: Akron Ohio Posts: 459 17	Dec 06, 2007 at 01:15 PM #7 I have only a office number. I have to go through a receptionist to get to his voice mail. They have a crisis T available. If things can't wait until he is there or can't be handled by a crisis T, then I better go to the hospital.
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(JD) Legendary Wise Elder Member Since Dec 2003 Location: Coram Deo Posts: 35,474 (SuperPoster!) 20 1,651 hugs given	Dec 06, 2007 at 05:38 PM #14 I have that too... and those numbers are listed as DNC (do not call) but I have them in the phone with a different ring so I know when my doctor is calling me! __________________ Believe in Him or not --- GOD LOVES YOU! Want to share your Christian faith? Click HERE
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MissCharlotte Grand Magnate Member Since Apr 2007 Location: East of the Sun, West of the Moon Posts: 3,982 17 28 hugs given	Dec 06, 2007 at 05:43 PM #15 I have 3 numbers: office, cell, home. T said I should call him if I need to speak to him. I rarely use the cell or home but have on occasion. __________________ [/url]
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pinksoil Guest Posts: n/a	Dec 06, 2007 at 10:42 PM #19 Oh, I forgot to mention-- I have his mother's number too, just in case I can't reach him right away. Seriously though, I don't have his email. That has never been mentioned. I don't think I would want his email. With the way I am with writing, his computer would undoubtedly explode with the amount of emails I would send.
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krazibean Veteran Member Member Since Oct 2007 Posts: 392 16	Dec 06, 2007 at 10:45 PM #20 pink: "Hi, um T's mom? I just wanted to call because i'm in love with your son and um, i was wondering if maybe i could keep him. you don't need him anymore anyway right? oh yea, and thanks for giving birth to him." hahahaha. __________________ "...and everything is going to be okay." Poem from T.
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