Email from doctor - does this sound a bit creepy or am I reading too much into it?

[HoneymoonGirl]

He’s a psychiatrist working entirely in private practice. He says:

‘Dear HMG,

‘I hope you are having a good summer. I have been thinking about you and wondering how you are? Shall we get your next appointment booked in?

’Best wishes,

<First Name>’

He’s been thinking about me? Really?!

I don't think there anything in it other than him checking you are ok and reminding you to book an appointment. You are an income stream after all

Yeah, that would be strange indeed. Skipped the first line so thought it was the GP. That it's a psychiatrist hardly makes things better. "I've been thinking of you" sous-entend a familiar relationship and not a professionnal one. Those boundaries are even more important to maintain when in psychiatry where boundaries can be perceived as blurred from the patient's perspective because you're sharing your inner thoughts, doubts, anxieties.

Definitely change psychiatrist @HoneymoonGirl !

Creepily worded yes.
No way should a professional write 'I've been thinking about you'.

He’s sent that message to everyone in his books to try and get some more business.

I would have thought the email would be fine/better without that in.

Basic marketing drumming up business

but you’ve only engaged with the comments agreeing with you so doubt anyone with persuade you different

And perhaps it isn't suitable for everyone?

“I hope you are well, I would be grateful if you could arrange an appointment to discuss your progress”.

Absolutely fine message. No 'I've been thinking about you' needed.
In OP's situation:

I hope you have had a good summer and have been keeping well.
If you would like to continue with counselling/whatever it is, please call my secretary to make an appointment.

I don’t think the email is weird. I paused my therapist at the beginning of summer due to holidays etc so he probably just wants to know how you’ve been and if you want more sessions. And maybe trying to be more personal by saying ‘he’s been thinking of you’ but I don’t think that’s in a weird way, unless he’s being displaying weirdness in your sessions but definitely not just from that email

So you think he fancies you and this is his way of chatting you up?
He wants to earn a living. That is all.

He is a medical professional
You aren't I assume.
He's simply giving her a reminder she may want to book an appt.

You’re being mega weird op

Yes but you’d think a psychiatrist would be educated enough to draft a letter that couldn’t be misinterpreted

It is a business, I very much doubt that this message is personal to you, it will have been sent to multiple clients/patients and not idividually typed for you.

Impossible to know. He could be thinking of the medications he discussed you starting or the tests he needs to ensure you get from your own GP, or how you're coping with a dose of something he has perhaps planned to augment with something else. Or maybe you said something last time that requires follow up. He can't just write prescriptions and not check in with you. He will need a robust, up to date file. Private psychiatrists do need to think about their patients because they're often not connected to the community support that a patient would have in a psychiatric setting within the NHS. Or it could be just him drumming up business in a rather creepy way.

Maybe read the post.

It sounds a little over familiar, but maybe that's his style?

I wouldn't read to much into it, but if it's given you the 'ick' then find another psychiatrist.

My nhs consultant starts his correspondence to me with 'what a pleasure it was seeing you last week'. My husband's guy says the same thing.

It’s not a letter though is it, it’s a brief email to schedule a repeat appointment that was probably sent by his secretary. I doubt hours were put into analysing every word.

She didn't say anywhere that he was a therapist or that she was in therapy, and this email would have nothing to do with that anyway. It's a generic business email sent to everyone who hasn't yet booked their next appointment by the secretary or business manager, that's all. Probably written by Chat GPT.

Are you seeing a psychiatrist for chronic overthinking or paranoia?

Your psychiatrist has reviewed his patients" files (possibly a private practice strategy). In your case he feels the time past means you might benefit for an appointment, and you think it's because he fancies you?

Yes, you might need another appointment.

He's after your money not your body.

It will be a standard email he sends out.

You are all reading too much into this (people who think it’s inappropriate).

Probably got somebody else to do it, rather than doing a mail merge from the patient database themselves. 'Send all the patients who haven't booked in the last month an email to get them back in. Try and make it sound friendly, I don't want them complaining that I'm just after their money'.

This