If you are reading this, you probably are searching for a therapist and likely have found that many therapists in Bend (and the whole state of Oregon) have very long waitlists at this time. Many therapists will tell you that they have closed their waitlists and are no longer adding people to their waitlists at this time.
I am writing this to tell you – we get it! We therapists are very sorry that this is happening. Whether you are calling for yourself or for your child, it is awful to be told the doors are closed to you at this time or that you may have to wait a year or more to get therapy. This is ridiculous. If you are calling, you most likely need therapy now. Not a year from now.
So please know, we feel badly about this. I routinely have conversations with my colleagues about the best way to manage this, the best way to serve more clients, and how to “fix” the problem of epically long waitlists. Unfortunately, there does not seem to be an easy answer.
So, I am writing this blog to tell you the state of things at MY practice. Currently, my waitlist is at an all-time high. I have not yet closed my waitlist, but am considering doing so because it does feel fair to ask people to wait over a year to get in for services. So please know, when you reach out, there is a good possibility I may have had to temporarily close my waitlist.
What I am doing, is becoming even more selective about who is placed on my list. Previously, I accepted only patients seeking help with anxiety. At this point, I am tailoring that further to very specific anxiety disorders. First of all, a large percentage of my practice focuses on treatment of OCD. If you have OCD, there is a good chance I will find a spot for you on my waitlist. I will also accept a variety of other anxiety diagnoses. Here is a list of diagnoses that I will place on my list:
-Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
-Separation Anxiety Disorder
-Panic Disorder
-Health Anxiety (Hypochrondriasis)
-Trichotillomania or Excoriation Disorder (Hairpulling or Skin Picking)
-Tics or Tourette’s Disorder
-Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
-Phobias
If you don’t see your diagnosis on this list or don’t know what your diagnosis is, you are welcome to still reach out to discuss this with me and we can consider goodness of fit. However, what I am not able to accept at this time are patients seeking help for generalized anxiety and stress. There are many practitioners in Bend who are skilled at helping with anxiety and I can provide you with referrals to access good, quality care. I apologize for this change, but I am trying to limit my waitlist to the best of my ability.
Another thing I am considering doing to provide care for more patients is to offer Group Therapy. I am considering putting together three potential Groups:
-Group OCD Therapy for Kids/Teens
-Group OCD Therapy for Adults
-Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions
I am not sure how quickly these Groups could be available and please know they would most likely be offered virtually due to physical space constraints. These groups would be out of pocket and most likely not reimbursable by insurance (though you are welcome to check with your providers). If you are interested in any of these groups, please do not hesitate to reach out and I will start compiling a group waitlist as well.
Thank you for your patience and understanding. Please do not hesitate to reach out via email or phone to ask any questions or to receive referrals for other providers.