What does your therapist call you?

smileygal · May 22, 2024, 09:12 PM

Does your therapist refer to you as their client, patient or something else? Does client or patient bother you?

My therapist uses the term 'patient'. I brought it up many years ago that I did not like to be referred to as a patient and we discussed the reasons why which she seemed to get. She said she uses the word patient as she originally worked in a medical clinic and now it's just habit. At times I have seen her use the word client particularly if I use it for but for the most part she still reverts back to using patient.
I find it very infuriating for many reasons. Wondering if anyone has struggled with the same thing> I know my only option is to bring this up 'again' in session but honestly we have spoken about it so much at this point. And it in no way seems like an intentional slip more like a lapse in memory or carelessness.

ScarletPimpernel · May 22, 2024, 09:52 PM

When L is generalizing, she refers to us as clients. I prefer clients. Patients remind me of medical. We're psychological not medical. Psychiatrist...I'm not sure what she calls us. I don't think I've ever heard her say either.

wheeler · May 23, 2024, 07:06 AM

She uses ‘patient’ and i absolutely hate it! We sort of talked about it once but she never really understood why it bothered me. She’s a licensed social worker so I’m not sure why she feels ‘entitled’ to calling us patients. It does feel like a power trip.

MuddyBoots · May 23, 2024, 09:28 AM

Don't really know. Someone on the ACT team when I was in that called me "her favorite weenie," though. At first I was insulted because I'm not a weenie. I don't even have a weenie. But then I liked it because I'm her favorite something and it makes me feel special haha.

ArtieTheSequal · May 23, 2024, 09:30 AM

Client, and I prefer that over patient. Because I am not patient. Haha

Therapy reviewed · May 23, 2024, 11:18 AM

She didn't refer to me in any of them terms.. It never came up in 20 yrs

ChickenNoodleSoup · May 23, 2024, 11:23 AM

The two that I know what they call it, it's patient. They are both psychiatrists though. It doesn't bother me.

LonesomeTonight · May 23, 2024, 01:11 PM

T and ex-T both call me a client. Ex-marriage counselor called us "patients." At the time, I kind of liked "patient," but now I think I like "client" better. But I don't really like when my T refers to "my clientele," as that just sounds weird to me. Not sure why that feels different than "my clients," but it just does. Although, I feel "client" is a bit distancing in a way, like someone's lawyer. I think we need a completely different word.

MuddyBoots · May 23, 2024, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LonesomeTonight

T and ex-T both call me a client. Ex-marriage counselor called us "patients." At the time, I kind of liked "patient," but now I think I like "client" better. But I don't really like when my T refers to "my clientele," as that just sounds weird to me. Not sure why that feels different than "my clients," but it just does. Although, I feel "client" is a bit distancing in a way, like someone's lawyer. I think we need a completely different word.

Therapister and therapistee

stopdog · May 23, 2024, 02:25 PM

Patient is a misguided attempt at making their job into traditional health care and it sets up the power play on their part. I never saw them as health care in any sense so I used client and never asked what they did

Brown Owl 2 · May 24, 2024, 08:07 AM

This is slightly different to your question, but related to the memory lapse: my former T used to refer to me with my full name (which my mother uses), after about a year I asked her if she’d use a shortened version which I prefer. She never remembered. I reminded her a few times and then let it go. I had to stop seeing her as the sessions left me feeling awful, and looking back, I think that her memory was part of the problem. I now question whether she remembered anything from one session to the next. I wish I’d been more assertive in my sessions with her in challenging her, and probably it would have been better if I’d quit sooner.

Nammu · May 24, 2024, 11:21 AM

Client they all from the get go back in the 80’s switched over to client which I hate. It’s impersonal and easy to screw over a client. Patient isn’t quite the word either but it’s better as it assumes a bit of responsibility on their part to behave appropriately in a professional setting. There needs to be a better word.

I also hate the behavioral heath term. Mental health is better.

