Literate Griffin
August 1, 2018 00:19
I brought my 11-year-old daughter in for help with ADD. Susan came out and greeted my daughter by name, then turned to me and said, "Who are you to her?"
(I have never been greeted in such a bizare way before.)
Things went downhill from there.
She showed no interest in the Vanderbuilt Assessment I'd been given, refusing to take it or even acknowledge that it existed when I tried to hand it to her.
She showed no interest at all in my daughter's behavior, instead questioning me in detail about our decision to homeschool. Frequently, she pretended to be extremely stupid, so she could act like she didn't understand what I was saying. Finally, she asked how I made the decision to go with the particular progam we are going with this year. (This decision was made months ago, and I no longer recall how I even became aware of this specific program.) I felt we were getting rather off-topic, so I asked her, "How is this relevant?"
She drew herself up in her chair, and grabbed the collar of her scrubs like it was a lab coat she was pulling around herself and intoned, "Are you QUESTIONING ME?!?!"
I didn't get up and walk out then. Instead, I replied, "Yes. I cannot see how the details of how I made a decision months ago can have any bearing on my daughter's behavioral issues. So I want you to tell me."
She drew up an even haughtier tone, and said, "Do you want me to REPLyyyyyYYY??"
At this point, I had already asked her twice. I said yes, but really, by then, I didn't.
When your therapist engages in gaslighting and believes she can simultaneously play stupid and act like an unassailable authority, that is not anyone you want to be seeking help from (or allowing near your children).
The woman who took my daughter's vitals, at the beginning of the visit, was nice.