I received outpatient methadone at this office & Western Pacific in North Hollywood, on & off for 8 years. They tell you about a30 day detox or maintenence- ongoing daily dosing. I started back at this Van Nuys office 3 months ago. At no time in 8 years was I ever offered one on one counseling, or told it was mandatory. Until 2 weeks ago. Then my counselor told me 50 minutes a month was expected. The woman who is my counselor is a person who needs counseling herself. . I explained I didnt have time to do that because of volunteer work I do & my physical disabilities, & said Id sign a waiver for no counseling & if something changed Id inform her. I do not connect with this woman at all, & other than telling her how my dose is working I have nothing to talk to her about. She has harassed me 4 times since telling me about "counseling". Ive spoken to numerous patients at the clinic who dont get counseling. If it is so important why wasnt it offered to me for the years Ive been dealing with Western Pacific. Intake day took me 4hrs with 1 person before me because she had me sit in her office while she put my information from the paperwork I filled out in her computer, something no one else has been subjected to, including myself the other times I wasnt dealing with her.
When I asked to change counselors I was told by the manager it would take a long time.No winning at this place. I only came back to do a slow detox (about 6 months) from the methadone. So when the manager told me " we dont want people to pay us money & get methadone" implying I guess that 50 minutes of counseling would make a difference in succeeding of getting off methadone, it made me wonder why I was never told about or offered counseling before 2 weeks ago.? So do I get the approximately $16,000 ive spent at Western Pacific refunded? Any one who knows about "counseling" ( which I did with a psychologist for 12 years) knows the importance of seeing someone you trust & feel comfortable talking to, which I dont with this woman. She told me this morning when I went to dose that she had me on a hold, couldnt dose till i talked to her. Harassment & discrimination due to my physical disabilities, she rather have me use than dose, which shows me she isnt someone I would ever trust with my well being.Also in the 3 months this clinic has had supposed " computer malfunctions" twice, resulting in about 40 minutes of no one dosing. Memorial Day when they were supposed tl be open from 7am to 8am, no one showed up to open the office until 7:35. I got there at 6:50am & waited as long as I could until 7:30, when I had to leave. If we miss a day we still pay for that day, their mistake or not. This office leaves a lot to be desired, especially the "counselor" I got stuck with. read more