Information Page for My Psychotherapy Clients
As you may already know, my wife Jordan and I are headed off to the Peace Corps and I am closing my psychotherapy practice at the end of August, 2008.
Below. I will: (1) address some important considerations regarding transferring to a new psychotherapist, (2) make some recommendations of a few therapists in the area whom I trust to work with my former clients, and (3) provide information about the clinical records I have safely stored and how one might gain access to them should this become necessary.
A Few Words About the Process of PsychotherapyThe process of therapy takes many forms and is conducted on many levels depending upon a host of variables. A client's age and life experience are two of the most obvious variables to consider. Most of my clients have been somewhere in mid-life or were younger but dealing with meaning of life issues in one form or another.
Therapy at this mid-life stage of life is a Spiritual process. As Jung is quoted as saying, “...anyone over 40 coming into therapy is struggling with a Spiritual issue.” As such, the dance between “Spiritual” and “psychological” will almost always be an important focus in therapy. I think of a Spiritual practice as a way to ground ourselves in a place of relationship with God, the All, or whatever word feels comfortable using to describe the non-dual reality of ultimate Truth. A disciplined Spiritual practice cultivates habits of thought, speech and behavior that bring the ego into a place of calmness and clarity allowing the release of a bit of control. This release of control allows a necessary movement toward surrender to this ultimate reality and to the wisdom contained/channeled through it to the relative level of our everyday experience. It’s as if we’re practicing to train the ego to stay out of our way so we can experience what’s really happening (which is outside the judgment, fears, hopes, etc. of our conditioned mind.) This Truth is that we are constantly being offered guidance and support from Divine love and wisdom. We simply need to open up to it and learn to trust its lead.
We tend to move lockstep along the path of purification, struggling with psychological issues as they are given space to arise by our growing comfort in surrender. Then hitting another emotional or psychological wall. We can move ahead on our Spiritual path only as far as we are free of psychological barriers that keep us attached to this conditioned notion of self. Ken Wilber in his writings on Integral Psychology speaks to this process of lockstep movement through the stages of development, moving ahead only as far as the next glass ceiling and then having to shift over to do the work of that channel of growth (he outlines more channels than these two but they seem the most relevant).
At this point in my life both personally and professionally, I appreciate the value of different approaches to the many facets of this diamond of a mind/heart/Spirit. In my personal work I have found a renewed energy and interest in pushing through my psychological barriers when I have taken an interesting turn in the path of deepening my self-understanding. I have found benefit in a wide range of psychological healing practices and orientations from the classic cognitive behavioral to Shamanistic soul retrieval. For me, some common elements in these practices include: (1) having a positive, health-oriented perspective that assumes a drive to wholeness, (2) having an appreciation for working at a deep, often uncomfortable level, (3) the therapist or teacher has embodied these teachings in their own life and speak from their own experience, (4) I find a comfortable resonance with the new process at a deep level even if at the surface I face fear when moving along this particular path, and (5) the practice does not depend on dogma or blind faith in any way and depends rather upon observable results (e.g. Reduced anxiety, deeper Spiritual connection and trust) over a reasonable span of time.
All that to get to the point of supporting a possible shift of orientation in your next therapist to one that shares my basic orientation and adds a deeper level of process drawn from sources other than Buddhist psychology and meditation. For many of my clients, I suspect a mindfulness and body centered orientation such as that of my trusted colleague, Beth Meeker, MA would be both engaging and rewarding and likely an excellent therapist to guide and support you along the path of deep healing. This is assuming that you are motivated to move through the initial adjustment period to her orientation and find the time to do the work that's required to benefit from her form of deep therapy. She will have a personal appreciation for the model of therapy I use as she has taught Mindfulness Based programs as well as training programs for other mental health professionals with me for the past few years. Beth brings an interesting and varied mix of techniques and mindful presence to her work that tends to move her clients into spaces of openness quickly from which they are able to move through conditioned pain and grief that underlies their distress.Beth is not on any insurance panels but you may have coverage for her services. You would need to call your insurance company to find out.
