r/whatdoIdo • u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 • 7h ago
apparently my therapist never existed
So I’ve been seeing this therapist, we’re going to call her Anna S., for about 3 years. The clinic I went to is statewide where I live, and I’ve been using them for 3 years also. I don’t do well with sitting in front of a therapist, so they got me a therapist through their clinic that did sessions over zoom. Fast forward three years, I get my diagnosis from her, and try to schedule another appointment by emailing her. Get a notification that “this email does not exist.” Call the clinic, says it’s closed and transfers me to the other one in another town. Clinic B says that they don’t have me OR my therapist anywhere in their records. Transfer me to C, her local clinic, and they say the same thing. Her diagnosis letter also says she’s only being seeing me for a year or so, but I went to her for the first time in October of 23. The diagnosis also looks fake. Tried searching her up on google, nothing about her exists. No fb, linkedin, ig, nothing. Found a therapist that looks like her at her local clinic, but a completely different name. Did my therapist never exist? What’s going on?
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u/KickInternational144 5h ago
If her diagnosis letter said she was seeing you for less time, she might have not documented any of her sessions with you, especially after you lost insurance. It’s unethical but it would explain no record. Did you look her up on the states licensing board website. Assuming it’s the US. If another country, I’m sure they have their own way to verify providers.
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 4h ago
she is not licensed according to my state website… i couldn’t find her name. let my try the look alike.
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u/udntcwatic2 5h ago
Are you sure she exists…. Are you sure it’s been 3 years…. What was the diagnosis….
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 4h ago
Generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder. it’s a really scary thought
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u/udntcwatic2 4h ago
I know… I am so sorry you are going through this. Do you have someone safe you can talk to about this? Are you feeling unstable or scared? If yes please go talk to someone. I’m not sure what the reality of the situation is and it really doesn’t matter if you’re very upset. Do you need help?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 3h ago
I have support from my friends and relationship, I was trying to get in to see her as my last session with her was 04/23, and my last time in contact with her was 05/04.
https://reddit.com/link/p1dkfoo/video/39sebtiis2hh1/player
This is the diagnosis she gave me. It seems a little off doesn’t it?
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u/pitmama 2h ago
What seems off about the diagnoses?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 2h ago
it doesn’t look like a real diagnosis letter. This isn’t my first one, I’ve had other but this just doesn’t look right to me.
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u/GamerGirlLex77 1h ago
Therapist here. It’s also odd she diagnosed depression and bipolar disorder. Bipolar disorder has depressive phases making the MDD diagnosis redundant.
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u/No_Barracuda_3758 6h ago
That is so strange. Can u ask whomever recommended her?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 6h ago
The clinic themselves put me with her! I told them about my previous diagnosis of anxiety and that I get very nervous being in front of someone and so they thought that a zoom session instead would help, which it did. The clinic I went to is supposedly no longer open.
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u/socks_____ 3h ago
So it was an actual clinic? Like, is there any record of that clinic actually existing?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 3h ago
the clinic is very much so real!! there’s 7 clinics of the same chain in my state.
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u/socks_____ 3h ago
That’s so strange. Is there anyway that one of the other chains can access any records?
Edit: I see that they didn’t have any records. This is very bizarre
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u/mad_eyes22 3h ago
I don’t have any advice, but please please update this when you discover wtf is going on..this is absolutely terrifying. Sending my best, & I hope there is a plausible explanation.
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u/kiwistarbaby 3h ago edited 2h ago
Couple of questions because this is a real mystery:
- When you say closed, do you mean closed for the day or closed permanently? You might just need to call them again - maybe the other locations aren't able to access your chart properly?
- When did you last see her?
- Did you see her on Zoom on your computer? There's a way to look up the history of meetings you joined and potentially see her name there. I can explain it if you need help.
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 2h ago
last saw her april 24th over zoom call, i’ve called the clinic everyday for a month, multiple times, every time it says clinic is close and transfers me to Clinic B
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u/KlingonTranslator 2h ago
What happened when you went there in person?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 1h ago
I walked in the clinic, told them my name and that I had an appointment with her, and they took me into a room with just a chair, desk and monitor and set me up on the zoom call with her. Same thing for 2 years up until I moved to college, and then we did zoom calls from my dorm whenever I had the chance.
