Ending therapy?

So I've been seeing my T for 4 years and the past few months I have been doing really well. I've been talking a lot more in therapy and I'm just at a point where I feel like we talk about the same things over and over and there really isn't much else to talk about. So I'm thinking it might be time to end therapy, but I don't want it to be like a sudden thing, I want to plan it, but I'm not sure how to bring it up with my T?

This is so weird for me because in the past when I had seen therapists, I never properly finished with them, I usually ended therapy abruptly when I moved or had another excuse. But with the T I've been seeing for 4 years now, I feel different, partly because I've seen her much longer than I'd seen other Ts in the past, and also partly because I'm not sure how to properly end therapy.

I feel you on this. I have been in a state of suspended animation in therapy for a long while now and spending massive coin ....and getting nowhere. HOWEVER, I have no recent model of ending therapy by just ending it, rather than blowing it off, giving it the skip, skipping town, skipping appointments, skipping out...

Well, you get the point...nothing earth-shattering here but just to say....I hear you.

Blessings,

MCL

There is a blogger on psychology today, Ryan Howe, who did a multiple part blog on termination. I can't stand him, but a good number of people like his blog. If I can get the link I will post it.

I would see what T. thinks. Why don't you say that you want to have a recap session...talk about all you've learned, what T. thinks you've learned...talk about where T. thinks you need to go from here... This way you get to feel out your T. to see if she thinks you are ready to end therapy... without saying the "i want to stop therapy" words without knowing for sure that you are ready.

Here's a link to the first of four articles on terminating in therapy:
http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/...i-what-why-how

Thanks for the link I'll definitely check it out.

Also, thanks for all the responses. I know that I need to bring it up with T soon because it's been on my mind a lot lately and I think it will just be good for me to tell her so I won't keep worrying about what she's going to say or think.

Ugh, he never answers the question about how to terminate in a positive way. Did I miss something in that blog article?

You don't like him, really? I think he's very funny, though I am turned off by the whole religion in therapy thing.

Howes on termination, Part I: http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/in-therapy/200809/terminating-therapy-part-i-what-why-how

ETA: oh, someone already beat me to it, but YES, he does get to positive stuff on termination in one of the parts.

I think it would be fair to say that I never ended anything voluntarily unless I really couldn't stand it.

Which would be a good thing to raise with my T.

Should I terminate with her simply to learn that a good ending is possible?

(((Dani)))) Can you talk with your T about cutting down the number of sessions perhaps? That way you still have the connection, but it will give you some space as well.