not feeling good

Hi @utopia@Faith-and-Hope@Shaz51@Former-Member

I am so angry today. I went to see the community support people this morning. i was very nervous and teary but they were very very helpful. they gave me some food, two food vouchers for Woolworths and some helpful resources to look up informaiton and numbers to call for reduced rates on my utilities.

I also rang my psychologist this morning to see if i could pay her on wednesday instead of today as i have no money at all. the receptionist said it would be ok. About 2 hours later she calls me back to say that she had spoken to my psychologist and she wants some money paid. i told the receptionist that i couldn't pay and that;s why i called this morning to let them know. she then said well that's their rules and procedure. i said i have no money and i started to cry. i then said well i will have to cancel my appt, to which she replied well you will have to pay a cancellation fee. i told her 'you have to be joking' she said yes because it's less than 24 hrs. i said fine bill me but i won't be paying this today.

i hung up and burst into tears. i rang my CAT team clinician and broke down in tears. i thought how unprofessional is that and are they not caring enough??

the clinician couldn't believe it when i told her. she said she is having a meeting this afternoon with other clinicians and will try to find me another psychologist if i want to find someone else.

i don't know what to do now. stay with this one or leave.

Hi @BlueBay,

Firstly and I am glad you followed up and went to the community centre and they were very helpful. That should take a lot of the financial pressure off you until you get on your feet again. That was good news 😊

With the way you were treated by your psychologist in terms of delaying payment to her/him for a couple days explaining hardship, and then not only being refused but charged a cancellation fee is nothing short of unethical in my humble opinion. I can fully understand your shock and upset at this heartless response.

I did forget to also mention in my last post that apart from the community centre offering the above - they can also offer free counselling with a qualified counsellor or psychologist. Our community centre does, and I am fairly certain most do. This may help you with continuing affordable counselling without inflicting further hardship until you are back on your feet again. So it may pay to visit or ring them again and enquire; I would also mention to them what happened with your psychologist payment situation - with being charged a cancellation fee after explaining and declaringexplaining hardship, - as most community centres can also offer free legal advice. I personally would not pay this and place myself in further hardship until after such a time I received the legal advice. Really a heartless move by doing the latter in my opinion and if it were me I would certainly not go back to someone who had no real concern for my welfare in this regard. The choice is yours. Keep us updated my friend 🤗xx

I know @Former-Member I am so angry and hurt by my psychologist's actions and words that i don't want to go back. She had no empathy towards my finnacial hardship. I was crying on the phone and the receptionist knew yet she told me i would be charged $30 for late cancellation. I am goiong back to the community centre tomorrow as they are going to help me with my phone bill so i will tell them about this.

I also went to Centrelink to see if i was entitled to anything else apart from a health care card which i have already. They said to go online and have a look, whichh i just did - no i am not entitled to anything else - bummer.

You would think my psyuch would have sympathy towards her clients. it's not as if i wasn't going to pay, i didn't want the consulation for free, i was going to pay in two days' time - yet she insisted i had to pay something today. how can i when i have zero funds in my account. i have never been so bad financially and i am so embarrassed and ashamed.

Sorry to hear about your experience @BlueBay. It sounds really unfair. I hope it goes well at the community centre.

You have absolutely nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about @BlueBay. Many struggle this way through no fault of your own. Dont let this concern you - financial hardship can and does happen to the best of us through no fault of our own as no one can control unforeseen circumstances (loss of employment, illness etc).

Not waiting two days for a payment is absurd. Good to read you are visiting the community centre and that you will discuss this all with them tomorrow and your options. Let us know how it goes. Will be thinking of you. Hugs 🤗

Hi @BlueBay 🙂 I'm so sorry to hear about your negative experience with your psychologist's receptionist today - that must have been very invalidating and a shock to be told that you have to make a complete upfront payment or pay a cancellation fee. I'm glad that your CAT team clinician is was willing to listen to you and help you. It's also nice to hear that you reached out to your local Community Centre and they were able to provide you with some assistance. Keep reaching out as you're doing here and please don't feel ashamed for asking for help - financially or otherwise. We are all here to support you.

P.S. I hope you managed to read a few pages of your book 🙂

Hi @Former-Member@utopia@Former-Member@Former-Member@Faith-and-Hope

Good news!! My GP phoned me this morning and was not happy about what happened yesterday. he will see me tomorrow morning. I also called my psychiatrist to see if he could see me asap and he has a spot available tomorrow at lunchtime. So i made the appointment and will see him. i will tell him about what happened yesterday and what's been going on. He can refer me to this new psychologist as she works in the same rooms as him. (another bonus!!)

My GP is very good and understanding and this morning was trying to lift my moods by saying that i will get better and just take baby steps today.

i am seeing the CAT team this afternoon after work and before that the community support centre. i have to take my phone bill in and they will sort it out for me. (another bonus!!)

It amazes me at how much support there is out there - but if you don't ask for help you don't know what's out there.

I will ring the other psychologist next week and explain that i am not going back for the reasons of what happened yesterday. I feel that i was unfairly treated and that they were not empathatic towards my situation. After all i didn't want the session for free, i was going to pay 2 days later. And i am still angry at what happened. I feel they need to know why i am not returning and I will give it to them politely.

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@BlueBay wrote:

Hi @Former-Member@utopia@Former-Member@Former-Member@Faith-and-Hope

Good news!! My GP phoned me this morning and was not happy about what happened yesterday. he will see me tomorrow morning.

My GP is very good and understanding and this morning was trying to lift my moods by saying that i will get better and just take baby steps today.

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That is good news @BlueBay! Your GP sounds wise in lifting your spirits with saying when you were extremely depressed that you will get better with baby steps. Anything else is encouraging depression and the consequences of it which can be harmful. So glad you are in good hands there with someone who truly does look out for your welfare

. Also good news about you being referred to a new psychologist and that the community centre is looking after you. They do such great work helping the community and those in hardship and that is why I love being part of it and working for them. It's all looking up!

I am glad you are seeing your now old psychologist to explain the reason that you are cancelling your services with them, politely explaining it is because of how unfairly they treated you showing no compassion or empathy towards you for the hardship you were facing. I am proud of you @BlueBay. They need to know that their unfair actions there can have an adverse impact on people mentally - contrary to their work ethos. Have a good day @BlueBay.

I am so glad you took the advice of the help out there and was proactive in seeking it. There are solutions my friend and well done you for making them happen. ❤️