Patients showing appreciation to their therapists is not uncommon, said Katherine Lee, MA/EdS, a primary therapist with Princeton House Behavioral Health’s outpatient center in Moorestown, N.J. It usually takes the form of small, heartfelt gestures: such as greeting cards, or recognition through Penn Medicine Princeton Health’s Special Thanks and Recognition (STAR) program. But others are unique… and grander, for example, when one of Lee’s patients flew a flag in her honor aboard a U.S. Air Force plane. The patient, a military veteran, arranged the tribute this past September 11.
“It’s a huge honor,” said Lee, who provides treatment for patients in the Adult Program at Moorestown. “This is a sacred tradition reserved for occasions like funerals, memorials, and special commemorations. I was very grateful.”
The flag was later delivered to Lee, along with a certificate noting that it was flown in “Honor of Katherine Lee and her dedication to all the lives of people she touches every day.”
These days, due to precautions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, outpatient programs are held virtually via videoconference. This was the case for Lee's patient. “I thought it would be difficult to create a strong bond between patient and therapist during virtual treatment,” she said. “But in this case, it worked.”