Avatar Posted by cestmoi 15 days ago (Question)
Is it inappropriate or unethical to meet with your therapist outside of the office? With the situation I am in now, I am unable to go to regular appointments. My therapist allows e-mails and phone calls at any time. With only able going to appointments right now about once a month, primarily due to transportation issues, it's so difficult for me to maintain a connection and trust with my therapist at all. I cannot switch therapists; it's out of the question due to past difficulties. I have depression and anxiety. I also have an eating disorder, which is my coping method, and it is getting worse with the current set-up with my therapist. So would it be wrong to ask my therapist if I could meet up for just about ten minutes to reconnect? This would only be once in a while. E-mailing and phone calls is difficult to do when I haven't met with her in person for weeks.


Answers

Written by Chemar 15 days ago Rating: 0 | Rate Answer: + -

Hi

I am trying to understand...you cannot get to the appointments because of transportation problems? so you want the therapist to come to your home?

if you want to meet them elsewhere then I dont understand why not just meet at their office?

Written by JunieBeatrice 15 days ago Rating: 0 | Rate Answer: + -

Hi.

I am not sure that it is blatently inappropriate or unethical in theory but there may be ethical concerns if you were to meet somewhere besides the office. Could your therapist ensure your privacy if you were to meet somewhere else? Such as could she ensure that others were not overhearing your conversation which she can do in the office? She would also need to ensure that a double relationship would not develop where she is your therapist but also appears to you as a friend because that could hurt you in the long run if say she met you for coffee a couple of times for these short meets and then no longer does when you are back to longer sessions you may feel punished or something and she might have to keep that in mind. I suppose you would just have to ask her if that is something she is willing to do. Keep in mind that if she says no it is likely because there are often blurry lines in ethical questions and she wants to firmly stay on the ethical side and ultimately that is best for you. Good luck to you. All my best. Junie

Written by Clyde 15 days ago Rating: 0 | Rate Answer: + -

There could be ethical concerns if you meet somewhere besides the office, yes.

You may just have to see if you can increase the emails or telephone calls...

Best,

Clyde

Written by AppleJuiceGirl 13 days ago Rating: 0 | Rate Answer: + -

I think it all depends on your therapist. When I was in therapy, after a while, my therapist and I would occasionally go out to eat or visit my mother's grave (which is of course outside the office), but this was done during our appointment times.

Like Clyde said, you just have to ask her. You could maybe also ask her if she would be willing to make more frequent appointments with you and meet with you at a closer location (some place where you can easily travel on a bike or bus to meet her). Good luck!


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