Michael E. Schaffer, Ph.D. Rhode Island Psychology Lack of Informed Consent Resulting in Harm Cranston Rhode Island
INSIST that he disclose your diagnosis to you and explore whether a different approach is needed. Dr. Schaffer withheld my diagnosis from me for over a year and watched as his incompetent unlicensed trainee provoked and aggravated my condition to the point where I could barely function. After they danced around releasing my records for months, I raised the issue of a HIPAA violation - he finally had his trainee sit down with me (and the version of the DSM published in 1994) to tell me he had concealed the diagnosis because he "wasn't sure how I would receive it." My next psych revealed her suspicions at the VERY FIRST SESSION and suggested that I would benefit most from a different therapeutic approach that SHE, a PSYD, doesn't specialize in. Now Dr. Schaffer wants to shrug his shoulders while I struggle to put my life back together - I'm still in therapy a year later trying to repair the damage. Calling Dr. Schaffer was the single worst mistake I've ever made.