[Daisymay]

Hi, I'm seriously thinking of ending sessions with my therapist. I've been seeing her for nearly two years and recently have begun feeling ready to go. I've discussed this with her and she is happy for us to work towards ending. However, I am a little bit worried that I will make this decision, leave and then feel unable to cope - inspite of knowing I can use all sorts of new techniques to cope now and having made a lot of good changes in my life. My therapist says I can always go back to her if I need to. But I wonder if, once I'm without her, I'll feel a bit as though I've been left in the deep end without a life-ring! I want to go and want to try this, but as I have these worries does that mean I'm not really ready? What do you think?

[WePow]

My suggestion (what I plan to do) is to start spacing it out further and further. For example, if you are at 1x week, drop down to 1x every two weeks. Then go to 1x a month. You should be able to get in to see your T if you have any emergancies come up. That is what my T will do for me.

And congrats on wanting to claim your healing and try to work on this stage! It is a big one!

Whenever I have a client that has maintained very well and am looking towards termination, I move from 1x a week to 2x a month. I don't usually keep client's 1x monthly scheduled because it doesn't feel therapeutic to me. I have an open door policy. If you need to come back, I'll fit you in... Ask T about plan for approaching termination and what happens if you need booster sessions.

a long time ago t and i had this exact conversation. and he was able to tell me that instead of termination (he must know me too well) i can just take a break and then come back if i feel like it... at first it felt like rejection, and it hurt my feelings...

now i understand it. i do good for awhile then the ugly beast of depression will rear its ugly head and back to t i go... i have gone as long as a couple of years and been okay....

[Indie'sOK]

I personally don't like the term "termination"...it sounds too finite, like once you end there is no going back. Like WePow, I plan to space out sessions once I feel ready to end therapy. I guess that's what I'm doing now, though it was not my decision. Scheduling T appointments became more difficult once she found a new second job that doesn't allow her to work at the Service on weekdays..what began as weekly sessions now is once or twice-monthly But just knowing that the end doesn't necessarily have to happen soon is comforting. I really don't believe in abrupt endings...slowly spacing out sessions as new growth is achieved sounds much easier.

[Daisymay]

Thank you.
I'm interested in the idea some of you mention of spacing out sessions. I think that would have been a very good idea and perhaps we should have been doing that before now. She never mentioned it though. I think I will ask her about it next time. I have had long gaps when she's been on holiday (she seems to have lots of holidays!). I've been fine through those but have looked forward to seeing her again.

[WePow]

I think the best advice is what my T tells me "Do what feels right for you."

[sugahorse1]

arg - don't even want to broach this topic... T started it with me today, asking if I was ready to space things out.
Scary thought
But yes, I should be proud I've come so far
And I am scared of depression rearing its head again