Termination Without Notice

For those of you who have quit therapy without discussing it with your T first, what was the outcome, and do you regret it?

I don't know what you mean by what was the outcome - I have quit without notice. The outcome was I did not go back until 10 or so years later which is now. I am happy with how I quit and wish I had done it sooner.

My T left me a voicemail message and said she was terminating me. I call it abandonment. It really hurt. Didn't know it was coming. But found a new T soon after so that helped.

That is terrible. I'm sorry

I stopped going to therapy after going once to twice a week a month and a half last year...I got freaked out when my T told me that we had only scratched the surface with me and that I can talk but I haven't gone deep. I isolated myself from the world after that for over a year..felt like a complete failure. I started going back to therapy, with the same T as last year, at the end of july of this year. I emailed her telling her I was really ready for therapy this time and wanted to come back and see her, that's if she would accept me back. Scariest email ever! She emailed me back either the next day or day after and said she would definitely take me back. She was so happy to see me again the first time back in her office she grabbed me and gave me the biggest hug. It was relieving.

About 2 Years Ago my Group Therapist called me over the phone to tell me that she was immediately ending it due to my ongoing issues with the other person in the group.

What?!? That is the scariest thing to think about happening. I can't believe a T did that to you. Did you call back for an explanation/closure? That's like when someone breaks up with you over a text instead of face to face...it's just totally disrespectful, rude, childish, and immature on their part. Unless a T is for some reason scared for their safety they should never do that to a patient without talking with them face to face. I'm sorry that was done to you.

I quit a woman therapist I was seeing without discussing it with her. I felt fine about it and had no regrets. I saw my first therapist again after my child was born, and quit without discussing it with him. I decided later that I wished I had talked to him and sent him a letter. We talked about it quite some time later.

I did call her back. She said I was too needy and she didn't have the time for me. No closure. Never saw her again. Wanted to report her to the board, but didn't. It's been 4 years now and it still bothers me. Now have abandonment issues with current T.

I stopped seeing several T's after maybe a month of sessions because they were clearly not for me. Never told them I was leaving. Just never made another appointment and didn't return. Didn't bother me a bit. No regrets.

I think it depends on the relationship... I saw one therapist for awhile who was really not helping me at all, who I had no connection with, and I terminated with her without a last session. No regrets at all on that one. But any other therapist I had any kind of relationship with, I did go back and say good-bye, even if it wasn't working out.

That's terrible. Im so sorry. I think you've actually helped me make a decision. I'd hate for him to do that to me. We've had a good run, so I should probably tell him goodbye face to face.

Glad I could help. Good luck! It's hard but better you do it your way than their way. Let us know how it goes. Take care!