Yet Another Refugee from Livejournal

I consider myself to be a victim of something I shall call "psychiatric extortion".

Side remark: I guess that opening line, read without context, would qualify as the exact opposite of clickbait.

Rather than trying to define the term, I shall simply describe the example.

Background: I am already seeing a psychotherapist.  My primary care physician referred me to a psychiatrist for consultation about medication.

A couple of weeks later, I received a phone call from someone representing a psychiatric practice.  (A group practice, I presume.)  The important part of the interaction was roughly as follows:

She: We have a therapy requirement.  You have to have ten sessions with one of our therapists.

I: I'm already seeing a therapist.  Perhaps y'all can coordinate with him, instead?

She: No.  It has to be one of ours.  (She didn't actually say "It's our policy," but she might as well have done.)

I: made some semi-articulate noises about not being happy about such a requirement.

She: Okay, we'll let your primary care practice know that they'll need to refer you to someone else.

End of conversation.  I would welcome any questions or comments you may have.