{"id":19061,"date":"2021-04-28T17:20:03","date_gmt":"2021-04-28T22:20:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thepapergown.zocdoc.com\/?p=19061"},"modified":"2023-03-06T12:11:27","modified_gmt":"2023-03-06T17:11:27","slug":"is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/","title":{"rendered":"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Talk therapy is an important part of mental healthcare. But what happens when you\u2019re ready to move on from a therapist?\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if you feel confident that parting ways is the right choice, breaking up is hard to do in any relationship. If the thought of telling your therapist you\u2019re leaving makes you uncomfortable, you might be tempted to ghost them. Is that … OK?<\/span><\/p>\n

Leaving without explanation is generally frowned upon in dating because there are feelings involved. For similar reasons, ghosting usually isn\u2019t recommended in therapy either.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe reason therapy works is because there are real feelings on both sides,\u201d says<\/span> Dr. Anna Lembke<\/span><\/a>, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University who specializes in provider-patient relationships. \u201cIt\u2019s a unique relationship. The therapist comes to the table with their needs met to serve the needs of the patient. The patient gives some monetary compensation, but it\u2019s a real relationship.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

But there are circumstances where it\u2019s acceptable to ghost your therapist. Here\u2019s a guide to the unspoken rules of leaving a therapist \u2014 when you can ghost, when you really shouldn\u2019t and how to break up the right way.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

When Can You Ghost Your Therapist?<\/span><\/h3>\n

You think the therapist is breaching your privacy. <\/b>Your therapist should not be sharing information about your sessions with other people without your consent.<\/span><\/p>\n

If another client of your therapist tells you they shared personal information about you, that\u2019s a problem. But it\u2019s not always that easy to know if your therapist has violated your privacy. Dr. Dana Harron, a clinical psychologist based in Washington, DC, says that if they talk about other clients with you, it might be a sign they aren\u2019t taking your privacy seriously either.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou may not get much out of healing out of [confronting the therapist],\u201d says Harron, who works with<\/span> Monarch Wellness & Psychotherapy<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In that case, you could report the therapist to a state licensing board. <\/span>\u201cYou can file an anonymous complaint or call the licensing board and tell them,\u201d says clinical psychologist Dr. Veroshk Williams<\/a>. Just Google your state’s board.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The therapist crosses relationship boundaries. <\/b>Your therapist may know more about you than your family does. But the therapeutic relationship should never leave the room. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have any ties other than achieving a goal [in therapy],\u201d says Williams. She adds that if the relationship develops outside of therapy, expectations change, and that can get in the way of a patient’s progress.<\/p>\n

If a therapist asks you on a date, sexually harasses you or wants to hang out as friends, they’re crossing a line.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s all just really not okay,” says Harron, “and it\u2019s completely fine to ghost a therapist who has gone in that direction.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Additionally, Williams suggests reporting a therapist who commits any of those behaviors to your state’s licensing board, as they’re all ethical violations.<\/p>\n

You\u2019ve seen them for less than a month<\/b>. If you only did an initial consultation, or attended up to one month\u2019s worth of sessions and didn\u2019t feel like you jibed with the therapist, it\u2019s okay to leave without talking through your decision.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s not odd to ghost in this situation,\u201d says <\/span>Laura Pearl<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>a licensed clinical social worker with a New York-based therapy practice. \u201cThis is often how long it takes to determine whether there is a good fit.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s a caveat, though:<\/em> Cancel any follow-up appointments so that someone else can take your slot and you aren’t charged a no-show fee. An email to the therapist that you won\u2019t be coming or scheduling any follow-ups is sufficient.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Shouldn\u2019t You Ghost Your Therapist?<\/h3>\n

You\u2019re afraid of confrontation. <\/b>Fear of confrontation is often a reason people want to ghost their therapists, but experts suggest giving yourself permission to address conflict head-on.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you ghost, you are sending yourself the message that you don\u2019t have the right to say, \u2018This isn\u2019t working for me,\u2019\u201d Harron says. \u201cPart of navigating therapy is learning to navigate relationships. Part of navigating relationships is navigating conflict.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Even if the conversation ends up being difficult, you may walk away feeling better than you would have if you never addressed the situation at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf your therapist apologizes for a mistake [like constantly looking at their watch], that can be very healing,\u201d Harron says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sometimes, fear of conflict stems from a desire to avoid hurting someone. It\u2019s a common reason people ghost in dating, and the same is true in therapy.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s hard to say to someone directly that we want to leave them,\u201d says Lembke.<\/span><\/p>\n

Therapists do have feelings, but they also specialize in helping you manage and express yours. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cYou should be able to discuss everything with your therapist,\u201d Harron says. \u201cIt\u2019s their job to handle emotional conversations.\u201d<\/p>\n

You want to pause. <\/b>Perhaps you just want to take a break. Experts say it\u2019s still a good idea to discuss it with your therapist.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe therapist can help you figure out the best next steps for you,\u201d says Williams.<\/span><\/p>\n

Should you later decide to sever ties permanently, experts say you don\u2019t necessarily need to come in for one final session to let the therapist know. But it\u2019s best to tell them you\u2019re not returning.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf someone isn\u2019t going to come back, I can move someone else off the waitlist, and they can get treatment,\u201d Harron says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You\u2019ve reached your goals. <\/b>Many people don\u2019t start therapy to stay in it forever. If you feel like you\u2019re in a better place, you might make the call to end the therapeutic relationship. But experts say you should still tell your therapist. This final session can be gratifying for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe would talk about all the progress you made,\u201d Pearl says. \u201cYou accomplished a lot.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

