From time to time, the issue of concurrent psychotherapy arises in regards to the services I provide. As such, this blogpost relates to psychotherapeutic treatment that is given by one practitioner at the same time as another clinician is providing treatment elsewhere.
Although professionals within the field of mental, emotional, and behavioral health care may disagree with my stance, I prefer not to provide concurrent psychotherapy if it can be avoided. My decision isn’t necessarily due to being prohibited from the provision of such services.
Allow me to explain. I earned a Master of Arts in Counseling degree in 2011, and a Master of Science in Social Work degree in 2014. Currently, I’m licensed in the state of Texas as a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW).
As well, I’ve been trained in Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Additionally, I’m currently a Certified Personality Disorder Treatment Provider (C-PD).
Regarding my Texas-based practice, I’m bound to specific should, must, or ought-type demands issued by the State. For instance, the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council requires of LPC licensees:
The licensee must not knowingly offer or provide counseling to an individual concurrently receiving counseling treatment intervention from another mental health services provider except with that provider’s knowledge. If a licensee learns of such concurrent therapy, the licensee must request release from the client to inform the other professional and strive to establish positive and collaborative professional relationships.
While I’m not prohibited from providing concurrent psychotherapy, I’m required to collaborate with other professionals if I choose to conduct parallel services. Likewise, the Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council requires of LCSW licensees:
The licensee, following applicable statutes: shall not knowingly offer or provide professional services to an individual concurrently receiving professional services from another mental health services provider except with that provider’s knowledge. If a licensee learns of such concurrent professional services, the licensee shall take immediate and reasonable action to inform the other mental health services provider.
Similar to guidance for LPCs, I can provide simultaneous psychotherapeutic services only when collaborating with other clinicians. Nevertheless, cooperation isn’t the significant issue regarding concurrent psychotherapy.
Rather, I have concerns about conflicting methods expressed with different psychotherapeutic modalities. To use an example relevant to clinical approaches in which I’ve trained, suppose I see client X for REBT services and he simultaneously receives EMDR services from another clinician.
I will use the ABC model and unconditional acceptance of oneself, others, and life when working with client X. We won’t spend too much time looking into past events or trying to uncover touchstone memories.
After all, why would we? That which is in the past is, well, in the past! It cannot be changed. Although people often self-disturb about this truthful fact of life, we live in this moment and move forward from where we are.
If client X were to attend sessions with an EMDR provider, the clinician may approach client X’s issues in a confusingly different manner. Significant focus toward mentally traveling back in time to unlock an emotional block may occur, which is antithetical to the practice of REBT.
Here I sit on one side of the proverbial table of psychological well-being, locking hands with a professional colleague who maintains a differing approach on the other side of the table. Our session-by-session arm wrestling match isn’t as much a collaborative process as it relates to counterproductive contradiction.
To aggravate matters, suppose that the EMDR practitioner incorporates feminist theory or promotes diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility rhetoric when providing services to client X. In no way do I support propagandized psychotherapy of this nature.
How productive would sessions be when I not only dispute the irrational beliefs client X already maintains, though I would then need to actively counter the nonsense espoused by his concurrent psychotherapist? I’d be wasting valuable resources of client X, the other practitioner, and myself.
Consequently, I don’t provide concurrent psychotherapy even though I’m allowed to do so in Texas, as long as I collaborate with other professionals. For people choosing to otherwise engage in bouts of psychotherapeutic arm-wrestling contests, I wish you all the best.
If you’re looking for a provider who works to help you understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.
As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.
At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply helping you to feel better, I want to help you get better!
Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW
References:
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Blog – Categories: Disputation. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/blog/categories/disputation
Hollings, D. (2023, May 11). Catering to DEIA. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/catering-to-deia
Hollings, D. (2022, October 31). Demandingness. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/demandingness
Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer
Hollings, D. (2023, September 8). Fair use. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/fair-use
Hollings, D. (2023, February 9). Feminism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feminism
Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better
Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/
Hollings, D. (2023, May 18). Irrational beliefs. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/irrational-beliefs
Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching
Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth
Hollings, D. (2023, September 15). Psychotherapeutic modalities. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapeutic-modalities
Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt
Hollings, D. (2022, November 1). Self-disturbance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/self-disturbance
Hollings, D. (2022, October 7). Should, must, and ought. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/should-must-and-ought
Hollings, D. (2022, November 9). The ABC model. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/the-abc-model
Hollings, D. (2022, July 11). Unconditional acceptance. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/unconditional-acceptance
Shurkin_son. (n.d.). People, teamwork, cooperation and competition concept. side view of young female and bearded male colleagues both […] [Image]. Freepik. Retrieved from https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/people-teamwork-cooperation-competition-concept-side-view-young-female-bearded-male-colleagues-both-wearing-glasses-arm-wrestling-staring-each-other-with-confident-determined-looks_11194574.htm#fromView=search&page=1&position=22&uuid=a18bbe24-a6a9-4f46-81ec-ec67aba9ba9d
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. (2023, November 20). Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors rules. Retrieved from https://www.bhec.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023-November-LPC.pdf
Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council. (2023, November 20). Texas Behavioral Health Executive Council and Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners rules. Retrieved from https://www.bhec.texas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/2023-November-SW.pdf
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