I was always just open to letting it take as long as it took. I knew with the severity of issues I was dealing with, it was quite likely to take a good while. My last therapy stint lasted about a decade -- but I can honestly say I'm done now whereas after my shorter, earlier, therapy ventures, I knew I was not finished, just temporarily managing, and I realized I would have to return to complete the work. I wanted to do more than just manage.

My last therapist (the one I worked with for 10 years), always said that the goal was that I would not need therapy forever. He said it rather tongue-in-cheek -- he wasn't rushing me out -- but he also was seriously emphasizing that his goal for me was to be able to function without him. It took 10 years, but I did finally get there. There were complicating issues along the way that probably made it longer than it would have been otherwise, but whatever the case, I do feel like I finally "graduated" from therapy.

I knew when it was time to finally stop. I simply realized I didn't need the therapist to get me through anymore; I was doing for myself those things he had formerly done for me. In other words, I had internalized those insights and skills we had worked on in session for so long, and I no longer needed him to remind me how to do those things -- I do them pretty automatically now. And when I don't do them automatically, I know how to get myself on track without having to ask him to get them there.