Seven years ago today, I first met with Alan L. Schwartz PsyD, the “embedded” psychologist at ChristianaCare’s Family Medicine Center at Foulk Road, having been referred to him by an intern at that facility. Schwartz (I refuse to use the honorific “Dr.” because he was no physician, but an abuser) quickly recognized that my condition was beyond his scope. He promised to locate and refer me to more qualified practitioners.

But, it seemed he thought I was interesting and maybe he could fix me. Instead of taking appropriate action, he kept me coming back to him for a weekly 30-minute “therapeutic hour” at random times.

Schwartz’s ignorance and arrogance catapulted me further into a “healthcare” system that repeatedly caused me deep and lasting harm.

This is the letter I sent him the following January:

Subject: Re: Your message of 20 NOV 2018

Thank you for sending me your referrals for trauma-oriented therapists so soon after Dr. Frymoyer spoke with you. It is great to finally have a treatment plan with a counselor suited to the severe abuse and neglect I endured. I am deeply disappointed that you did not make such recommendations back in June of last year. On my first visit to your office on 31 MAY you said you would refer me to a trauma-oriented therapist. However, this did not happen during the course of my three subsequent 30-minute sessions with you. As you surely recall, I had to cancel the next meeting. This was because I was at Rockford Center for Behavioral Health after Dr. Kucuk told me to go to the ER due to the intense suicidal ideations I experienced as a Black Box adverse effect of Lexapro.

Though I had twice tried to inform you about the suicidal ideations–at visits on 12 JUN and 18 JUN–this did not seem to concern you. I had told you that I had been cutting myself more. I talked a lot about self-harm. I had also told you that I was feeling left out of my ship community, was feeling very much alone, tired a lot, lethargic, had increased sleep disturbances and increase in suicidal ideations. Your response was a nonplussed, “okay.” I also told you that I asked my financial advisor how my IRA would be distributed if I passed away, to which you replied, “Isn’t that a normal question?” and that “I feel I’m chronically on the edge, just one emotional straw away from overload.” Still, you showed concern only for telling me how I should think different thoughts.

Thanks to your ignorance and arrogance, I spent a night warehoused in the Psych ER and 8 harrowing days warehoused at Rockford [owned by UHS, notorious for patient abuse and neglect]. I was held against my wishes, loaded with meds, retraumatized, and received no individual counseling. That incarceration was unnecessary and could have been easily avoided. If you had paid due attention when I told you about my SI the first time, or even the second time I could have spent those 8 days with my ship and shipmate community, sailing, enjoying positive social interactions, and *not* missing an important medical appointment that could not be rescheduled until several weeks later.

This sore neglect has repeatedly come up for me, so I need to tell you that I am dismayed by your lack of concern for my condition and therapeutic needs, what I said about the SI, and for my welfare while you were away. I don’t know if it meets the legal definition of negligence, but it is certainly appalling and unprofessional. 

I urge you to consider this information in future, and better avoid condemning another patient to a similarly unnecessary and harmful experience. 

Sincerely,

Shay Seaborne