Well, first you have to keep in mind that when people have a positive experience with many different things in their lives -- whether it's with their car, a plumber, or a therapist -- they are content and happy and don't have a lot to write about. Sure, some people do write about the positive, but it tends to be a small minority of people who will take the time to put down into words their thoughts.

So the sample you're seeing in an online community such as this is what I'd call a "biased sample." People who have had a negative experience are far more likely to write about it or complain than those who've had a positive experience. Well, that's my opinion anyway...

Now, in terms of vacations and such, most therapists take a normal amount of vacations -- 2 to 4 weeks a year. In Europe, that number may be even higher because they don't work themselves quite as much as we do here in the States. Yes, it's hard when our therapist takes a vacation, but they're only human and need the break from work too.

Ethical therapists provide coverage, usually emergency in nature, but sometimes an actual appointment with another therapist, while they're gone.

Ethical therapists generally don't "dump" their clients, but they do recognize when they've reached the limits of their own expertise and experience and ability to help another person. Not every therapist can help every person who comes into his or her office. That's just not possible. Good therapists let the client know that up-front -- that if they don't feel like they can work together, they will provide a referral to another professional.

Therapists may also choose to end or terminate therapy before the client feels he or she is 'ready.' I can't speak to these instances, since I'm sure there are a lot of issues we're not aware of that might be a part of the reason this is happening. But a good therapist will let a client know this as soon as possible, and provide a few weeks' worth of transition time and help in finding the client a new therapist to work with.

The working class therapists I know typically spend more than 50 hours a week working, not just in session, but processing paperwork, filing claims, trying to get paid, etc. etc. In fact, I imagine one of the main reasons therapists leave the profession is due to professional burn-out from working too hard (and in some cases, caring too much, if such a thing is possible).

DocJohn