Other Excellent Psychotherapists in Tampa Bay
Depending upon considerations such as your insurance coverage and your desire to move in a different direction or to focus on another aspect of your therapy (e.g. sexual issues, etc.), you may find one of these psychotherapists a wise choice.
Dr. Judith A. Curts, PhD, LCSW is an excellent option. I've offered workshops with Judy over the years and she has been a personal friend and support to me in ways that show me the quality of her character and therapeutic skill.
Patricia Dunn-Fierstein, LCSW is a Certified Sandplay Therapist-Teacher and a Certified EMDR Therapist. She has attended the Jung Institute in Zurich and received training from Jon Kabat-Zinn. She uses mindfulness in her work with clients and is well versed in cognitive behavioral techniques in working with children, adults, couples, and families.
Patricia is not on any insurance panels but will submit insurance claims for clients who have “out-of-network” benefits. Phone: 813-253-3797
Carl Fierstein, LMHC is a Certified EMDR and Sandplay Therapy therapist. He has attended the Jung Institute in Zurich and has received training from Jon Kabat-Zinn. He uses mindfulness in his work with clients along with cognitive-behavioral and psycho-analytic and other effective techniques.
Carl is an "in-network" provider for many insurance companies. Call him to learn about your coverage. Phone: 813-253-3797
Therapists who accept Medicare and are accepting new clients:
Bonnie Saks, MD Tampa
Roene Zohle, LCSW Tampa
Sue Brewer, LCSW St Petersburg
Good luck with this sometimes challenging process of locating a psychotherapist that fits your needs and personality.
About Your Clinical Records
Regarding sending a copy of your old records to your new therapist:
Over the years I have found records from my clients' previous therapy to be of very little value either for my clients, for me or for the progress of therapy. Clients who are functioning at the high level (which describes just about all of mine over the past 10 years at least), it is most likely that you have a good understanding of what issues remain active for you and what methods have been most helpful. Your insights and understanding are in my opinion, much more valuable and will lead to better, clearer results than a copy of my notes which would be of little use given that my manner of note taking is personal and my handwriting can be a challenge to say the least. If you worked with me for awhile and are moving to a new therapist, you know much more about your situation than my records would reflect. If you only worked with me a short time, my records would not contain useful information beyond what would come to light in the first session. Therefore, for both short and long term clients, I would encourage you to spend the time to communicate directly with your new therapist at the beginning of your work together. Share your perspective of your current situation, the strengths you have identified along the way and the specific issues you are entering therapy at this time to address. Use this history-reporting as a time for developing of a strong therapeutic alliance with your new therapist. Leave the old stuff behind where you've worked to put it. Begin from where you are today with this fresh start.
Getting a copy of your records:
As long as I am in the country, I will gladly communicate with your new therapist if you decide this would be helpful. I have found over the years that a "brief case summary" OR better yet a brief telephone conversation are the best ways to give a new therapist an overview of a client's history, dynamics, strengths and current issues. If you would like me to communicate with your new therapist, you can contact me either through email (most reliable) OR phone at 813-765-9747 (unreliable if we're out of the country).
Of course, as your records are confidential and are protected by law, I will require a Release of Information Form filled out and signed by you before I can communicate with anyone about our work together. You can download the form here and either scan it (with your signature) and email it to me or drop it in the US mail to me (the address is on the top of the form). Please make sure you contact me via email before sending the release as I plan to be away from the office for extended periods before Jordan and I make the leap to the Peace Corps.
Please understand that my clinical notes are notes to myself and that in some cases, could be confusing if read by someone not familiar with the purpose and layout of clinical case notes. For this reason, records are not released directly to a psychotherapy client unless there are very unusual circumstances making this necessary. Records are released to either a licensed psychotherapist, an attorney or a judge (the later two under very restricted circumstances see HIPPA regulations.)
Once I have left for the Peace Corps, I have an arrangement with another Psychotherapist, Beth Meeker, LMHC to be the custodian of my clients records. In the unlikely event that you need a copy of your records for a court case or any other clinically sound reason, she can be reached by email or telephone at 813-362-6471.