Northeast Kingdom Human Services Inc
Behavioral Health Clinic
Verified Treatment Services
I went to see a therapist or counselor here named Virgil Kovachich, and I wish I never had. He was unprofessional, disrespectful, and racist. I'm incredibly self-aware, and I've been on a journey of growth and change for 20 years. I live my life with intention and purpose. I'm not perfect and have messed up, but I'm intentional about learning from and mitigating my mistakes. I was explaining to him that I have an issue with feelings of disconnection and isolation that often lead me to seek connection in people, places, or activities that are risky or harmful to me. Virgil wouldn't accept that. He tried to make me wrong, arguing that I couldn't have felt isolated in Milwaukee because, and I quote, "it's a bit bigger than St. Johnsbury", like that has anything to do with being connected. He likened my struggles with aphasia and speech after a stroke to his living in another country and told me I needed to shut up and listen to him. I thought he was supposed to be the one listening. He wouldn't allow me to be the one who had ownership of my story. At least once in each of the 3 visits I had, he interrupted me while I spoke and told me that part of my story wasn't real or relevant. When I advocated for myself, he threatened me with unfavorable recommendations and actually followed through after I finally walked out on him. Virgil never tried to hear MY story. Instead, reacted with condescension and snide remarks when what I said didn't match the prejudiced narrative he made up. After I walked out, he regurgitated the tired, overused trope that I was aggressive and threatening because everyone will believe that of a black man. When I called to speak to someone else, I was connected to Nick D. (Dobb or Dubb) and was hung up on after telling my story. Virgil then followed through with his threat to use the tiny power he had to write unfavorable recommendations about me. I've never had an experience like this with a therapist before. I've had therapists I didn't like, but I just went to a different one. This one dehumanized me, disrespected me, and undervalued me, then retaliated against me with punitive recommendations. He is the epitome of unprofessional and has no right to be in the position he is in. I encourage you to advocate for yourself when he tries to gaslight you into believing the life you lived, struggles you've overcome, and progress you've made aren't real. I will be filing a formal complaint and doing all I can to get him removed from his position.