Quote:
Originally Posted by Anne2.0
If you are currently in therapy, do you know how much longer you plan to or will be therapy? Do you have a deadline in mine, or an event that will determine it, or will you wait until you have reached your goals or progressed to a particular point?
My answer: I'm thinking about this in several contexts, including having reduced sessions to every other week in the past year and no longer being terrified about my T retiring before I'm done or where i want to be. I used to not be able to consider the possibility of terminating therapy without freaking out.
On the other hand, my work is stressful and high stakes for the trauma victims I work with, and therapy is self care as it is the only place where I can talk about my work without worrying about exposing my friends to traumatic material. It is helpful for me to have a regular place where I can talk about how my work affects me.
I'm also at a transition point in my work, as I will soon end a half-time job that I have enjoyed but has some institutional hassles that make me kind of nuts. I am working on a creative project and continuing the self employment I have done for many years. This will reduce my stress as well as open up some time so I won't have to work as many hours each week. I am curious whether reducing my stress will also reduce my need for therapy. Maybe I can reduce to 1/month.
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For me, I don’t have a deadline but I know my t is not getting any younger and won’t be around forever. I honestly thought I wouldn’t still be going 6 years later but here I am and I am not shaming myself around that. When the time comes I can prepare myself emotionally but it’s not anywhere near yet. As I thought about finishing therapy I felt a deep sadness and I know I am not ready for that loss yet.
As for reducing stress reducing therapy, sounds like it could work and I worry about what supports you will have as you transition into these new journeys. They sound very exciting and will free up some extra time for you. Extra time to me means extra time to think which means lots of emotional stress and turmoil. Not saying this will be your experience but something is coming to me like the calm before the storm, maybe it’s my anxiety and not yours.
It sounds as though your therapy has been a very safe place for you to bring your struggles about your work and the work you do with trauma victims. This is extremely hard and weary Work. I wonder do your have food support other than therapy around that, a supervisor, group supervision or anything thing that hold and supports you.
I also think you have given this a lot of thought and are fully capable of looking after yourself. I wonder could you try the monthly session for a number of months to see how it goes and does your t offer support in between sessions.