You didn't say how old your daughter was. I think there is a big difference whether she is 13 or whether she is 19 with respect to whether she is able to make her own decisions or whether she needs you to look out for her interests because she is incapable of looking out for them herself. Not only is there an age issue, there is also a maturity issue, however. Sounds like from what you have said she is fairly mature.

Sounds like you have a view of what constitutes your daughter making 'good choices' and you have certain things that she do that is really important to you (like her being on the honour roll and getting good grades). Kids (and adults too) can feel quite a bit of pressure if they think that they need to do this and do that in order to gain the approval (love?) of their parents.

There seem to be some control issues here with this:

> In the beginning I expressed my goals to the therapist, and how I wanted my daughter to get her priorities in order so she could get back on track.

So you wanted the therapist to change your daughter so you would be more approving of your daughter.

The issue is... The therapist should have your daughters interests at heart rather than your interests at heart. That is because she is seeing your daughter and your daughter is her client. There are issues around confidentiality. The point is that if the therapist tells you what your daughter has told her in therapy then your daughter won't have a safe environment to talk about her feelings and her fears and her concerns. That is what therapy is meant to be. I'm sure the therapist would have talked to your daughter about how your daughter thought she could benefit from therapy. And that... Is what they would have been working on.

> The therapist had not consulted with me on progress even though she knows I am always available.

Yeah. That is because the therapists job is to to the best she can for her client (your daughter).

> I expressed to the therapist that goals have been met and I no longer see a need for my daughter to continue in therapy.

Sounds like you view your daughters therapy as being something for you rather than something for your daughter.

> I am concerned about daughter becoming dependent on therapy.

Have you talked to your daughter about what she wants and about your concern that she might become dependent on therapy? Would it be so bad to be dependent on therapy if it is helping her make 'good choices' and stay on the honour roll etc?

> The therapist could not give me a specific reason why she thought my daughter needed to me there, other than saying how she is a safe outlet for my daughter to vent her emotions

And you don't think having a safe outlet to vent your emotions is an important way to cope with stress? Isn't that... What you wanted for her?

> First of all, if this therapist told me in the beginning that it would be up to my daughter as when to end therapy, I would never have started with therapy in the first place.

You didn't start therapy. Your daughter did. Sounds like... You are having trouble with your daughters increased autonomy...

> She gets plenty of nurturing from her two parents at home.

Does she vent her emotions to you? It is typical for teenagers to have frustrations with their parents. Part of them figuring out who they are as individual people. It is typical for teenagers to wonder what they want to do with their life. Is being on the honour roll important to your daughter? That is something that she needs to figure out for herself and you can't MAKE her want for herself what you want for her. This is'nt to say that the therapist replaces your role - not at all. It is to say that a third party who doesn't have a vested interest (e.g., by spending so much time raising her) can be a perfect sounding board for your daughter to be able to talk about stuff. And for your daughter to be able to figure out what is important to her and what it is that she wants in life. Stress reduction indeed.

> While my daughter has developed a relationship of trust with the therapist, I have only developed distrust. I already know it needs to end, but how do I do that without creating damage to my daughter?

Sounds like... You are having trouble letting go. In the sense of allowing your daughter increased autonomy. Often... Parents can feel like their teenagers come to hate them / distrust them. Sometimes that can be about the teenager not feeling heard. I mean... If your daughter told you that she wasn't sure she wanted to be an honours student, that it really wasn't that important to her would you be able to listen to her non-judgementally and let her come to her own decision... Or would you tell her that that was crazy talk and you would jolly well make sure she studies hard?

The latter ... Isn't really supportive, you see.