Thanks everyone that answered. I appreciated the diversity in answers and your willingness to share.

For myself:

How many significant therapists have you had?

I consider that I have had two significant therapists though I did a group for about 4-5 years so that person should be significant. Being part of a group I think that watered down her significance though I appreciated her.

***How long did you spend with each?

My first pdoc I saw for about 8 years and really I went in for an overhaul I was so deep into having a bad time. I was not talking to hardly anyone except as needed. So I credit him for accepting me and for helping me talk and come back to the functional world for the most part. He was warm and fuzzy and was one to try to give patients what they need/want in many ways. We maintained a friendship after he retired and went to lunch or dinner 3-4 times a year afterwards and til his health went really south. I found him a week before he died...in a nursing home and talked to him about wishing to come visit him there. He said he would like that when he felt stronger.... and then I think he found out he was going to die. I think he tried to have me contact him again to tell me but things were mixed up at the end. Just my thoughts... but I mourned deeply and still miss him.

My second (and current) pdoc came in my life via my first. I think he was a student of the first in some way. They knew each other via student/professor connection and I started seeing him prior to leaving my first for medications .. .finally. After I left the first we took about a 4 month haitus before we started work. I knew my work was far from done. We have been together almost 15 years I think which really seems to have flown by. For alot of this time it was monthly or two times a month or even quarterly. I think we are going to try to transition back to weekly and are working hard these days on core issues.

Overlapping these therapists I was in a ladies group for 4-5 years that finally folded when the therapist stopped the group...for her personal reasons.

***Care to share why you left? Some already have shared.

Ist pdoc retired. Group ended. 2nd pdoc still percolating.

***How much time did you spend in between? 4 months about

When you left one...did you know there would be another? yes

***Anything else you would care to share here?

I hope to not be in forever but will probably be in periodically. I would like to be strong enough eventually to just be at peace with who I am and where I am but ...now still have places I wish to go and things to be...and need help in getting there.

Thanks all for your responses