Ethical termination practices?
Asking as a client (with almost two advanced degrees in public health and general skepticism of the menta healthl system given personal experience and research with a high risk population- qualitative resarcher who works with active drug users and overdose which study participants are often under the influence, unhoused and carry significant trauma and often mistake research as therapy we have clear procedures to stay in our lane and deescalate and immeditely refer to qualified clinical services)
I had a therapist of eight years with more than twenty years of experience. I fired her abruptly after a disagreement that thought would create more harm than good given a very unwell father with significant psychopathology)- but also at the time providing money particularly given challenges with employment given grant funds.
After several months I reached out via email and apologized for my behavior and we met outside of a clinical setting had lunch and lightly broached the topic of possibly seeing her again and didnt give a concrete yes or no answer. I had recieved the willingness to meet and the experience that meant termination - out of respect of boundaries and discussion with people in my network who are clinicians and also know me I asked for how to do this I chose not to put pressure on it and wait for a direct ask so i asked for one session to see if there was a possibility for a productive theraputic relationship
She rejected for reasons that werent clearly stated via email and made a clinical reccomendation with no referalls. I responded the same expressing dissapointment and left it at that and asked for names of people who would fit also a very costly service fee
The very mixed signals I recieved from the email I was quite shocked by given that I have experienced her as very ethical. I waited two days with no response. After two days I left a voicemail saying I think this deserves some clarity and now its friday (my mom who died abruptly five years and no longer have any family/children or partner)
I also thought quite a bomb to drop over email (I am two months away from a cross country move and unable to drive given a complicated fracture)
Its now the end of Tuesday and zero response. I certainly dont want a termination session at this point but her behavior and response has created more harm- and a pressured theraputic relationship for either parties is not good.
I do however want a clinical history given an eight year relationship provides a lot of information and if I choose to do therapy when I move I dont want to have to deal wit h ROIs and continued contact.
Again, I would hate to make a report on her license (not for vindication but so this doesnt happen to someone else) but I dont know what to do?