The Patient You Don’t Want to See
Posted on June 20, 2007 - Filed Under General |
I’ve never been in this position before. I mean if you don’t want to treat something you don’t treat it. But what if someone who seems threatening seems to want to see you as a practitioner?
I’ve had to turn down the same patient several times this week. Â He keep walking in and wanting acupuncture “now.” Like most acupuncturists I don’t do walkins. Â He was referred from the other acupuncturist in town and so he thinks that I do, despite the fact that I know that’s not what she said. Â While he’s never done anything, his energy feels unpredictable and I’m not comfortable treating this person.
The chiropractor next door knows about the issue and so do the other people in my office. However, our office has no receptionist. This means any one of us could be left alone in the office as we are each their during our own hours to see our patients.  We’re keeping the door locked unless we expect someone. We tend to do this anyway, but we’re each being a little more careful, particularly if we are in the office alone.
Other than referring out, I’m not sure what else to do. I figure I’ll suggest that a clinic with several acupunturists will be more likely to accomodate his last minute schedule, though such a clinic will be out of town. Â I’m not sure what else to do. There’s no one else in town to refer him to.
Suggestions from anyone who has experienced something like this would be appreciated.
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2 Responses to “The Patient You Don’t Want to See”
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I would recommend one of two approaches. The first would be to have an honest conversation with him about what is going on with him during which I would try to explore what is causing him to behave in a way that makes you uncomfortable. You might even address the discomfort directly, telling him that his behavior is unsettling to you and that you don’t feel safe. He may have no perspective on how his behavior affects others. The reason he is seeking treatment may be causing his behavior, and you may actually be able to shift that for him. Unless someone is absolutely crazy, in other words insane, I believe you can zero in on their core issue that is causing behavior issues. Usually it is emotional trauma of some sort. . . hurt, pain, anger, absolutely lack of love. If you can find it in yourself to be in an open space to hear his side, you may be able to hear what actually needs healing in this being. And you will have taken a huge set forward in your development as a compassionate healer.
Now, on the other hand, should this person be absolutely insane, simply tell him you can not help him, and offer to give him another acupuncturists’ name, preferably a male, even if he is out of town. Ask him to leave your office and not return. If he does return call the police.
My experience with an insane client lead me to have a lawyer write a cease and desist letter. I don’t want to put wild thought’s in your head, but this person was referred to me by a Chiropractor. This man became obsessed with me, and in his insanity wanted to marry me. He eventually made threatening calls to all members of my family and threatened to kill my father. We have all this on taped voice mail messages. The police were called and the letter sent. He stopped harrassing me and my family, and eventually set his house on fire. The police pulled 60 guns out of his house and he actually attacked the police with an ice pick when he was found in his garage. This happened in my first year of practice. I never thought anything like that could happen to me. Consequently, I have never advertised my practice, and I only practice where there are other people around. I am almost never alone with clients. Meaning I share an office suite. If I were to practice in a place where I were seeing people alone, I would only see women, unless I knew the man well. Sorry to go on about this, but I have had a serious learning experience that I share to help others understand how vulnerable they can be given the wrong person. In the event you encounter someone seriously threatening you need to take action to protect yourself.
I hope you find something in this helpful. I would be interested to know how this all works out for you.
Marion, I’d like to thank you for your well thought out comment. I think you’re situation was far worse.
So far the patient has not come back again. It could be that he came back because I was obviously a bit more able to talk at the moment he walked in, as opposed to the first person he had visited.
We suspect that there was a bit of self medication going on and perhaps he had upped his dose between visiting the two of us. I don’t know. At any rate, if he were to come back, it would be an issue that would have to be addressed. Unfortunately he has lied when asked a direct question, so I am not sure that such a conversation would go anywhere.
I have done NADA treatments and in fact part of my internship was at an inpatient clinic that I loved. However, drug rehab is not a population I care to bring into my own small clinic where it is often just me.