I know here it's two years before a therapist can contact you after terminating. Although, in saying that I emailed my t1 a few months ago and she emailed back and it was only a year later. To be honest I think they make up their own rules as they go along

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I wish I could stay in touch with my T but I know that's not possible. Perhaps this no contact rule is for the therapist benefit as they may not want to be in touch with some clients & this is just an easy get out clause.

Hi Rainbow, several months past I contacted personnel at the APA for another matter, and I put this question to them, because it so often comes up on this particular forum. There use to be a two year wait for Friendships. "At present we are not aware of any state in the USA that still has a two year wait in their behavioral ethics codes for platonic friendships." This goes for all professionals licensed in mental health. The states get their ethics codes from the the professional associations, and so do many other countries. In fact, many therapist think this two year wait still exist in their state. I would like to see people look it up and hopefully post what they learn to your thread. Both my individual and group Therapist said this two years and five months ago, respectively. Many therapist are just not aware that the code has changed.

It is an individual therapist's choice regarding platonic friendship/contact with former clients. Many that work for agencies, public or private practice groups, set additional rules of conduct. That maybe what some clients are running up against.

The no sex contact is a two years ban from the termination of therapy, and a licensing issue if it is violated, UNLESS a particular state has strengthened their law regarding this matter. Less than a handful of state ( < 2 ? ) make sex a criminal issue. I don't know how the two year rule applies regarding sex. My vote is a lifetime ban on sex with clients, IMO.

As for the meet and greet, that is taught in schools, training, etc. Unfortunately, I think it just helps continue the shame of getting help when we need it, IMO only. This was a thread on the boards early on in my therapy, and I told my therapist that I would be highly offended if she saw me and ignored me. She said she would never do that. I saw her quite a few times in public and she came over to me and visa versa. I even introduced her to my friends. She has a good memory as to what client wants what. Could she make a mistake if she has to remember what client wants what. Of course! Real life is what she teaches her clients to deal with.

Take care Rainbow 8,

GTGT

I email mine twice a year and let him know how I'm doing. He always responds briefly and supportively and he seems to appreciate hearing from me.

I've been out of therapy since December 2008 and I'm grateful we can remain in contact this way.

I had updated one of my earlier t's for a few years after termination (saw her through school and was unable to keep seeing her after graduation). I don't think she ever responded with more than thanking me for the update and she was glad I was doing well (only ever updated her on the good stuff). She was also the only student t that remained at the organization after her internship. One t terminated me because I was too much, so I never kept in touch nor did I have any desire to keep in touch. It was only later that I realized how much her strong views on how I should receive treatment actually negatively impacted all of it. The t i left because of a cross-country move I keep in touch with still and may be going back to see her later this year as we are moving back to the area... I think it all depends on the situation and the nature of the relationship after termination. You had said you were thinking along the therapeutic lines. From a business standpoint, I could see how sporadic contact for help may necessitate getting paid at some point... that part is left to the therapist and/or clinic from which they practice. The t I see now I doubt I'd keep in contact with except maybe to update on how the move went and such, but we have not talked about that. I'd love to keep in contact with our couples therapist add friends, but I doubt she wants that...