[blackocean]

just curious

[NP_Complete]

Some of the time, yes. He's pledged to be in office one day a week unless he gets sick. If I get sick, obviously I won't go. I do 3x/week therapy, so some is in person for now and some is Zoom. He may be in office a 2nd day this week. He'll let me know.

[Raindropvampire]

I do but don't know if that's going to change soon or not.

[*Beth*]

I wish. The telephone therapy sucks.

[Christmas cookie]

No. He's offered sessions in person or FaceTime. Although in person is ideal, Im not taking the risk.

[Sarah1985]

I do. Yes.

[Lonelyinmyheart]

Yes I do.

[feileacan]

yes, my T does.

[Salmon77]

Yes. It's a small practice, not a lot of people coming and going.

I’m in the Uk, answer is no. I don’t suppose anyone is here due to the current rules about staying home and only going out if absolutely necessary or to the shops or to exercise .

[LonesomeTonight]

Well, it's technically a medical service. We have exceptions for healthcare, including behavioral health, for example.

[MessyD]

Yes, my T still sees people in person. We both hate talking on the phone But I’m out of work so it looks like I’ll be taking a break anyway since I pay out of pocket. In my area therapists are listed under essential businesses.

[blackocean]

Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight

Well, it's technically a medical service. We have exceptions for healthcare, including behavioral health, for example.

Yes and also we can keep 6 feet

[NP_Complete]

Originally Posted by blackocean

Yes and also we can keep 6 feet

And it's only two people. I think the risk is much greater going to the grocery store.

[blackocean]

Originally Posted by NP_Complete

And it's only two people. I think the risk is much greater going to the grocery store.

yeah my therapist has a very small private practice and I don’t have to touch anything other people have touched except for the door handle. there’s also hand sanitizer in there that I use on the way in and out.

we tried video and it sucked and he said maybe we could do one day a week in person but I asked him if we could do the second day this week in person and he said yeah but it may change and he would let me know.

[NP_Complete]

In my state the order is no gatherings of more than 25 people I think. My therapist has a private practice. He's the only person I see when we meet. He's taking extra precautions at the moment like wiping things down in his office and taking a longer break between clients. He's changed his Square settings so I don't have to sign on his phone when I pay. We sit several feet apart. Neither of us is sick. If one of us were to become ill, we'd switch fully to Zoom. We're actually doing Zoom now for some of our sessions, but he's told me that for now he'll be in office at least once a week. He may be in office twice this week, so 2 in person and one Zoom is likely for this week.

The last time I went to the grocery store, which I don't usually do as I prefer to order online and pick up, I passed by dozens of people. You can't always keep 6 feet of distance because the aisles aren't wide enough. Who knows what I touched in there after someone else touched it. Plus everything the previous poster said also.

[LonesomeTonight]

Originally Posted by NP_Complete

In my state the order is no gatherings of more than 25 people I think. My therapist has a private practice. He's the only person I see when we meet. He's taking extra precautions at the moment like wiping things down in his office and taking a longer break between clients. He's changed his Square settings so I don't have to sign on his phone when I pay. We sit several feet apart. Neither of us is sick. If one of us were to become ill, we'd switch fully to Zoom. We're actually doing Zoom now for some of our sessions, but he's told me that for now he'll be in office at least once a week. He may be in office twice this week, so 2 in person and one Zoom is likely for this week.

The last time I went to the grocery store, which I don't usually do as I prefer to order online and pick up, I passed by dozens of people. You can't always keep 6 feet of distance because the aisles aren't wide enough. Who knows what I touched in there after someone else touched it. Plus everything the previous poster said also.

Agreed (though just doing online sessions now with my T and D's T). The big issue with grocery stories to me is, they're talking about how coronavirus can live in the air for up to 3 hours and be transmitted by breathing it in. So if lots of people walk by, say, the milk aisle in the grocery store in that time frame, then you walk by there, you have the chance of getting infected. With a T's office, there's only 2 (well, unless couples/family therapy) people there at a time, so at most, 4 people (therapist plus 3 clients) there over the course of 3 hours. While a grocery store could have, say, 50 or more pass through the same spot in that time. Plus, people touching everything, as mentioned.


One potential risk could be a waiting room in a practice of T's, but that could be fixed by, say, T's texting clients when they're ready, and they wait in their car (or outside) till then.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Right now, L and I are observing the shelter in place rules. However, L says that if it lasts longer than April 30th, she's thinking of allowing an in-person check-in. She feels that not seeing me in-person for so long does more harm than good especially if we are both already following the rules and are symptom free. I was so relieved to hear that because it's getting really hard being away from her.

[SheHulk07]

My son's behavioral coach is still allowing in person once a week for him. they screen every patient when they come in, and there was only one other person on the opposite side of the waiting room when we went. The guy was sick 2 weeks ago with something and self isolated for the mandatory 14 days afterwards.

I'm also meeting with T1s partner tomorrow evening for the first time. He said he still is doing some in person sessions since it's a private practice and considered an essential business.

[mugwort2]

My therapist is doing phone counseling sessions with me. Monday was my first one. So far so good. OTOH too soon to tell. Hopefully it will continue successfully.

[kaleidoscopeheart]

Mine is still doing in person, but I don’t know how much longer.

[blackocean]

seriously I’m about ready to kms some days

[feileacan]

I am not in US and although my therapist is a psychoanalyst affiliated with International Psychoanalytic Association, he does not need any licence for practicing in my country. Thus, he is not technically part of medical healthcare system. He is working in a private practice and I'm a fully self-pay patient. So, what we do, is totally our own decision, as long as we conform to the rules imposed by the government. The government of my country as imposed no gatherings larger than two people keeping distance of 2 meters. Those requirements are fulfilled in my therapy session.

[ScarletPimpernel]

Contracting a potentially deadly disease can also do more harm than good.

True. Which is why during my last in-person session we didn't hug. It's why since CA required a shelter in place, we chose to do video sessions. And we are doing video sessions through all of April. L and I are following the rules. We don't leave our homes except for something necessary. Actually, I don't even go out when necessary. H does for me (i.e. pharmacy). My PCP and Pdoc help me now over the phone or email. We are taking this seriously.

However, the shelter in place away from my therapist is causing harm. I am getting worse. My life is at risk. It is a necessary to continue my therapy. And we aren't ignoring the possible harm of getting the virus. If we meet, we will still be practicing social distancing. We still won't hug. She will still wipe down her office. She won't be seeing all her clients if any. We will each sit on opposite sides of the room and I'll have my own tissues and hamd sanitizer. And we won't meet if either of us have symptoms.

[NP_Complete]

At least in my state (US) and several others I checked, mental health is considered an essential business, as defined by the governor's mandate, that is allowed to stay open. Neither my therapist nor I are breaking any rules or mandatory measures by meeting in person one day a week.