I recently emailed my therapist and asked to talk about ending therapy. We talked about it and I sent him an email the next day saying I’d like to continue seeing him. In the email, I mentioned that while we we’re talking I had become aware that I was worried about hurting his feelings. I didn’t say anything in person because I didn’t know how to bring it up. I don’t think he’d want to make the conversation about him and his feelings so I guess that’s part of the reason I didn’t bring it up. Also, as a therapist, I just assume he’d be used to endings, so it felt odd to have that worry while I was talking to him. Anyway, I wrote this in an email to him and he responded by saying “see you next week.” I felt dismissed because he didn’t acknowledge what I’d said about my worry about hurting his feelings by wanting to have a discussion about ending therapy.

I’m wondering if anyone else worries about their therapist’s feelings? What is the right way to handle that? I understand why we’re not supposed to focus on that, but I’m not sure how I’m just supposed to turn that part of myself off.