u/Bold-Introvert

Have you ever had a subpoena for client records? It’s a child custody case and counseling is a requirement for gaining custody of his children. I’ve built a trusting relationship with this client and have helped him make significant changes in his life. I know he has shared things with me that he has never expressed to another person and he looks forward to seeing me every week as a safe place where he can tell me anything.

I received the subpoena for my notes today, saying they are required for a custody hearing. I know I don’t have a choice, but it infuriates me. I have an obligation to break confidentiality if I feel my client is at risk for causing harm. I have not seen that risk, so I should not be forced to break that confidentiality by releasing records. Not adhering to the demands of the subpoena only causes problems for me, and I hate having to compromise on one of the primary elements of a trusting therapeutic relationship. It shouldn’t be so easy to demand I break that confidentiality bond.

How have any you dealt with this?

I hate scheduling and trying to accommodate client needs without compromising my own. I always have a fear that I forgot a client or double booked, and I sometimes have to reach out to confirm appointments.

I wonder what self scheduling would be like for me. Assuming I could define the parameters around availability, it could be a way to be more efficient with my time. Curious about others experiences with this.

It’s been since Covid that my last serious relationship ended. I still occasionally date, and usually have a dating profile up somewhere, but I haven’t been on a second date with someone since my last relationship ended.

I recently matched with someone on a dating sight and we soon began texting every day. She was away when we matched, and then I flew out for 10 days, the day before she returned, so we had a period of about three weeks, where we texted. A lot. There was an energy that felt good in our communication, and I was excited for the opportunity to meet.

We met last week for a walk, and I came away feeling deflated. The energy wasn’t the same in person and I do not see her as someone I want to have an intimate relationship with. I want to be up front and honest about my feelings, but that seems cruel and soul crushing. We still text daily, but my it’s not the same. I don’t want to lead her on, yet I also don’t want crush her. I hate this part of dating, and lesson learned about getting too close prior to meeting.

How do you view your introverted qualities? Do you seem them as a strength or a weakness? My views have changed. As a teenager, I used to think there was something wrong with me because everyone commented about how quiet I was. As an adult, I’ve learned to embrace my introverted qualities.