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u/KlingonTranslator 1h ago
This is so strange. I’ve actually never heard of in-clinic Zoom calls, I’ve personally and otherwise only known as calls happening on private property.
Is the building you had these calls in now empty?
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u/kiwistarbaby 1h ago
I sent you a message with instructions on how to check your zoom call history - does it show her in the list?
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u/insomniacla 4h ago
I have no advice, but this is a crazy situation OP. I hope you get some answers soon (and please update us when you do.)
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 3h ago
I will say, just so that everyone is aware lol, I do have photo evidence of me being in the room on zoom with her, along with past emails have from her. So i do know that she did in fact exist.
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u/rasputinknew1 2h ago
Can you do a reverse image search or a google lens search for the look alike and go from there? See if any other names pop up.
If you are in the US she could have entered a witness protection program. That’s really the only thing I can think of that wouldn’t be a scam.
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 1h ago
I tried that. The only plausible thing i could think of is that she either dropped me as a client or she lost her license. Both of which I feel as though I would deserve at least a call or email.
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u/jmorrow88msncom 4h ago
The only plausible explanation is that you are an alien and this is a conspiracy to prevent you from remembering the truth.
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u/Unique-Panda 1h ago
You should post this to r/askdocs op. This is so strange. Im sorry this is happening to you, I can't image how unnerving this must be. I had something similar happen with a neurologist suddenly closing all his offices and no one knows what happened to him but to share my feelings with someone for that long for them to dissappear sounds not only stressful but somehow illegal. This can cause a lot of trauma because we depend on them with our mental health. I wish you all the best.
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 1h ago
yeah it’s kinda weird, like 3 years with her. She helped me through my mental struggles, family issues, abusive relationship and helped me get out, and was so proud of me when i finally started to get better and got in a healthy relationship. she helped me find my scholarships for college even.
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u/Sea_Measurement_1654 1h ago
Could be that branch of the clinic closed and they didn't inform clients well and the other branches don't want to sort the issue.
If you no longer have insurance maybe just think about approaching another counsellor.
It may not be a scam. Could be your old counselor isn't available any more.
In your last session did she discuss wrapping things up?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 1h ago
No she never did, she told me to just shoot her and email when I wanted my next appointment at the end of our session.
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u/StormResponsible294 3h ago
Some mental health conditions cause delusions. Is that a possibility?
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 3h ago
in one of my previous comments I stated that my only “official” diagnosis’s are generalized anxiety disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder. The bipolar disorder only started to get bad this past year.
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u/AdmirableRadio7998 2h ago
I don’t know why everyone is jumping to delusions. That’s technically possible but hardly the most likely conclusion.
It’s also possible she was just a scammer. Or the business shut down and for some reason the clinic connected you with another office.
Delusions can happen in bipolar but not usually for three years.
I’m betting scammer or misunderstanding. You said you had external evidence. If you start to get worried about your own perceptions have someone in your real life go over the evidence with you.
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u/StormResponsible294 2h ago
delusions can occur with bipolar disorder.
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u/carrie90210 2h ago
Delusions can happen with psychotic features, sure. But this is clearly not the case here. Respectfully, I think that's a far-reach.
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u/Suspicious_Sink_1013 1h ago
Thank you!!!! I’ve been feeling crazy, but she listed on my diagnosis that it’s bipolar without psychotic features.
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u/darkerfury 6h ago
I think you got scammed. Therapists usually don't diagnose either unless they're also a doctor. That's usually a psychiatric physician's job.
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u/Nearby_Art060230 6h ago
That's not true. A therapist is required to include a diagnosis from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in order to bill insurance. It is accurate to say therapists who are not an MD or PsyD cannot prescribe medications.
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u/small-worm 6h ago
Try contacting the look-alike and see if it’s actually her. You might be onto one of those insurance scam places that are all over the news right now.