Mountaindewed · May 24, 2024, 12:10 PM

I've heard the therapists say to each other "I have a patient waiting" but to my face my therspist uses the word client. Except one time she called me her patient.

So I wonder if they have some inside joke among the therapists about clients being their patients.

HALLIEBETH87 · May 24, 2024, 06:34 PM

I was trained to use the word "consumer". gross. i say client

stopdog · May 24, 2024, 06:47 PM

I don't mind consumer - it seems the most accurate of all.

smileygal · May 24, 2024, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brown Owl 2

This is slightly different to your question, but related to the memory lapse: my former T used to refer to me with my full name (which my mother uses), after about a year I asked her if she’d use a shortened version which I prefer. She never remembered. I reminded her a few times and then let it go. I had to stop seeing her as the sessions left me feeling awful, and looking back, I think that her memory was part of the problem. I now question whether she remembered anything from one session to the next. I wish I’d been more assertive in my sessions with her in challenging her, and probably it would have been better if I’d quit sooner.

This sounds hard. I often think my T also had a bad memory because of the amount of things she forgets. I asked her once if she though she had a good memory after she forgot something pretty big and she said ‘yes’ I think that’s mostly what this is about. I didn’t like the word patient the first time she used it for various reasons but it’s her perogative to call us what she wants . I think it’s more about the fact that I’ve mentioned how I dislike it and all the reasons and yet she continues to forget and call me that.

smileygal · May 24, 2024, 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wheeler

She uses ‘patient’ and i absolutely hate it! We sort of talked about it once but she never really understood why it bothered me. She’s a licensed social worker so I’m not sure why she feels ‘entitled’ to calling us patients. It does feel like a power trip.

Strange that she doesn't understand why it would bother you. Even more strange that she uses patient when she isn't even a dr of any sorts

smileygal · May 24, 2024, 09:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChickenNoodleSoup

The two that I know what they call it, it's patient. They are both psychiatrists though. It doesn't bother me.

It feels more appropriate to me coming from a psychiatrist for some reason. Perhaps it's because they do deal with medicine?

smileygal · May 24, 2024, 09:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HALLIEBETH87

I was trained to use the word "consumer". gross. i say client

Oh ya i'd hate consumer too. Think it's trying to hard....I don't mind client...I think some professionals have an aversion to it tbh as it's too common for them. anyone can have clients but not anyone can have patients

smileygal · May 24, 2024, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mountaindewed

I've heard the therapists say to each other "I have a patient waiting" but to my face my therspist uses the word client. Except one time she called me her patient.

So I wonder if they have some inside joke among the therapists about clients being their patients.

I'd prefer my therapist never used the word patient but I guess it's her perogative to call me what she wishes amongst peers and other professionals. To my face however I think it only fair and decent to call me what I prefer to be called and that is not patient. If I was referring to a name of any other type it would be okay.

LostOnTheTrail · May 25, 2024, 11:46 AM

She uses 'client', if anything.

Therapy reviewed · May 28, 2024, 02:00 PM

Strange.. This question just got asked in a psychotherapist FB group..

ArtleyWilkins · May 28, 2024, 02:16 PM

My name? Honestly, I don’t remember referencing me in any other way, but it probably wasn’t on my radar.

smileygal · May 29, 2024, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Therapy reviewed

Strange.. This question just got asked in a psychotherapist FB group..

Which FB group is that? Are u a psychotherapist? I’ve often thought of becoming one as I’m understanding how we work is really interesting to me. But I think the time has past now. I do often wonder if I was a therapist what I’d call the people I work with. I think I’ve settled on clients. I certainly wouldn’t call them something I knew they didn’t like being called

AprilRains · Aug 22, 2024, 08:34 PM

My pdoc uses client. I use patient. I don’t really care. I have a significant mental illness. I have significant physical illnesses. To me they are no different. I am a patient of a psychologist. I am a patient of an internist and multiple other specialists. I don’t think that what you are referred to matters all that much. What matters is whether my provider, regardless of the illness, is someone who, I trust and believe can help me.

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