How should you go about breaking up with a therapist?<\/span><\/h3>\n

Don\u2019t put it off.<\/b> Harron says it\u2019s tempting to save the breakup conversation for the end of the session, so you don\u2019t have to talk much about it. She advises against that approach.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTalk about it at the beginning of the session so you can talk about what went on and why this isn\u2019t a good fit,\u201d she says.<\/span><\/p>\n

Set the tone. <\/b>If you\u2019re feeling anxious, you may want to let your therapist know.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStart with, \u2018It\u2019s difficult for me to tell you this,\u2019\u201d Harron suggests. \u201cThat might help everyone have gentleness around the topic.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Be completely honest. <\/b>Honesty, even if it involves constructive criticism, is the best policy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cTry \u2018I\u2019 statements,\u201d Harron suggests. \u201cSay how you feel or how you think. \u2018I think I need a different therapist because\u2026\u2019, or \u2018I would like to take a break because\u2026\u2019 The more you can share, the better.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Come at it from an altruistic mindset. <\/b>Though it may feel like you\u2019re about to crush your therapist, remember that some constructive criticism might benefit them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt is valuable feedback for them that might help a future client whereas if that person never gets that real-time feedback, then they do not have the opportunity to learn, grow and change,\u201d Lembke says.<\/p>\n

You\u2019re also doing yourself a favor.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMaybe it means something to you to tell them that,\u201d Lembke says. \u201cJust to have said, \u2018I deserve your full attention,\u2019 can be powerful.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Moving forward<\/span><\/h3>\n

Breaking up with your mental health provider can have long-lasting benefits outside of therapy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe first and most important lesson is that you can do hard things,\u201d Harron says.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

You can also learn that facing conflict head-on doesn\u2019t have to be a negative experience, even if it\u2019s a hard one.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cNot everyone we express disappointment in is going to start yelling at us,\u201d Lembke says. \u201cEvery functional relationship that I\u2019ve seen largely rests on the ability of the individuals to talk through their differences and come to a consensus.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Ready to book a doctor’s appointment? Visit Zocdoc.<\/span><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here’s how to break up with a therapist. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64,"featured_media":19062,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[227],"tags":[41,71],"class_list":["post-19061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-guides","tag-mental-health","tag-therapy","reviewer-dr-nassim-assefi"],"yoast_head":"\nIs It OK to Ghost a Therapist? - Guides<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here's how to break up with a therapist.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist? - Guides\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here's how to break up with a therapist.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Paper Gown\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-04-28T22:20:03+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-03-06T17:11:27+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"968\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"452\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Beth Ann Mayer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Beth Ann Mayer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Beth Ann Mayer\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3742be248c23868e21def918e8f3d599\"},\"headline\":\"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist?\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-28T22:20:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-06T17:11:27+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\"},\"wordCount\":1354,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png\",\"keywords\":[\"Mental Health\",\"Therapy\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Guides\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\",\"name\":\"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist? - Guides\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-28T22:20:03+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-03-06T17:11:27+00:00\",\"description\":\"Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here's how to break up with a therapist.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png\",\"width\":968,\"height\":452,\"caption\":\"Kelsey Tyler\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Guides\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/category\/guides\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist?\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\",\"name\":\"The Paper Gown\",\"description\":\"Stories for and about patients\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Zocdoc\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png\",\"width\":2059,\"height\":1049,\"caption\":\"Zocdoc\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3742be248c23868e21def918e8f3d599\",\"name\":\"Beth Ann Mayer\",\"description\":\"Beth Ann Mayer is a writer and content strategist living in New York. She is the co-founder of creative agency Lemonseed Creative. Her bylines have appeared on healthline.com and parents.com.\",\"sameAs\":[\"theresa.fisher@zocdoc.com\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/author\/beth-ann-mayer\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist? - Guides","description":"Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here's how to break up with a therapist.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist? - Guides","og_description":"Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here's how to break up with a therapist.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/","og_site_name":"The Paper Gown","article_published_time":"2021-04-28T22:20:03+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-03-06T17:11:27+00:00","og_image":[{"width":968,"height":452,"url":"https:\/\/zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Beth Ann Mayer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Beth Ann Mayer","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/"},"author":{"name":"Beth Ann Mayer","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3742be248c23868e21def918e8f3d599"},"headline":"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist?","datePublished":"2021-04-28T22:20:03+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-06T17:11:27+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/"},"wordCount":1354,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png","keywords":["Mental Health","Therapy"],"articleSection":["Guides"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/","name":"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist? - Guides","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png","datePublished":"2021-04-28T22:20:03+00:00","dateModified":"2023-03-06T17:11:27+00:00","description":"Leaving without explanation is usually discouraged \u2014 but not always. Here's how to break up with a therapist.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Hero-Ghosting.png","width":968,"height":452,"caption":"Kelsey Tyler"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/guides\/is-it-ever-ok-to-ghost-a-therapist\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Guides","item":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/category\/guides\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Is It OK to Ghost a Therapist?"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/","name":"The Paper Gown","description":"Stories for and about patients","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"Zocdoc","url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/thepapergown.wpengine.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/ZD-logo.png","width":2059,"height":1049,"caption":"Zocdoc"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/3742be248c23868e21def918e8f3d599","name":"Beth Ann Mayer","description":"Beth Ann Mayer is a writer and content strategist living in New York. She is the co-founder of creative agency Lemonseed Creative. Her bylines have appeared on healthline.com and parents.com.","sameAs":["theresa.fisher@zocdoc.com"],"url":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/author\/beth-ann-mayer\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/64"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19061"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19061\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.zocdoc.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}