Thanks everyone! I had the *most* amazing counselor in high school. Life changer, catalyst, angel. But... I only got to see her a few months before the school year ended, then she changed jobs. I was 14. I continued in therapy but the next three therapists didn't work out. One I saw briefly because had to switch jobs shortly after I started. The next I saw a few months: an intern and not good with boundaries, who broke confidentiality, that was a terrible terrible mess. Finally, I did see one for about two years, but it wasn't productive, she was not a good fit for me at all. Detached, distracted, Freudian, not my style, but I was too young to figure it all out then. So, I stopped therapy at 18. The thing is, it made a huge difference in my life, that and the support groups. I do feel it positioned me to be successful and open in ways I would not have been otherwise.

I was hesitant to get back into therapy, but I was having trouble parenting as well as I wanted, so I did, and have been rewarded for doing so, lots of progress and I really love my therapist. We've been together 10 months now, very intensely. Today, after I posted this, she just actually sent me the most affirming, caring, reassuring email that she would always be there for me, therapist for life, just some amazing stuff, consistent with how she's been the last months too, but in a way that was hard for me to trust and hold onto. I'm so glad to have her, but before that email I was just thinking about how used I am to losing the good people in my life, like teachers and counselors, about how they've always been short term at best.

I just like to think, well... maybe I could rely on her more than a few months. It's been 10 now, which is good. I just can't imagine really having her around for a long time, like even a couple years or more, so... I really appreciate y'all proving to me it has happened, lol.

I hope you'll keep them coming, I really like seeing these success stories since so often we focus on ruptures and negatives.